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Jake Hughes evaluates European Formula 3 with Carlin

Formula Renault ALPS runner-up Jake Hughes is to test with leading Formula 3 European Championship team Carlin before he decides his 2016 programme

The 21-year-old from Birmingham, twice a finalist in the McLaren Autosport BRDC Award, has tested impressively in Formula 3.5 V8 and last week in the GP3 Series, where he finished in the top six in all six sessions with three different teams in the post-season Abu Dhabi test.

This week's two days with Carlin at Jerez will be the first serious test in an F3 car under the current FIA engine rules for Hughes, whose initial taste of the category came in a prize outing for winning the 2013 BRDC Formula 4 Championship.

"At that time I was just a little F4 driver," said Hughes, "but since then I've got used to higher downforce so it shouldn't take too long to adjust.

"Carlin's record speaks for itself - Prema are very competitive but I see Carlin as one of the teams that can beat them given the right driver-and-engineer combination, and that's what this test is about.

"We've been trying different categories and teams to see which one suits - I don't really know which one is best, because each has its advantages and disadvantages.

"I'm just getting a feel for each one, and after this test we should at least be able to decide which championship."

Autosport understands that the other drivers in Carlin's Volkswagen-powered Dallaras over the Wednesday and Thursday at Jerez will be Alessio Lorandi and Ryan Tveter, who continue their programmes with the team, and Euroformula Open graduate Tanart Sathienthirakul, who made his Euro F3 race debut with Motopark in the Hockenheim finale.

Meanwhile, Motopark continues testing at Barcelona this week with Sergio Sette Camara, Joel Eriksson, Niko Kari and Julio Moreno.

Also out at the Spanish Grand Prix venue are Van Amersfoort Racing, which is running Pedro Piquet, Harrison Newey and Callum Ilott, and T-Sport, which again fields Arjun Maini.

Hitech Grand Prix continues its programme at the Algarve Circuit this week, with Mercedes-supported Dane Mikkel Jensen, a podium finisher in his rookie season with Mucke Motorsport, joining regular testers George Russell and Nikita Mazepin.

It is understood that Mucke is also in action at the Portuguese venue.

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