Highly-rated youngster Lando Norris gets F3 seat

Highly-rated British teenager Lando Norris will graduate to European Formula Three full time next year with Carlin.

The 17-year-old won three championship titles in 2016, adding the Toyota Racing Series, Formula Renault 2.0 NEC, and Eurocup Formula Renault 2.0 crowns to his 2015 MSA Formula (British F4) title in 2015.

He competed in the final round of the 2016 European F3 season with Carlin at Hockenhein, taking a brace of 16th place finishes after retiring from the first race of the weekend.

"I’m very happy to be driving for Carlin in 2017," said Norris. "Next season marks my third season racing for them."

"The guys in the team are great, we enjoy spending time together, we all get along very well and importantly I believe they are the right team for my first season in the FIA Formula 3 European Championship."

"It’s a very competitive series but I’m sure that I have the right ‘package’ to challenge for the title having shown good pace at Hockenheim and Macau."

Norris also recently won the prestigious McLaren Autosport BRDC Award, and will test a McLaren Formula One car as part of his prize in 2017.