Formula Renault 3.5 race winner Kevin Korjus has confirmed he will switch to the GP3 Series for the forthcoming season. The Estonian will rejoin Koiranen Bros Motorsport, the team that carried him to the 2010 Formula Renault Eurocup title.
Korjus tested the outgoing GP3 car for his former Formula Renault 3.5 team Tech 1 Racing at Barcelona in 2011.
A power hike from 280 to 400hp is among key changes to the 2013 GP3 car, and one that Korjus said will make the series more appealing.
"I think this year's GP3 is going to be way better than last year's car, although I have yet to drive it," said Korjus. "It's going to be new for me, and there are also new Pirelli tires, and I have always driven with Michelin, so this will be quite different. The tires will be more like F1 tires, so in this way maybe it is a better step [than continuing in FR3.5].
"Looking at the drivers who have signed for this year, it is going to be a good lineup. I'm not certain, but I think some other FR3.5 drivers are looking at signing up."
Finnish team Koiranen is embarking on its first year in GP3 after establishing a reputation as one of Europe's leading Formula Renault 2.0 teams, taking Red Bull juniors Carlos Sainz and Daniil Kyvat to titles in recent years.
Korjus scored two race wins on his way to sixth in the 2011 FR3.5 standings, but was unable to continue the momentum last year.
"Last year was the toughest year in my single-seater career," explained Korjus, who scored just one podium at Moscow Raceway with Tech 1 before making a late-season switch to the Charouz-run Lotus team at the behest of Gravity management. "When you finish sixth in 2011, you want to finish higher the year after. There was a new car, and to be honest I was quite often unfortunate with technical problems that some guys never had.
"Then I was just losing performance, so Gravity Management decided on a switch of environment to see how can I manage there. It was probably a good decision."
2013 GP3 Series lineup so far:
Lotus (ART) Jack Harvey tba tba
MW Arden Daniil Kvyat Carlos Sainz Jr Robert Visoiu
Carlin Eric Lichtenstein tba tba
Jenzer Patric Niederhauser tba tba
Manor tba tba tba
Status Jimmy Eriksson tba tba
Atech CRS tba tba tba
Trident Emanuele Zonzini David Fumanelli tba
Koiranen Kevin Korjus tba tba