ART Grand Prix has confirmed its first driver for the 2016 GP3 season, with Nirei Fukuzumi joining the team.
The Japanese rookie has joined the reigning teams’ champions after previously testing for ART at the end of 2015 in Abu Dhabi.
The Honda junior driver won the Japan Formula 4 West Championship in 2014, his first single-seater season, and placed fourth in last year’s All-Japan Formula 3 Championship with two wins.
"I am very excited to race in GP3 series with ART Grand Prix," he said. "I think it will be a challenging year for me in a new environment and with a lot to learn but I will do what I can to get the best possible result at every race.
"I am very thankful to Honda and ART Grand Prix for giving me this great opportunity in GP3 and I am looking forward to all the new experiences."
Sébastien Philippe, team manager, added: "I am truly delighted to start our 3rd year of partnership together with Honda with this reinforcement of our collaboration. I am happy to welcome another hot property linked with our partner Honda, Nirei Fukuzumi, to our GP3 series team.
"Last December, he showed us during the Yas Marina tests that he has very interesting potential. Just like Nobuharu last year, 2016 will be a learning phase for Nirei.
"He will have to learn everything from scratch, but we are confident ART Grand Prix has the knowledge to give him the best conditions to do so and we expect Nirei to fight for podiums after only a few race weekends of adaptation."
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