Théo Pourchaire in Super Formula: what results for the French in the championship?

A Frenchman conquers Japan! The first page of Théo Pourchaire's story in Super Formula will be written this Saturday March 9 and Sunday March 10. Before him nine other French drivers took part in this championship, with very contrasting success.

While the French Theo Pourchaire is preparing to compete in Super Formula in 2024, many of its European predecessors have made a similar choice over the past ten years. An anthology of examples to follow… and not to follow!https://t.co/oyKzRyMGm9

- AUTOhebdo (@autohebdo) December 30, 2023

Often difficult beginnings

Not necessarily among the top teams for their debut in Super Formula, the French have often experienced difficult first seasons. Of the nine who participated at least once in the championship, seven failed to enter the top 10. Only two (Pierre Gasly and in 2017 Loïc duval in 2006) therefore achieved this by even achieving a top 5 overall. The current pilot Alpine had fought for the title before a typhoon caused the cancellation of the last two races at Suzuka.

Théo Pourchaire will hope to follow in the footsteps of Pierre Gasly and fight for the overall win, in order to prove, even more, that he deserves a place in Formula 1. To achieve this, it will be able to rely on Team Impul in 2024 (team supported and powered by Toyota) for which he will ride in 2024. His team is used to fighting for podiums in races and in the driver classification.

Five French winners

Overall, five of the nine drivers managed to win at least one Grand Prix. Loïc Duval dominates this ranking with 12 victories, ahead of Benoît Tréluyer, Pierre Gasly, Sacha Fenestraz and Giuliano Alesi respectively with 11, 2, 1 and 1 success. Note that the first two have 64 and 70 starts in Formula Nippon.

However, if Charles Milesi, Tristan Charpentier, Tom Dillmann and Jonathan Cochet have never climbed to the top of the podium in Super Formula, it is largely due to their little experience in the discipline. The latter have all had fewer than six starts in their career.

Two titled Blues

Of the nine French people who raced in the Japanese category, four competed for the title. Just like Pierre Gasly in 2017, Sacha Fenestraz also finished runner-up in the championship, for his part in 2022 after two mixed first years.

As for Benoît Tréluyer and Loïc Duval, they first gained experience over several seasons before first finishing second, then winning the title, in 2006 and 2009 respectively.