October 8, 2024
SINGAPORE – Ahead of an imminent move to Formula 3 next season, Singaporean race driver Christian Ho underlined his credentials by being crowned the rookies’ champion of the Eurocup-3 series on Oct 6, with one round to go.
At the Circuito de Jerez in Spain, the 17-year-old converted from pole to win the first race – during which he also recorded the fastest lap – before finishing fifth in the second race, a result that was enough to seal his status as the top rookie ahead of 11 others in the 2024 season.
Ahead of the championship’s eighth and final round in Barcelona in November, Christian, who competes for Campos Racing, is second in the overall standings with 202 points, 93 points ahead of the closest rookie and his teammate Valentin Kluss from Germany.
Christian said: “We started the weekend strong with a clean sweep in Race 1, but I was a bit unlucky in qualifying on the second day when the red flag disrupted my fastest lap and Jerez is a difficult circuit to overtake on.
“But overall, I’m really happy with my performance in the Eurocup-3 so far. Winning the rookie champion title with one round remaining shows how consistent I’ve been throughout the season and it’s a big achievement for me to do this in just my first season here.”
After two years in Formula 4, where he finished second in the 2023 F4 Spanish Championship, Christian made his Eurocup-3 debut in 2024 and is set to become the first Singaporean to race in the International Automobile Federation (FIA) Formula 3 Championship next year.
The F3 championship, which sits between the Formula 4 and Formula 2 championships, is part of motorsport governing body FIA’s pathway aimed at helping drivers reach the pinnacle of the sport. The season typically takes place on the sidelines of F1 circuits, such as Britain’s Silverstone.
The Eurocup-3, which was created in 2023, is a stepping stone for drivers from F4 who are hoping to compete in F3. Each race weekend typically consists of two races, except in June where drivers competed in three races in Portimao.
Having won four Eurocup-3 races and finished on the podium three more times, Christian will be hoping for more at the iconic Catalonia circuit in Barcelona from Nov 8 to 10, where the season will conclude.
While the team championship has been decided with MP Motorsport taking the title in Jerez on 490 points, 96 points ahead of Christian’s Campos Racing, the Singaporean still has a chance of winning the drivers’ title.
Just 26 points separate him and MP Motorsport’s championship leader Javier Sagrera, with two races in Barcelona set to determine the overall winner.
Christian said: “I’ve put in a lot of hard work this year, alongside my team, and I’m just really glad to see all our hard work paying off.
“Congratulations to MP Motorsport for winning the team championship, it was a tough fight all season long and I really enjoyed that process.
“The last round is going to be big with the drivers’ champion up for grabs and it’s going to be a hard but exciting weekend and I’m ready for it. I just have to stay focused and keep working hard to make sure that I’ll be in the best shape physically and mentally for the last round.”