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Signature makes F3 return with Renault as engine supplier

French team Signature will return to Formula 3 with Renault engines next year in the category's European Championship

Philippe Sinault's squad pulled out of F3 at the end of the 2011 Euro Series, having won 16 drivers' and teams' titles in 21 years prior to that, mostly coming in the French championship.

Its engine deal with Renault, which announced its own return to F3 in association with ORECA earlier on Tuesday, rekindles a partnership that ended in 2003.

"Signature and F3 is a great love story," said Sinault. "We forged our history there and we lived the fantastic sporting and human adventure, revealing drivers such as Treluyer, Monteiro, Lapierre, Duval, van der Garde, Grosjean, Mortara and Wittmann.

"Our two years out were two years of hurt and we are very happy to return.

"The FIA has done a very good job in the past year, restoring pedigree to F3 and re-establishing it as a must for the great champions of tomorrow.

"This project is particularly exciting for us because Renault's decision to return with us shows a great vote of confidence."

Since quitting F3, Signature has contested sportscar racing, masterminding Alpine's European Le Mans Series title this year via its Signatech technology brand, and has built the one-make single-seaters for Formula Renault 1600.

SIGNATURE'S F3 HIGHLIGHTS

1999 - Benoit Treluyer wins Pau Grand Prix

2000 - Jonathan Cochet wins French F3 crown, Pau GP and F3 Masters

2001 - Cochet wins Korea Superprix

2003 - Champion team in F3 Euro Series with Nicolas Lapierre and Fabio Carbone. Lapierre wins Macau GP.

2005 - Runs own-built Opel-engined 'SLC' chassis for Carbone (pictured), which takes a best finish of fourth, alongside regular Dallaras in Euro Series.

2006 - Romain Grosjean wins Pau GP in Mercedes-engined Dallara.

2009 - Edoardo Mortara heads Jean-Karl Vernay in team one-two at Macau.

2010 - Volkswagen-powered Edoardo Mortara and Marco Wittmann finish one-two in Euro Series and team wins title too. Mortara wins Macau again.

2011 - Wittmann wins Pau GP.

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