Interview
Andreas Jenzer reflects on F3 finale and team’s farewell to the Championship
The weekend in Monza wasn’t just the curtain call for the 2024 Formula 3 season, but it also brought to an end Jenzer Motorsport’s involvement with the Championship.
The Swiss outfit has been ever-present in F3, and eponymous Team Principal Andreas Jenzer has been involved with his team at the third tier of the FIA pyramid since 2010.
It’s a long stint that he is very proud of, and in the immediate aftermath of the final Feature Race in ’24, he admitted that while it would have been nice to sign off with victory, he is proud of what he and his team have accomplished.
“I would have preferred it if the chequered flag had fallen ahead of a Jenzer car but obviously not everything can go according to plan.
“Apart from that, I’m happy to have been here basically from 2010. I think only ART have made it as long as that too, so it’s one page to close, that’s it. We’ve enjoyed our journey.”
Jenzer has enjoyed their share of high points throughout their tenure on the F3 grid. Arguably one of their highest came with Yuki Tsunoda, as the Japanese driver made his way through the ranks.
He became the team’s first ever race winner, earning victory at the same venue their time in F3 ended, as the Red Bull Junior Team driver-turned-RB F1 star won the Sprint Race in 2019, the culmination of a three-race podium streak.
Tsunoda wasn’t the only talent to shine on their way through F3 in Jenzer colours. Last season, Taylor Barnard handed the team their second race victory in a thrilling Spa-Francorchamps Feature Race.
The team’s experience and Barnard’s wet-weather ability helped the team to their best F3 result, as teammate Nikita Bedrin made it two out of three Jenzer cars on the podium, with Alejandro García fourth.
It all adds up says the Jenzer team boss.
“It was a lot of fun having Yuki Tsunoda, last year with Taylor Barnard was also fantastic,” Jenzer reflected. “I think we have always shown what we are capable of. We did good results with Yuki, and I think nobody expected this. He was just a boy when he came to us, and he went to Formula 1 within two years. I think that was a big achievement for the team, for us and for him.”
Jenzer has seen his share of drivers come through the ranks and into F3 with the team especially. After all of the years of competing in the Championship, he believes that they are prepared in the best way possible in such a competitive environment.
With multiple wins and podiums to his team’s record, Jenzer says that the F3 Championship has developed into a proving ground for the brightest talents on their way up the pyramid.
“Every aspect of motorsport is extremely professional. I think most of the drivers who are coming to do F3 or F2, they are incredible, well-educated drivers. For me, it’s the best school in motorsport.”
While his team will no longer be part of the F3 paddock, Jenzer will remain busy in other series as they field young drivers that could well wind up in Formula 3 one day.
For Andreas, he is very happy to be staying around in motorsport with a schedule that won’t be quite as busy as before.
“We have other Formula 4 Championships, a weekend in Brno then European formula, a weekend in Sachsenring, Barcelona and then a week after that we’re back in Monza. It’s not going to be quiet, there won’t be as much but it’s still going to be busy.”