What you need to know about Cem Bolukbasi

• A first journey in Karting

Like many young people passionate about motorsport, Cem Bolukbasi made a first attempt. Then aged 9, the Turk started karting in 2007 in the local championship without making too much noise. After a timid start, he placed 3rd in 2009 and continued to race in karting until 2012 where he jointly competed in the Rotax Max Challenge Belgium, Rotax Max Euro Challenge and Rotax Max Wintercup before abruptly stopping his career in motorsport . 

• With McLaren et Toro Rosso in Esports

With no real prospect of advancement in the field, Cem Bolukbasi then decided to turn to virtual and more precisely to Esport. Always attracted by motorsport, the Istanbul resident entered the Formula One eSports Series which he competed with McLaren in 2017 while keeping an eye on a possible opportunity to land a seat in any series in real life. An opportunity that will present itself in 2019 after a new virtual campaign on the video game of the F1 with Toro Rosso.

• From virtual to real

Enjoying great popularity in Turkey, Cem Bolukbasi returns to the real circuits in 2019. Supported by the Turkish team Borusan Otomotiv Motorsport, the Istanbul native takes part in two meetings (Paul Ricard and Misano) of the GT4 European Series where he scored a Top 10 in four races. In addition, he has the luxury of competing in the penultimate round of the Formula Renault at Hockenheim with M2 Competition without shining there.

At Hockenheim, Cem Bolukbasi takes part in his first Formula Renault round. ©DPPI/C. Luck DPPI

Comfortable on the tarmac despite a long period of absence from the world of racing, Cem Bolukbasi continues his adventure there and commits full-time to the GT4 European Series for the 2020 season. This time, success is there since the Turk, still supported by Borusan Otomotiv Motorsport, finished 2nd in the Pro-Am Cup with his teammate Yağız Gedik. Together, the two men took two pole positions and won two races in particular. A series of results which allows him to aspire to more for the rest of his career which is now real and no longer virtual.

• The confirmation in car

Although it was in GT4 that he proved himself, Cem Bolukbasi has not forgotten his single-seater dreams. Building on the momentum of his great 2020 season, the Turk hits the jackpot and embarks on a campaign with a busy schedule. After an Asian stopover where he competes in F3 Asia with BlackArts Racing (9th with 61 points), Bolukbasi reaches an agreement with Van Amersfoort Racing to enter the Euroformula Open. At the wheel of the Dallara 320, the Istanbulite leaves a lasting impression and even delivers some very good performances. Apparently comfortable, he climbed to the highest step of the podium twice and finished 5th in the championship, all without having competed in the first three meetings. In the end, he manages to beat drivers who followed traditional training and went through different single-seater categories unlike him. 

• The jump in F2

Remarkable for his first full year in single-seaters, Cem Bolukbasi had the right to try his hand directly at F2 during the end-of-season tests in Abu Dhabi with Charouz among others. It is clear that these tests were conclusive since the Turk finally signed with the Czech structure for the entire 2022 financial year, thus skipping the FRECA and F3 boxes, which are nevertheless fundamental for the development of any young driver.

« If I had never participated in the Formula One eSports Series, I would never have had the chance to get behind the wheel of a real car, I would not be where I am today, explains the main person concerned. It's very important to be the first sim racer to achieve this, because it can give people hope. If I can go from F1 E-sports to Formula 2, I think anyone can do it. »

At 23 years old, the one who was a sim racer one day continues to live his dream and is now preparing to study F2, hoping to perhaps one day reach F1 and not virtually.

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