NOVEMBER 12, 2003

SuperNova goes French

SuperNova Racing, one of the leading Formula 3000 teams, has signed up France's Olivier Pla as one of its drivers for next year. Pla has been racing in the Formula 3 Euroseries this year and finished third in the series behind Ryan Briscoe and Christian Klien.

SuperNova Racing, one of the leading Formula 3000 teams, has signed up France's Olivier Pla as one of its drivers for next year. Pla has been racing in the Formula 3 Euroseries this year and finished third in the series behind Ryan Briscoe and Christian Klien. The 22-year-old has been racing since 2000 when he made his debut in France's Formula Elf Campus, driving for the La Filiere team. He scored four wins and was third in the series and in 2001 moved to Formula 3 with Saulnier Racing. In 2002 he moved to the ASM team and finished third in the French Championship and gaining some international exposure with victory in the Korean F3 Grand Prix.

This year he has been racing for ASM in the new Formula 3 Euroseries with Mercedes-Benz engines.

"I want to learn as much as possible with the team during the first year and maybe even win some races," he said. "I am aiming to go for the title in 2005."

The move is a sensible one for SuperNova with the plans for the series to switch to Renault engines in 2005. Having a Frenchman onboard will do the team no harm at all.