Leading junior motorsport team ART Grand Prix has announced that it has acquired the shares previously held by co-founder Nicolas Todt.
ART Grand Prix was founded in 2004 by Todt, son of FIA President Jean, and now Sauber Formula 1 boss Frederic Vasseur, who managed the ASM operation.
ART Grand Prix has been a key player in junior motorsport across the past decade, with Nico Rosberg, Lewis Hamilton, Nico Hulkenberg, Stoffel Vandoorne and George Russell all winning titles with the French outfit in GP2/F2.
It has also been the dominant operation in the GP3 Series, winning eight of the nine Drivers’ titles in the championship’s history.
Overall it has won 24 titles in Formula 1’s feeder championships.
Todt, whose All Road Management company looks after the careers of several high-profile drivers, including Ferrari-bound Charles Leclerc, has now sold his shares in the operation.
“I am very proud to have contributed to the creation and development of this team, which has always enjoyed great success,” said Todt.
“Its corporate culture, which focuses on young people and allows them to flourish, is a trademark of ART Grand Prix and to its credit.
“ART Grand Prix has allowed the emergence of young talents at all levels of the company: mechanics, engineers and of course drivers who are the visible part of this iceberg and some of whom have subsequently made their mark in the history of F1.
“My experience at ART Grand Prix has been rich in lessons as well as a catalyst for my activities in motorsport.
“I wish ART Grand Prix and all those who are associated with it to continue on the same path of excellence and to fight at the forefront in the various championships in which they will participate.”
Vasseur added: “I founded ART Grand Prix with Nicolas at a time when pooling our individual areas of expertise could benefit all parties involved.
“There has certainly been synergy since its birth in 2004, with ART Grand Prix achieving most of the goals it had set and Nicolas playing a large part in the overall success of the company.
“Without him, this development would not have been possible.
“Today the evolution of ART Grand Prix, mine and that of Nicolas, naturally led us to take different paths in a win-win strategy that will allow everyone to continue their career in the best conditions.
“I thank Nicolas for these years of collaboration which have been extremely rich in results and wish him the best for 2019 and the years to come.”
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