Barbados Zane Maloney has become the newest member of the Red Bull Racing Junior driver programme. The Barbadian will also serve as one of the team’s reserve drivers for the 2023 Formula 1 season.
Two days after collecting the John Cooper Trophy at the British Racing Drivers’ Club Awards in London, 19-year-old Maloney confirmed on his Facebook page this morning (Wednesday) that he will be a member of the Red Bull Junior Team and a Formula 1 reserve driver in 2023.
The 2022 FIA Formula 3 Vice-Champion wrote: “I am thrilled to announce that I will be a part of the Red Bull Racing Junior Team and F1 Reserve Driver in 2023. I am grateful for the opportunity and support and look forward to getting the season started.
Later in day the new signing was also announced on the F1 website.
Following the end of the 2022 F3 Championship, Maloney took part in the post-season Formula 2 test with Carlin alongside fellow Red Bull Junior, Enzo Fittipaldi. Maloney finished the three-day event at Yas Marina Circuit with 246 laps under his belt.
The John Cooper Trophy is named for the British engineer, racer and team owner whose mid-engined Cooper-Climax T51 and T53 models won the 1959 & ’60 F1 World Championships in the hands of Jack Brabham and also the creator of the world-beating Mini Cooper rally car. Awarded to the highest-placed British or Commonwealth driver in the FIA F3 Championship, it was presented by former F1 driver John Watson. Previous winners include Oscar Piastri, George Russell and Lance Stroll, all of whom will race in Formula 1 next season.
Maloney was one of seven eligible drivers this year, his epic hat-trick of back-to-back Feature Race wins at the end of the season meaning he not only beat Britain’s Oliver Bearman to second in the F3 standings by two points, but also to this trophy.
