JFPT Franklin Honda have this afternoon confirmed their new line-up for 2020, following their 11th hour about-turn on entering the season and departure of star driver Enrique Ruiz. With it announced long ago that Franklin were to leave Formula Virtual at the end of 2019, Ruiz departed to the Mathershaw squad - now joining forces with Porsche for the new season.
Therefore, when Franklin abruptly announced they would in fact not be leaving after all just days before pre-season testing, they knew any return would be without the Brazilian. Italian Enzo Domenicalli - who last competed in the now defunct IndyVirtual series in 2018, and in Formula Virtual with Rossi in 2015 where he finished third overall behind only the two Franklin drivers - and Australian Nick Addison - who cut his teeth in IndyVirtual alongside Domenicalli, scoring three wins over two years - drove for the team during pre-season testing, and have now been confirmed as the race line-up for 2020. Domenicalli will be the first driver that isn't Ruiz since Will Hoskins in 2014 to drive the famous #11 car, while Nick Addison will be hoping he doesn't become another victim of the #12 cars 'revolving door', with it having had five different drivers in just the last three seasons. Meanwhile, Kiara Thunder will serve as the teams reserve driver on their 'return', having previously raced for Holmqvist in 2016 and the first half of 2017 with a best result of fifth, before moving over herself to IndyVirtual, where she took a podium finish in the final race of 2018 at Macau.
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