F3: Norris eyes Macau GP for top-tier debut

British single-seater sensation Lando Norris is targeting an attack on the Macau Grand Prix for his race debut in the top tier of Formula 3.

The Somerset driver, who celebrates his 17th birthday the week before November's Far East classic, wants to contest the race as a warm-up for an assault on next season's F3 European Championship.

Norris currently leads the Formula Renault Eurocup and the Formula Renault Northern European Cup, has been a race winner in the BRDC British F3 Championship and also claimed the Toyota Racing Series title in New Zealand, notching up 20 race wins to date this season.

He has already accumulated test mileage in FIA-spec F3 cars during his 2015 MSA Formula (now British Formula 4) title-winning season, when he had outings with Carlin and Mucke Motorsport.

Fraser Sheader of ADD Motorsports, which manages Norris, said: "Macau is a great race and we don't want to miss it if we can make it happen. It's arguably the most competitive F3 race of the year, and it would put him on a great footing for next year.

"It's looking like F3 will be the chosen route, and this would be the best way to kick it off."

No deal is yet in place with any team, although Norris is already linked to Carlin through not only his MSA Formula campaign last year but also this season's BRDC British F3 Championship, in which he has skipped some rounds as his FRenault program has taken priority.

It is understood that Norris's campaign in BRDC British F3, which is based on beefed-up FIA F4 Tatuus chassis, should qualify him for participation at Macau as the series has FIA blessing for use of the F3 name.

Originally on Autosport.com