Manuel Maldonado, the cousin of Formula 1 grand prix winner Pastor, will move to the BRDC British Formula 3 Championship this year with Fortec Motorsports.
The Venezuelan is managed by former British F3 frontrunner Rupert Svendsen-Cook, and last year entered single-seater racing in Italian Formula 4 with Cram, his cousin’s first team.
After managing a best result of 12th there, he recently completed a campaign in the MRF Challenge, where he placed 14th in the standings after?a series of ninth-place finishes.
Maldonado joins second-year BRDC British F3 racer Ben Hingeley and British F4 graduate Nicolai Kjaergaard in a full three-car line-up at Fortec, whose 2016 drivers included Tarun Reddy, another protege of Svendsen-Cook’s Veloce Sports setup.
“It’s a great opportunity for me to have signed with Fortec,” said the 17-year-old.
“I have worked with them in the past and I am very happy to be here. I know that we can develop well together.”
Team manager Russell Dixon added: “We are very pleased to welcome Manuel to the team for the season ahead, and also to have completed our line-up for 2017 BRDC British F3.
“Manuel is a talented young driver and we are looking forward to helping him progress throughout the year.”
Wahome continues with CDR
Kenyan driver Jeremy Wahome will continue in the series for a second year with the Chris Dittmann Racing team.
Wahome finished 21st in the standings last year with a best finish of ninth, but recently joined the same ADD Motorsports management company as Lando Norris and Carlin BRDC British F3 signing James Pull.
?Racing for Chris Dittmann Racing was great last year, we really gelled together and they taught me a lot,” Wahome (pictured below) said.
“It was a big step up going from karting in Kenya to the European circuits for the first time.”
Team boss Dittmann added: “Jeremy showed great pace during last season and could have had some top-six finishes but for some small mistakes.
“Consistency showed at the end of the season and now it?s matching those two together.”
