Hartley joins Tech 1 for three races

The 19-year-old New Zealander has already signed to race for Carlin Motorsport in the Formula 3 Euro Series this season, but will be able to fit the World Series rounds at Barcelona this weekend, Spa and Monaco around his F3 commitments.

He would be able to take part in the first five rounds of the championship, but would have date clashses for the remaining four.

Hartley joins Frenchman Charles Pic at Tech 1, which won the teams' championship last season, and will be one of the expected front runners alongside Carlin's Jaime Alguersuari and Oliver Turvey who were his team-mates in Formula 3 last season.

Tech 1 boss Simon Abadie said: "Brendon will do at least the first three events of the 2009 season with us. Depending on his availability, either he'll continue with us for the rest of the year or he'll be replaced by another Red Bull driver.

"With Charles and Brendon we're ideally armed to have a great season. Our recognition by the Renault Driver Development programme and by the Red Bull Junior Team proves that Tech 1 Racing has moved up to another level and gained in renown."