Igor Fraga to Make Formula 3 Debut This Weekend

[MasamuneDate]

Looking at the F3 roster Hitech now has a full lineup that doesn’t include Fraga. I haven’t seen any news of this separation or signing on to a different team, does anyone know what’s up?

Fraga has not been hired by Hitech and has also lost his place at the Red Bull junior programme.

Nobody knows whether he'll be even driving somewhere this year. The most likely scenario, though, is Igor moving to Japan and trying his luck over there.

 

[ravaline]

Fraga has not been hired by Hitech and has also lost his place at the Red Bull junior program.

Nobody knows whether he'll be even driving somewhere this year. The most likely scenario, though, is Igor moving to Japan and trying his luck over there.

what's the reason? PD is not sponsoring him anymore?

 

[MasamuneDate]

what's the reason? PD is not sponsoring him anymore?

Polyphony Digital decided to withdraw their sponsorship as well, following Red Bull.

Apparently they decided that Igor being taken off Red Bull's programme would damage PD's reputation. Igor is, therefore, all by himself right now.

Here's an article in portuguese, perhaps you could find a way to translate:

https://racemotor.com.br/2021/03/02/igor-fraga-tem-futuro-indefinido-para-a-temporada-2021/

 

[LeGeNd-1]

Igor just said on his stream a few weeks ago the reason why he doesn't play other games, is because he's sponsored by GT. Must be a pretty recent withdrawal then It's a shame really. It's a longshot but I was hoping he really could make it all the way to F1.

Edit: added the video. At 8.20 he says he's still sponsored by GT.

 

[FoRiZon]

Apparently they decided that Igor being taken off Red Bull's programme would damage PD's reputation. Igor is, therefore, all by himself right now.

It wasn't PD. It was Sony. From the Article:

The brand of the red bull chose not to renew the agreement and Sony executives preferred to do the same - they understood that, in the Japanese view, the episode would damage the reputation of their product (Gran Turismo). Even though the creator of the game Kazunori Yamauchi is an admirer of the Brazilian, at least at first he would not be able to reverse the decision

All (or most recent) Gran Turismo sponsorships within events and drivers is beneath Sony Blessing. That means that no matter how much Kaz wants him back, if Sony Exec says no, that means no. Not helping that PD basically exists because of Sony, aka they're over if Sony decides to pull the plug on PD.

Sad for Fraga, though. He's got potential.