Five months after Alex Peroni’s terrifying crash in last year’s penultimate FIA F3 Championship round at Monza, the young Tasmanian has confirmed his return to the championship for 2020.
Peroni, 20, will continue with Campos Racing in the nine-round international series, which is a support category for the Formula 1 World Championship.
His road to recovery after the Monza accident took longer than initially anticipated, to ensure that his spine injury healed properly.
For the first three months he wore a restrictive back brace, and when the brace was removed he had to build his fitness steadily to avoid aggravating the injury.
Now fully fit, Peroni is already in Europe preparing for the FIA F3 Championship’s first official 2020 testing in Bahrain from March 1-3.
The championship proper will begin at the Bahrain Formula 1 Grand Prix on March 20-22.
After some promising performances in his 2019 rookie campaign, Peroni is targeting consistently good results this year.
“I’m excited to be rejoining Campos Racing for the 2020 FIA F3 Championship,” he said. “Last year was difficult, being my first year at this level and the team’s first year with the new-specification car.
“Although it ended disappointingly, what is really important is that we all learnt an enormous amount. Also the team has strengthened its engineering staff since last year, and that should make quite a difference.
“I feel like I have unfinished business in this championship, and I can’t wait for the season to start!”
Campos Racing principal, former F1 racer Adrian Campos, welcomed Peroni back to the team.
“I’m happy to have Alex return for a second FIA F3 Championship season,” he said. “The championship is so competitive that drivers with previous experience have an advantage over first-year drivers.
“Even though his 2019 campaign ended prematurely, Alex showed the potential to be a frontrunner. The off-season has been difficult for him, but I have no doubt that his motivation will bring the results that a driver with his talent deserves.”
Peroni’s father and manager, Piero, was greatly relieved that the 2020 FIA F3 Championship campaign had finally become a reality.
“To see Alex return to the sport he loves so much, and in which he has demonstrated champion ability, is a great thrill,” he said.
“It’s always been a battle to secure the funding for another season of racing in Europe, and this year was no different. We couldn’t perform on the world motorsport stage without our loyal supporters and sponsors in Australia, especially those in our home State of Tasmania.
“Our sincere thanks go to everyone who has contributed in any way.”
Tax-deductible donations to support Alex Peroni’s motorsport career can be made via the Australian Sports Foundation https://asf.org.au/athletes/get-alex-peroni-back-on-track/.
2020 FIA F3 CHAMPIONSHIP SCHEDULE
| RD | DATE | VENUE | COUNTRY |
| 1. | March 20-22 | Bahrain International Circuit | Bahrain |
| 2. | May 1-3 | Zandvoort Circuit | Netherlands |
| 3. | May 8-10 | Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya | Spain |
| 4. | July 3-5 | Red Bull Ring | Austria |
| 5. | July 17-19 | Silverstone Circuit | Great Britain |
| 6. | July 31-August 2 | Hungaroring | Hungary |
| 7. | August 28-30 | Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps | Belgium |
| 8. | September 4-6 | Autodromo Nazionale Monza | Italy |
| 9. | September 25-27 | Sochi Autodrom | Russia |
