The inside scout: Théo Pourchaire

Théo Pourchaire was the second youngest driver in the FIA Formula 3 2020 Championship, but this didn’t stop the 17-year-old from challenging Oscar Piastri for the Drivers’ Title.

Ultimately, Pourchaire fell narrowly short with ART Grand Prix, sealing second place in the standings. But who is the Frenchman? We spoke to the man himself to get an insight on the rookie driver.

FIRST RACING MEMORY

“I have a lot of racing memories, but my first? I think that was the Monaco Grand Prix in 2006. I went with my father and I remember it well. I was at the first corner and I remember watching Michael Schumacher and Fernando Alonso, who were the superstars of 2006.

“I was only three or four years old! I was really young, but I remember it, I remember the noise of the cars and everything. I enjoyed it a lot and that’s one of the reasons why I love this sport. It’s because of my father first and foremost, he put me in a go-kart for the first time, but we watched lots of racing together, like Rally and Formula 1, I have good memories.”

BIGGEST RACING ACHIEVEMENT

“My first win in F3 in Austria was a big achievement for sure because the level is really high in this Championship. But for me, the title in Formula 4 was my biggest achievement. That was my first title in single-seaters, and I am really proud of it.”

RACING HERO

“I really like Sebastian Vettel and Lewis Hamilton. For me, it is impossible to choose just one of them. I watched Vettel at Red Bull when I was growing up a lot, and now Hamilton is winning everything, so he is one of my idols as well. They both have different personalities, which is why I like both of them.”

FAVOURITE TRACK ON THE F3 CALENDAR

“I really like the Red Bull Ring, but Silverstone is probably my favourite track. There is a bit of everything at Silverstone, fast-long straights, heavy braking zones, and also slow corners. There is a bit of everything there.”