F3: Maini to replace Red Bull junior at Macau

GP3 podium finisher Arjun Maini is to return to Formula 3 for next month's Macau Grand Prix. The 18-year-old Indian will replace Red Bull Junior Niko Kari in Motopark's line-up.

Maini started the 2016 season in the Formula 3 European Championship with T-Sport, but after poor results he switched to GP3, in which he lies 10th in the points with Jenzer Motorsport.

It will be Maini's second race at Macau – after contesting the 2015 European F3 season with Van Amersfoort Racing, he switched to T-Sport for the Far Eastern classic and finished 10th.

Maini, who will test a Motopark Dallara-Volkswagen on Friday at the Hungaroring, joins 2016 Euro F3 rookie champion Joel Eriksson and Ferrari protege Guan Yu Zhou – both Macau rookies – in the team's line-up.

Motopark boss Timo Rumpfkeil said: "We are happy to have Arjun because it is of course good to have a driver with Macau experience. He is a true talent and we believe that he has a genuine chance of getting on the podium."

Kari's climbdown from Macau comes in the wake of a disastrous end to the season – after taking his first win at Imola in October, he had two engine failures and consequent grid penalties for each of the remaining five races.

The Finn, who is tipped to switch to GP3 next season, also notched up more disciplinary offences on his way to accumulating the highest number of license penalty points of any driver in F3.

Meanwhile, Mucke Motorsport has entered German Keyvan Andres Soori – who is 14th in the Euroformula Open standings – alongside David Beckmann for Macau. Mucke's third entry has been scratched, meaning the field is reduced to 29 cars.

Originally on Autosport.com