RLR MSport has signed Danish Formula 4 Champion Malthe Jakobsen to its 2020 European Le Mans Series (ELMS) LMP3 line-up.
Jakobsen, aged 16 from Denmark, achieved race wins and championship titles from the outset of his hugely successful karting career in 2013.
Lucrative campaigns in the Nordic and Danish Rotax Micro categories provided strong foundations for a rapid ascent up the karting ladder, through Rotax Mini and Junior, KF Junior and OK Junior.
Having secured the 2017 OK Junior title, Jakobsen seamlessly transitioned to single-seaters.
During his maiden F4 campaign, the Sennels-domiciled youngster raced to six podiums and one pole position to be crowned Rookie Champion but continued on an upward trajectory by ending 2019 as the outright Danish F4 Champion.
However, a speculative test in an RLR MSport-prepared Ligier JSP3 at Donington Park prompted Jakobsen to change course and swap open-wheelers for Le Mans Prototypes in the 2020 European Le Mans Series (ELMS).
The young Dane completed more than 80 laps of the historic British circuit and impressed RLR MSport with his speed and consistency on a damp and cold day in December.
“There is a big difference from the Formula 4 cars, not least because of the many forces, and you can feel that it is a real racing car,” said Jakobsen. “I felt comfortable in it pretty quickly, and RLR MSport was happy with my efforts, so even though I hadn’t thought about going into long-distance racing before, it suddenly became an interesting opportunity for me.
“It is a huge step for me, not only to race for a European title, but to also change from short sprint races in formula cars to endurance events in Le Mans Prototypes. I think the time is right in relation to my goal of becoming a professional racing driver.”
RLR MSport Director of Motorsport Operations, Nick Reynolds, said: “Malthe (Jakobsen) has proven to be an incredibly mature driver, despite his young age. He works extremely professionally with the car and his willingness to cooperate with the team is exceptional. I am delighted to have Malthe in our car for the 2020 European Le Mans Series.”
