A "promising" 17-year-old from Catalonia has joined a Norfolk-based racing team ahead of the 2021 British Formula 3 (F3) Championship.
Javier Segrera Pont has been announced as Elite Motorsport's first driver in the 2021 BRDC F3 Championship.
The 17-year-old, from Girona in Spain, will be entering his second season of racing, having already contested a partial season in last year’s Spanish F4 Championship, where he finished in the top 10 multiple times.
Elite Motorsport was established by Eddie Ives at the end of 2011 and is based in Shipdham.
Since then, the team have turned into a fully focused Ginetta Junior outfit and have established themselves as a front running team over the last five years.
Team owner and manager Mr Ives, said: "I'm over the moon to have secured Javier in one of our BF3 cars.
"We had a very promising three-day test with Javier at Valencia in December. He impressed the whole team with his attitude and pace.
"It’s a big challenge for him coming over to the UK but I'm confident we will surprise a few people.”
In 2015, Mr Pont took his initial steps into the world of karting and competed in the Cadet category of the Catalan and Spanish Championships, winning multiple Rotax races.
In 2017 and 18 he finished the Spanish Championship on the podium and also began his path into the international rankings.
He reached the finals of the Winter Cup, the WSK, the European Championship and the World Championship before making his Formula 4 debut in 2019.
He will now race for Elite Motorsport, who is scheduled to begin their F3 24-race campaign, at Brands Hatch in May.
Speaking on his move to the UK, Mr Pont said: “My hopes and aims are to mature and develop more as a driver due to the intense and difficult tracks that I will face in England.
"Of course I also want to be a strong candidate, fighting for the championship.
"Elite is an experienced and hard-working team that I believe can give everything I need to put in good performances."
The Spaniard is affiliated with Seven Grand Prix a driver development programme, formed in the '80s by Mexican Picho Toledano.
Mr Don thanked the programme for "bringing this new and exciting association together".
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