Formula 2 veteran Artem Markelov will return to the championship full-time in 2020 after signing a deal to compete for HWA Racelab.
Mercedes-affiliated HWA Racelab formed a technical partnership with BWT Arden this year and will take over the team entry after next weekend’s season finale in Abu Dhabi.
Markelov joined Formula 2 – under its GP2 guise – in 2014 and spent five years competing for Russian Time, taking eight wins and the runner-up spot in 2017.
Markelov switched to the Japan-based Super Formula championship in 2019 but endured a fraught time, failing to register a point before missing the final two rounds.
The Russian, who held a Formula 1 test role with Renault in 2018, participated in the Monaco round of this year’s Formula 2 championship, before linking up with BWT Arden in Russia.
“Artem is the ideal driver for us in our first season as an independent team in Formula 2,” said HWA Racelab CEO Ulrich Fritz.
“He has lots of experience at this level. His tally of eight race wins speaks for itself.
“His expertise as a driver will help make our introduction to the series easier. I am pleased that we were able to acquire his services.”
Markelov, 25, is the first driver to be announced for next year’s Formula 2 championship.
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