Alex Lynn steps up to British F3 with Fortec for 2012

Lynn, who has spent his entire single-seater career with Richard Dutton's squad, clinched the FR UK title with a record-breaking 12th win of the season at Silverstone last weekend.

He will partner Brazilian Pipo Derani in the Daventry team's 2012 British F3 line-up, as the series adopts a new generation of FIA-mandated cars.

"I think the choice to go with Fortec will prove to be the right one," said Lynn, 18. "Especially as my engineer from Formula Renault, Russell Dixon, is moving up with me.

"I hope we can help to develop the new car quickly. It's a tall order to fight for the championship, but as long as we put in the same effort and hard work that we did this year there's no reason why we can't fight the boys at Carlin, who have won the championship four years running."

Lynn tested outgoing F3 machinery with Fortec at Monza on Monday and wound up just three tenths shy of the pace set by the team's regular driver Will Buller.

Fortec team manager Mick Kouros said: "For his first test at Monza, he was rushed off his feet from racing at Silverstone. He didn't arrive at the hotel until after 1am and he was up at 6am. In the circumstances, you have to say that he did a very impressive job - especially for his first time at the track.

"Alex has been with the Fortec family for two years and it's great to have him on board for a third season. He has had great preparation in Formula Renault and he will more than cope with the step up to F3."

Lynn will continue his testing programme at Donington Park at the end of this week. He will also be assessed as one of two Motor Sport Association (British governing body) candidates for the FIA Institute Young Driver Excellence Academy, as well as taking part in the final of this year's McLaren AUTOSPORT BRDC Award.