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Sergey Sirotkin joins ART for 2016 GP2 season

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2015 GP2 Series Round 10. Bahrain International Circuit, Bahrain Thursday 19 November 2015. Sergey Sirotkin (RUS, Rapax) Photo: Sam Bloxham/GP2 Series Media Service. ref: Digital Image _SBL2635

Sam Bloxham

Russian driver Sergey Sirotkin will race for ART Grand Prix in the 2016 GP2 season after leaving Rapax.

Sirotkin finished as the top rookie in GP2 last season, ending the year third in the standings behind champion Stoffel Vandoorne and American driver Alexander Rossi.

The 20-year-old confirmed at the end of last year that he would be remaining in GP2 for 2016 with the hope of balancing his racing commitments with a test role in Formula 1.

On Friday, it was confirmed that Sirotkin would be joining ART in place of Vandoorne who is prohibited from returning to GP2 as a champion.

“I am very excited to be joining ART Grand Prix because it is a big family which has the culture of motorsport,” Sirotkin said.

“They are a winning team wherever they have competed so far, like in the GP2 history, with a unbelievable 2015 season.

“This is a great opportunity for me, because ART Grand Prix has shown many times that it is the best place for a young driver to be and I intend to make the most of this opportunity, while doing the best possible job for the team.

“I would like to thanks ART Grand Prix, SMP Racing and my partners for this opportunity and I’m sure it will be an amazing season for both me and the team.”

Sirotkin first came to attention in 2013 when he joined Sauber as a development driver at the age of 17, with a view to racing in F1 for the Swiss team.

After taking part in practice for the Russian Grand Prix, Sirotkin parted company with Sauber at the end of 2014 before turning his attention to GP2.

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