Sergio Sette Camara secures MP Motorsport seat for 2017 GP2 season
Macau Grand Prix podium finisher Sergio Sette Camara is to step up to the GP2 Series in 2017 with MP Motorsport
The 18-year-old Brazilian, who finished third in a one-off switch to Carlin in the Macau Formula 3 classic, is to test with Dutch team MP during the coming week's post-season Abu Dhabi test.
It is unclear whether Sette Camara, who has tested this year for the Toro Rosso Formula 1 team, will keep his place on the Red Bull Junior programme, but he is understood to have sufficient backing for his GP2 campaign.
He was expected to win races in his sophomore Formula 3 European Championship season with Motopark, but could not manage that and finished 11th in the points.
MP's Sander Dorsman said: "Sergio delivered some great performances in F3 this year and his recent podium at the Macau Grand Prix, on one of the world's most challenging street circuits, was sensational.
"He's undoubtedly one of the hottest prospects coming into GP2 next year, incredibly quick, and everyone at MP Motorsport is very pleased to be working with him.
"To have the deal completed so early, ahead of the post-season test, is perfect for all of us and gives everyone the best possible chance to prepare as strongly as we can for Sergio's GP2 race debut."
Sette Camara added: "It is a big step in relation to F3 on a platform where I can learn a lot - I can't wait to sit in the car and start to push."
Sette Camara could be joined in the team by Manor Formula 1 protege Jordan King, who has competed with Racing Engineering in 2015 and '16 and has won two races this season.
King will drive with MP on two days of the Abu Dhabi test, and will link up again with MP engineers Tony and Sarah Shaw, whose Manor Competition team he took his fledgling car-racing steps with in Formula Renault 2.0.
MP's lead driver from 2016, Oliver Rowland, is tipped for a switch to DAMS for his second full season in GP2.
The Renault F1 team protege will drive all three days of the Abu Dhabi test with DAMS.
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