Formula 3 Australia, on behalf of Team BRM, has today confirmed that Hollywood actor Frankie Muniz will not compete in the Australian Formula 3 races at the 2007 Formula 1 ING Australian Grand Prix, following speculation in the media recently discussing his potential entry into the event.
Muniz, star of the hit TV Show ‘Malcolm in the Middle’ and a number of popular Films, is this year competing with Jensen Motorsport in the Champ Car Atlantic Championship and had made enquires to Australian Formula 3 outfit Team BRM and owner Bronte Rundle to explore the possibility of competing in the Non-championship Formula 3 races at Albert Park.
Unfortunately, the close proximity of the Australian Grand Prix to the final official Champ Car Atlantic Test at Laguna Seca, when coupled with traveling time from his United States base, made crucial pre-event testing impossible to organize prior to the Grand Prix.
As such Muniz and Eric Jensen recently confirmed to Team BRM and Formula 3 Australia that they have decided to no longer pursue the Australian option at this time.
“Eric Jensen from Jensen Motorsport contacted us on behalf of Frankie with a view to having him contest the Australian Formula 3 Support races at Albert Park, to help him gain experience in different cars and at different tracks as he works towards a professional racing career, ” Team BRM owner Bronte Rundle said.
“Team BRM and Formula 3 Australia were very keen to have him compete at the Australian Grand Prix and we worked hard to make it happen.
“Unfortunately the limited time between him arriving in Australia and the Grand Prix event itself (which starts on Thursday, March 15th) meant that it was impossible to get Frankie in a car to test before the meeting, which would have limited his time to adapt to driving the different car and working with a different team.
“We’re disappointed that he isn’t coming, but at the same time it is a great sign that the Kumho Tyres Australian Formula 3 Championship continues to be internationally recognized as a key place to learn the craft of Open Wheel racing. The additional international interest in the category this year confirms that.
“We wish Frankie and Jensen Motorsport all the best for the year ahead in the Champ Car Atlantic Championship and hope that the schedule works out for them to race here in Australia next year. †Rundle said.
The Kumho Tyres Australian Formula 3 Championship is Australia’s premier Open Wheel Championship - competitors compete for the Australian Drivers Championship and the CAMS Gold Star – contested over an eight-round national championship.
Champ Car star Will Power, V8 Supercar drivers Michael Caruso, Alan Gurr, Tim Slade and Chris Alajajian, A1 Team Australia drivers Barton Mawer, Karl Reindler and Ian Dyk and Australian GT Championship frontrunner Peter Hackett are all notable graduates of the category since it’s inception in Australia in 1999.
A full field of Formula 3 cars will contest four non-championship races as a support category at this years’ Formula 1 ING Australian Grand Prix, on March 15 – 18.
