Van Amersfoort Racing to enter F3 Euro Series and Macau GP

The team will expand from the German F3 Cup with Austrian Lucas Auer - the nephew of Gerhard Berger - and Dutchman Dennis van de Laar, and will field a pair of Dallaras powered by Volkswagen engines.

Auer and van de Laar, both of whom are 18 years old, have raced with VAR in German F3 this season, with Auer taking second in the championship along with the rookie title.

The move represents a full-time return to the highest echelon of F3 for VAR, which carried Bas Leinders to the 1998 German title in the days before that championship merged with the French to form the Euro Series.

Before then, the team gave leading Benelux drivers such as Jos Verstappen, Vincent Radermecker and Tom Coronel their first taste of international single-seater racing in Formula Opel Lotus, and ran the late Marcel Albers in Formula Ford 1600.

In the German F3 Cup, VAR has carried Carlo van Dam, Laurens Vanthoor and Richie Stanaway to the title in 2007, '09 and '11 respectively.

Team principal Frits van Amersfoort, whose squad also runs in Formula Renault NEC, said: "We must be realistic - we are behind in our understanding of the new Dallara F312.

"We have a hell of a lot of work to do and it won't be an easy task. But this is a sign to the outside world that we are around in that environment. Hopefully we can put together a good package and be prepared for next year."

VAR plans to run two or three cars next season in the F3 Euro Series and/or the FIA European F3 Championship.