Alex Fontana

Karting

Fontana's passion for racing began in 1996 at three and a half years old in the Greek island of Rhodes, driving his first baby Puffo Kart. Until 2008 he raced in the Swiss National Championships and international events as a factory driver for Swiss Hutless and PCR International. Highlights include the Swiss Karting Championship 2007 KF3 title, the 2006 Biland 4 Stroke World Final win in Dubai, the Bridgestone Cup 2008 KF2 title win and the Italian Open Master 2008 Runner Up, as well as qualifying for the World Karting Championship 2008 in La Conca, Italy.

Single seaters

In 2009 came the switch to single seaters after making into the BMW Talent Scout event at Valencia in 2008. In 2009 he raced in Formula Azzurra with MG Motorsport taking two wins and one additional podium. In 2010 there was the switch to Formula 3 with Corbetta Competizioni in the Italian Championship, before moving up in 2011 with the same team in the European Formula 3 Open. 2011 was a successful year for Fontana with two wins and nine podiums, allowing him to take the overall championship title. At the end of the year he had the opportunity to test the Mercedes DTM for the HWA Team.

In the same year he had the first single race week-end as a wild card in GP3 Series with Jenzer Motorsport, scoring points with a 6. place at the race debut.

In 2012 he joined the FIA Formula 2 Championship with three podiums and a win, being selected at the end of the year by Lotus F1 Junior Team, thanks also to another points finish in GP3 Series in 4. place, again as a wild card entry and again with Jenzer Motorsport.

2013 was the first season with Lotus F1 Junior Team and the first full season with Jenzer Motorsport in the GP3 Series, with one podium finish and the highlight of the first Formula 1 test with Lotus F1 Team the 30th September in Paul Ricard circuit.

In 2014 he continued with Lotus F1 Junior Team in GP3 Series but switching to ART Grand Prix, with two podiums and two front rows start. With only 5 races in the points out of 18, he finished 11th in the championship. At the end of the year he joined the World Series 3.5 by Renault official test in Jerez with Lotus Charouz signing the 2. best lap time.

2015 was a bit of a special year. Lotus was sold to Renault and this caused the exit from the Junior Program. He raced again in GP3 Series with Status GP, with the canadian team having some difficulties throughout the year and eventually exit the series. In the same year came the call from Pons Racing to replace Roberto Mehri in Monte Carlo, where he raced with Marussia F1. First race in World Series 3.5 by Renault, first race in the streets of Monaco, finished in the points with a 9. place. At the end of the year he was called by Jarno Trulli to compete in the FIA Formula E Championship last double-round of London Battersea Park, and with a best result in 9. place in the second qualyfing. After that, the last singleseeter experience to date was the official GP2 Series test in Abu Dhabi, with Status GP and Rapax Team, with a highest result of 8. in the standings.

GT and touring cars

In 2016 there was the switch to GT cars joining McLaren GT Academy for a Blancpain GT Endurance campaign and 24 Hours of Spa in PRO class. At the end of the year it was called by KIA Motors to develop the new Super Production car for China Touring Car Championship, collecting a podium and a pole position in the debut week-ends.

2017 was again in Blancpain GT Endurance and 24 Hours of Spa but in PRO-AM, with the Mercedes AMG supoorted car of AKKA ASP and his Chupa-Chups livery. Highlight of the year being the overall best lap time in the two days of official testing in Paul Ricard on a field of 55 cars. He was signed by KIA Motors for the maximum amount of rounds a foreign driver could complete, four, taking two pole positions, two wins and one more podium.

In 2018 he is signed by Emil Frey Jaguar Racing to compete in a few Blancpain GT Series selected events in Silver Cup. He is confirmed for the third year in a row by KIA Motors in China Touring Car Championship and he will take part at two VLN races to achieve the Permit A for the Nordschleife.

Career summary

^* Season still in progress.

Complete GP3 Series results

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)

^‡ Half points awarded as less than 75% of race distance was completed.

Complete Formula Two results

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)

Complete Formula Renault 3.5 Series results

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap)

Complete Formula E results

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap)

Complete European Le Mans Series results

^* Season still in progress.

Complete Blancpain GT Series Sprint Cup results