Julien Gerbi
Encyclopedia
Julien GerbiJulien Gerbi (born October 3, 1985 in Nice
, France
) is a French-Algerian race car driver.
driver Roberto Moreno
, Gerbi started driving in karting in 1992, but didn't choose to race, competing only once in Monaco
where he won his first competition. He trained many years, before debuting as a test driver in Formula Nissan Junior in 2003 with the GTEC Team.
driver participated to the Formula X Endurance Series, finishing 4th in the European category. He finished 3rd for his first race in Monza
, and poleman for the first ever race held in the brand new Dubai Autodrome
. He was crowned 'Best Rookie' at the end of the year. He also tested in British Formula Three for the Promatecme Team.
championship in 2005, before jumping into another Formula 3 seat in 2006. Racing for Team Active in the Turkish Formula 3 championship, Gerbi scored 3 wins and 5 podiums in eight races, establishing as well the new Izmir track record in May. Competing only half of the championship, his classification was a final 5th position and another rookie title.
raced in the United States in the Skip Barber
Mazda
Series. After a 2007 learning season where he finished 10th in the overall championship against 40 other drivers, Gerbi finished 4th in the 2008 edition, with 10 podiums out of 14 races and a win in Virginia. He set the new track record in Lime Rock Park
, and has also been included into the 2007 World 100 Future Racing Stars, among drivers such as Lewis Hamilton
, Nelson Piquet Jr or Sebastian Vettel
.
, during a year marked by lots of mechanical issues, but eventually took a 1st row at Snetterton’s last race. After having shown himself as the most improved driver of the season, he tested in Formula 3000
and Formula 2 during the winter.
Nice
Nice is the fifth most populous city in France, after Paris, Marseille, Lyon and Toulouse, with a population of 348,721 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Nice extends beyond the administrative city limits with a population of more than 955,000 on an area of...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
) is a French-Algerian race car driver.
Debut
Sport godson of the Formula OneFormula One
Formula One, also known as Formula 1 or F1 and referred to officially as the FIA Formula One World Championship, is the highest class of single seater auto racing sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile . The "formula" designation in the name refers to a set of rules with which...
driver Roberto Moreno
Roberto Moreno
Roberto Pupo Moreno , usually known as Roberto Moreno and also as Pupo Moreno, is a racing driver from Brazil. He participated in 75 Formula One Grands Prix, achieved 1 podium, and scored a total of 15 championship points. He raced in CART in 1986, and was Formula 3000 champion before joining...
, Gerbi started driving in karting in 1992, but didn't choose to race, competing only once in Monaco
Monaco
Monaco , officially the Principality of Monaco , is a sovereign city state on the French Riviera. It is bordered on three sides by its neighbour, France, and its centre is about from Italy. Its area is with a population of 35,986 as of 2011 and is the most densely populated country in the...
where he won his first competition. He trained many years, before debuting as a test driver in Formula Nissan Junior in 2003 with the GTEC Team.
Sport Prototypes
In 2004, promoted as the new "Draco Target Driver", the BerberBerber people
Berbers are the indigenous peoples of North Africa west of the Nile Valley. They are continuously distributed from the Atlantic to the Siwa oasis, in Egypt, and from the Mediterranean to the Niger River. Historically they spoke the Berber language or varieties of it, which together form a branch...
driver participated to the Formula X Endurance Series, finishing 4th in the European category. He finished 3rd for his first race in Monza
Autodromo Nazionale Monza
The Autodromo Nazionale Monza is a race track located near the town of Monza, north of Milan, in Italy. The circuit's biggest event is the Formula One Italian Grand Prix, which has been hosted there since the sport's inception....
, and poleman for the first ever race held in the brand new Dubai Autodrome
Dubai Autodrome
The Dubai Autodrome is an F.I.A. sanctioned 5.39 km motorsports circuit located in Dubailand, Dubai, United Arab Emirates.Opened in October 2004 with the final round of the 2004 Formula Renault V6 Eurocup season, Dubai Autodrome was the first part of the Dubai Motor City development that was...
. He was crowned 'Best Rookie' at the end of the year. He also tested in British Formula Three for the Promatecme Team.
Formula 3
He only appeared in one race of the Spanish Formula BMWFormula BMW
Formula BMW is a junior racing formula for single seater cars. It is positioned at the bottom of the motorsport career ladder alongside the longer established Formula Ford category...
championship in 2005, before jumping into another Formula 3 seat in 2006. Racing for Team Active in the Turkish Formula 3 championship, Gerbi scored 3 wins and 5 podiums in eight races, establishing as well the new Izmir track record in May. Competing only half of the championship, his classification was a final 5th position and another rookie title.
US Barber Mazda Series
In 2007 and 2008, the driver from NiceNice
Nice is the fifth most populous city in France, after Paris, Marseille, Lyon and Toulouse, with a population of 348,721 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Nice extends beyond the administrative city limits with a population of more than 955,000 on an area of...
raced in the United States in the Skip Barber
Skip Barber
John "Skip" Barber III is a retired racecar driver who is most famous for his Skip Barber Racing Schools.- Driving career :...
Mazda
Mazda
is a Japanese automotive manufacturer based in Fuchū, Aki District, Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan.In 2007, Mazda produced almost 1.3 million vehicles for global sales...
Series. After a 2007 learning season where he finished 10th in the overall championship against 40 other drivers, Gerbi finished 4th in the 2008 edition, with 10 podiums out of 14 races and a win in Virginia. He set the new track record in Lime Rock Park
Lime Rock Park
Lime Rock Park is a natural-terrain motorsport road racing venue located in Lime Rock, Connecticut, United States, a hamlet in the village of Lakeville, Connecticut, in the state’s northwest corner...
, and has also been included into the 2007 World 100 Future Racing Stars, among drivers such as Lewis Hamilton
Lewis Hamilton
Lewis Carl Davidson Hamilton, MBE is a British Formula One racing driver from England, currently racing for the McLaren team. He was the Formula One World Champion.Hamilton was born in Stevenage, Hertfordshire...
, Nelson Piquet Jr or Sebastian Vettel
Sebastian Vettel
Sebastian Vettel is a German Formula One racing driver, currently driving for Red Bull Racing. He is the current World Champion, having won the championship in and ....
.
Formula Palmer Audi
Gerbi eventually came back to Europe in 2009 following some British Formula 3 testing. He raced in Formula Palmer AudiFormula Palmer Audi
Formula Palmer Audi, officially abbreviated to FPA, and sometimes informally abbreviated to Palmer Audi, was a one-make class of open wheel Formula racing founded in 1998 by former Formula One driver, Jonathan Palmer. It was based in the United Kingdom , and was organised and operated by MotorSport...
, during a year marked by lots of mechanical issues, but eventually took a 1st row at Snetterton’s last race. After having shown himself as the most improved driver of the season, he tested in Formula 3000
Formula 3000
The Formula 3000 International Championship was a motor racing series created by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile in 1985 to become the final preparatory step for drivers hoping to enter the Formula One championship...
and Formula 2 during the winter.