Photo: Joe Portlock / LAT Images / FIA F3 Championship
Lirim Zendeli has become the latest FIA Formula 3 driver to join the 2020 Toyota Racing Series field.
Zendeli, who raced for the Sauber Junior Team by Charouz in F3 this season, has joined the Giles Motorsport squad for the New Zealand-based series.
His announcement comes after it was revealed that his Red Bull-backed F3 rivals Liam Lawson and Yuki Tsunoda would both compete for M2 Competition.
?I am super excited to announce that I will race in the Castrol Toyota Racing Series for Giles in New Zealand this winter,” said Zendeli.
“It?s a country where I?ve never been before, a new culture and five race weekends with five unknown tracks and that gives me goosebumps.
?Some F1 heroes and many other successful drivers made it through that series, so I really look forward to pushing hard as much as I can after some weeks without racing.”
Zendeli graduated to F3 as the 2018 ADAC Formula 4 champion, and scored a double points finish at the Red Bull Ring in June, but ended his season early when he withdrew during the Sochi season finale over a contract dispute with his team.
He went on to drive for Jenzer Motorsport and Trident in the post-season test at Valencia.
Zendeli is Giles’ third signing for the upcoming TRS campaign, joining Swedish sportscar driver Henning Enqvist and Kiwi Supercar racer Chelsea Herbert.