Calado eager to take on Bottas in GP3

The Briton narrowly missed out on the 2009 Formula Renault UK title with Fortec, before finishing a distant runner-up to Carlin team-mate Jean-Eric Vergne in British F3 in 2010.

He has joined French super team ART for his move to GP3, alongside Brazilian series returnee Pedro Nunes and double F3 Masters winner Bottas. Calado believes racing alongside this pair will benefit his own title aspirations.

"I want to win for RSF - they are fed up with second place and want their first single-seater championship," he said. "I'm going to work really hard to get that for them and this is a really good opportunity.

"It's important I build relationships, do as good a job as possible and get that all-important seat in GP2 [for 2012].

"ART is the closest to an F1 team you can get to in the way they work. They work really hard to improve your driving. It was good testing with them and I'm quite confident."

Calado is relishing the prospect of taking on Bottas, who is moving into GP3 after two seasons racing for ART in the F3 Euro Series.

"He's a good driver and he's definitely going to be the one to beat," added Calado. "[This year] was his second in F3 and no doubt he'll be fast straight away, but you've got to look at that as a positive - [he will produce] valuable data that you can take.

"I think we have a good, strong team and it gives me confidence of winning the championship."