21-year-old Samarin has experienced a promising single-seater
career in his native Russia and in 2010 he is making the step-up to
an International series for the first time.
Samarin's single-seater debut came in 2006 at the age of 18 when
he won the Formula 1600 Russia series, a feat he repeated in 2007
with 5 victories and 8 podiums.
For 2008, Samarin competed in three different race series across
Northern Europe with the Art-Line Engineering Formula 3 squad. Ivan
showed great pace in all three series securing a podium in one of
only two races in the Finnish Formula Three series that he entered
and points finishes in each race he entered in Formula 3 Northern
European Zone. Samarin enjoyed the most success in the
Russian Formula Three series where he finished second in the title
with four race victories.
After sitting out the 2009 season, Samarin joined the final
Formula Two test of 2009 at Portimão. The young Russian
acquitted himself well and finished the test less than a second off
the fastest time set by 2009 Formula Two race winner Kazim
Vasiliauskas.
Samarin will be hoping to replicate the performance of fellow
countryman Mikhail Aleshin and claim a coveted FIA Superlicence for
2011.