Paffett switches to German F3 with Rosberg

The former BRDC McLaren Autosport young driver looked set to drive for the crack Jaguar junior squad, but lost out to Andre Lotterer who finished fourth in the German series in 2000.

"I'm very, very pleased," said Paffett. "I was struggling to get a top championship drive in England. The Rosberg team is very well put together and it should go well with the new Renault engines."

Paffett will team up with Frenchman Laurent Delahaye in a Dallara powered by a works Renault engine. The team, owned by 1982 Formula 1 World Champion Keke Rosberg, ran two cars for Finns Kari Maenpaa and Hannu Wiinikainen last year who finished 19th and 28th.

Paffett was 'very impressive' when he tested McLaren at the end of January according to managing director Martin Whitmarsh. The 19-year-old is known to be working closely with the Woking team with regard to his future and tested an MP4-15K for the second time at Magny-Cours this week.

The Scholarship class champion received £125,000 for winning the title last year, but it was thought that a condition of the prize money was that it be spent with a British F3 team.

"It has been talked about by a lot of people involved in the prize," said Paffet. "There was an understanding that it should be spent with a British team, but obviously if there are no top drives available, then you have to look elsewhere."

Paffet is due to have his first test with Team Rosberg next week at the Varano circuit in Italy.