F3: Eriksson Jr. moves up with Motopark

Highly rated Swede Joel Eriksson has joined Motopark for his rookie season in the Formula 3 European Championship.

Eriksson, 17, stays with the Oschersleben-based team, with which he finished second in last year's German Formula 4 Championship. The younger brother of GP3 race winner Jimmy Eriksson, he enjoyed a test programme during the autumn and winter with Motopark's F3 squad.

"We are completely convinced he's got what it takes – he has managed a seamless transition from the F4 car into the F3," team boss Timo Rumpfkeil said. "He impressed us big time in that he was both quick and consistent straight out of the box – I believe we can hit the ground running and fight for the Rookie of the Year award."

Eriksson joins new Red Bull Juniors Sergio Sette Camara and Niko Kari in the Volkswagen-powered Motopark machines for 2016.

The fourth and final seat is yet to be filled, although Motopark is known to have been impressed with Ferrari protege Guan Yu Zhou during his recent tests with the team.

This will be the seventh year out of eight in which one of the Eriksson brothers has driven for Motopark. Jimmy Eriksson raced in the Formula Renault Northern European Cup in 2009, German F3 in 2010 and '12 (when he won the title) and the F3 Euro Series in '11. Brother Joel has contested the German Formel Masters series in '13 and German F4 last year.

CONFIRMED F3 LINEUP SO FAR

Prema Powerteam: Lance Stroll, Ralf Aron, Maximilian Gunther
Carlin: Ryan Tveter, Alessio Lorandi
Van Amersfoort Racing: Pedro Piquet, Callum Ilott, Harrison Newey
Mucke Motorsport: David Beckmann
Motopark: Sergio Sette Camara, Niko Kari, Joel Eriksson
T-Sport: Arjun Maini
Hitech Grand Prix: George Russell, Nikita Mazepin, Ben Barnicoat

Originally on Autosport.com