Reigning ADAC Formula 4 Champion Théo Pourchaire will compete in the FIA Formula 3 Championship in 2020 with ART Grand Prix.
Pourchaire, 16, won the Germany-based Formula 4 category in 2019, beating Red Bull junior Dennis Hauger to the crown.
Pourchaire linked up with ART Grand Prix for Formula 3’s post-season test in Valencia in October and will now compete for the team in the tertiary division in 2020.
“This is a new challenge for me and I’m grateful to ART Grand Prix for giving me the opportunity to race in Formula 3,” said Pourchaire.
“Coming from German F4, this is a big step up, but after the tests in Valencia I feel ready to take it. We had all the possible conditions, dry, drying or wet and I felt good in all of them.
“ART Grand Prix gave me some leads to work on and I know where I can improve.
“I know I have a good margin of progression and that’s why my main aim will be to be better and better week in week out and to be ready to fight with the front runners by the final stages of the championship.
“I still have a lot to learn, but with a team such as ART Grand Prix, I think I can make it. I’m young and I want to take the time to do things right.”
ART dominated the series under its GP3 guise through 2018 but for 2019 was overhauled by Prema Racing, following the championship’s amalgamation with European Formula 3.
ART, which finished third in the Teams’ standings, has already confirmed Alexander Smolyar in one of its three seats.
Christian Lundgaard, who delivered ART’s sole Formula 3 win in 2019, is expected to step up to its Formula 2 outfit for 2020.