Founded in 2011, R-ace GP has honed the talents of several F1 drivers during these past few years despite not taking part in the F1-supported feeder series. But plans of expansion exist as FRECA R-ace Team Principal Thibaut de Mérindol revealed to Feeder Series.

By Perceval Wolff

When Thibaut de Mérindol, a former ART GP, SG Formula and Tech 1 Racing race engineer, created his own team called R-ace GP back in 2011, he likely didn’t imagine he would meet so many successes so quickly. Why did this young engineer decide to create his own team?

“As an engineer, you can never say that you finished all what was achievable. Reflection, improvement, performance-seeking, these are never-ending topics, this is so exciting. It was more an entrepreneurial fiber. I wanted to do something else, with more responsibility, to be at the initiative and to animate a team project,” he explained to Feeder Series.

Since 2017, R-ace GP has always finished in the top two of the Teams’ standings in Formula Renault Eurocup (eventually becoming FRECA in 2021). They have also clinched four Teams titles – the last of which in 2021 – and two Drivers titles with Max Fewtrell and Oscar Piastri in 2018 and 2019. 

Moreover, despite not participating in F2 or F3 that support Formula 1 Grand Prix, 20% of the current F1 grid has raced with R-ace GP in their developmental years, with Gasly, Ocon, Sargeant and Piastri. We could add to this list drivers like Nyck de Vries, but also F2 frontrunners such as Robert Shwartzman, Victor Martins or Zane Maloney.

F2 and F3: ‘We have to push that door’

With so many successes and drivers revealed in such a short period of time, could we see R-ace GP jumping to FIA F3 and to F2 in the near future?

“Our intention is clear: we have to and we wish to join FIA F3 and F2 as soon as possible. I think we have a structure that has what it takes now. We were talking about it for Italian F4. We needed to work on our human resources to create a real structure, with some capacities to delegate. We want to arrive in these championships not to make up the numbers, but also to perform so we need to do it in the perfect conditions.”

Despite the ambitions of de Mérindol to join F2 and F3, the process isn’t as simple as just applying for a grid slot, with space being a prominent issue.

“The biggest challenge is to find a free slot on the grid because the number of teams is limited. Of course, most of the teams that are already there want to stay. And logically and rightly, Bruno Michel (F2 and F3 CEO, e.n.) favors his historical teams as long as there are no problems with them. There is no need to change something that is not broken.

“At one moment, there will be an opportunity, a door will open and we will have to grab it. Of course, we also have to push that door ourselves, to apply, to show our interest to the championship, etc. But clearly, our intention is to enter F3 and even F2 as soon as possible, it is really important for us.”

Though the main talking point is the possibility of F2 and F3, the growth of R-ace GP is not limited to the feeder series ladder, as de Mérindol discussed the possibility of entering the field of endurance racing.

“We are also thinking about a second development area with endurance. We are in some talks with the ACO (Automobile Club de l’Ouest) for a future entry in European Le Mans Series and probably Asian Le Mans Series in LMP2 or LMP3. There is no announcement to make for 2024, but we are studying an engagement in endurance for the next seasons.”

Deciding on the 2024 line-up

As often, most of the feeder series’ top teams are deciding their line-ups around the month of August, or sometimes even earlier. After recruiting title contenders Martinius Stenshorne and Tim Tramnitz in FRECA, Thibaut de Mérindol knows how important that period of the year is for his team.

“We are already having advanced talks. We will run some tests during the summer to evaluate some of the drivers we are talking with. I think that end of August-beginning of September, we will have a precise idea of what our 2024 FRECA line-up will look like. Maybe even a definitive line-up at best.

“It’s a crunching moment because I would say that 70% of our success comes down to our drivers’ recruitment. It is so important, we select our drivers as collaborators. My idea is really to integrate new members to the team every year. There are a lot of criteria that enter into that equation: mainly sportive but not only.”

As a French team, R-ace GP has engaged many French drivers since 2011, the last FRECA ones being Hadrien David and Isack Hadjar. Does the nationality enter into that selection criteria? 

“No, not at all, but naturally, the contacts are easier between French people because they are more people we have in common. But if we have to choose between two drivers, nationality will never be taken into account to decide which one of them to choose.”

Reminiscing on the greats

When asked about which had been R-ace’s most competitive driver in its history, Thibaut de Mérindol eventually found an answer.

“Drivers have different profiles, some assets, some weak points, especially at this age. They are some that are more or less endearing humanly, it’s difficult to establish a hierarchy between all of them. However, to take a kind of different point of view, I can say who were the two drivers that helped us to make what we are since 2017. We had a difficult year in 2014 and they helped us to get back to the top.

“First one is Ukyo Sasahara in 2015, who is now racing in Super GT and Super Formula. He was an awesome driver on racecraft, he was so efficient. At that time, we didn’t have an incredible level of performance so we couldn’t fight for the title but we still won some races. But he was the first driver we could rely on to build the team that was previously struggling. He had a real fighting spirit and he was so involved within the team.

“He was a bit like us, he was in a difficult time, he didn’t have many team options and we didn’t have many driver options. And that’s how we made a season that has brought so much to R-ace, and I believe to him.”

Though the second driver to receive a shout from de Mérindol may not be an active driver in the current day, they nevertheless helped lay a foundation for R-ace GP in significant ways.

“Second one is Max Defourny in 2016 [who stopped racing four years ago because of budget issues, e.n.]. For the first time, we were fighting for the title in Formula Renault Eurocup against Lando Norris. It was the first year where we could arrive on whatever track and have the trust we would be in the mix for pole positions and wins. We also really built ourselves with him.

“You see, these are not F1 drivers, but these are two drivers who have been so important in R-ace construction, that made us who we are since 2017. That doesn’t mean they were the best drivers ever, especially because after this, we’ve got some amazing drivers… but they did so much for us.”

R-ace GP’s most complete driver

Naturally, deciding who the best driver in your team’s history could be is a big task for a team as rich in history as R-ace GP. However, de Mérindol quickly finds an answer to this question.

“If I try to answer to the question of who was the best driver, I can try to characterize them. Esteban Ocon was an amazing driver if we talk about pure instinct, sensations. He could adapt to all the cars in all conditions. He had a real ‘sensorial intelligence.’ Nyck de Vries was very professional. He was well formatted by McLaren and by all his karting success. We were not used to having this kind of professionalism, at this level in Eurocup, and especially at that time. Now it has become more frequent because young drivers are getting more and more professional every year.

“I would say Oscar Piastri was the most complete and homogeneous driver. It’s difficult to say what were his main assets, he was very good everywhere without necessarily being excellent. When he became champion with us back in 2019, despite scoring five pole positions, his qualifying pace was one of his weakest points, especially because we were against Victor Martins, who is the best driver I have ever met on a one-lap effort.

“But I think even on that point, Oscar progressed even more, when you look at his F2 season where he scored five poles in a row, after winning the F3 title with zero poles. He is a very intelligent driver in the way he interacts with the team, he manages his championships, his races, his tyres, with very few mistakes. He was so efficient and complete. Maybe not the quickest though, or at least not at that time.”

Header photo credit: R-ace GP