American F4 champion Cameron Das has announced his plans to contest the BRDC (British Racing Drivers’ Club) British F3 Championship with front-runners Carlin. Das has an impressive track record in single-seaters, having taken the American F4 crown last year with a number of victories on route to the title. Having already competed in the BRDC British F3 Autumn Trophy at the end of 2016, Das has experienced the close and competitive nature of the series, in addition to gaining familiarity with his Carlin team. This partnership will be crucial in Cameron excelling in his first car racing season away from America, where he will be targeting race victories.
After experiences in karting and single-seaters, Cameron’s breakthrough year came in 2016 when he took the American F4 title, driving for JDX Racing. Das experienced a consistent start to the year, then dominated the latter half of the season, winning eight consecutive races on his way to the championship. In addition to his American F4 exploits, Cameron also took part in the US F2000 National Championship, collecting three top-10 finishes including a best result of eighth coming at Toronto. Competing in several national championships will give Das the perfect preparation for moving up to the more powerful BRDC British F3 machinery for the upcoming season.
The BRDC British F3 Championship was formed in its current state at the beginning of last season, and has proved to be a huge success with drivers from over 10 countries joining the grid in either the main series, or Autumn Trophy. The series features weekends with up to three races, including a reverse grid event in which the top eight positions are reversed. Top teams from across Europe have joined the series including Carlin, Fortec Motorsport and reigning drivers champions Double R Racing. Visiting some of the most historic circuits in the UK, in addition to compete on the legendary Spa Francorchamps circuit, the BRDC British F3 Championship provides the perfect stepping stone for any driver looking to move into GP3, and possibly Indy Lights.
Cameron got his first taste of BRDC British F3 machinery at the end of 2016 by competing in the BRDC British F3 Autumn Trophy at Snetterton. With four races taking place over a weekend, Das teamed up with Carlin to take part in the event, aiming to gain experience of the car and British circuits. Cameron took part in a series of test sessions leading up to the weekend and showed good speed in qualifying by setting the seventh fastest time, less than four tenths of a second away from pole. Das completed the opening two races without incident, collecting a pair of top-10 finishes whilst gaining valuable experience. Only one race was possible the following day, however Das drove superbly to finish in fifth, showing great potential which will hopefully serve him well as he embarks on a full campaign in the series for 2017.
Cameron will be a driver to watch throughout the 2017 season as he’ll look to build upon his success in the BRDC British F3 Autumn Trophy. Consistency will be paramount to his development due to the fact that most meetings will comprise of three races, which will provide lots of opportunities to improve throughout the weekend. Most notably, a reverse grid race will take place where a portion of the positions will be reversed, allowing a greater chance for overtaking in what is sure to be an extremely competitive grid of young drivers. Das will believe he can challenge high up the field from the opening meeting, slowly contesting for victories and possibly the championship as the season progresses. The talented American’s move into the BRDC British F3 Championship appears a wise one, which could significantly aid his development as a single-seater driver.