NEWS

16 FEBRUARY 2012: Reigning British Formula 3 Champion Felipe Nasr is to graduate to GP2 for the 2012 season, it has been confirmed. Nasr, 19, will race for the ultra-successful DAMS squad with backing from Bank of Brazil and oil firm OGX.

In a deal brokered by Nasr’s manager Steve Robertson, Felipe will join Italian Davide Valsecchi at DAMS.

"I am very happy that we managed to get all the details worked out and that I will be able to be in GP2 this year,” said Nasr. “After Italy in 2009, the UK in 2010 and 2011, it is time for me to move again and head to France. Thanks to the combined efforts of my family, my manager Steve Robertson, my Brazilian sponsors and of DAMS, I have a new home where I can improve my driving and prove my worth.

“I have so much to learn and I am sure that with DAMS in GP2 and with a strong team mate, I am in the right place to learn the tricks of the series and the new tracks that I will face.”

DAMS CEO Jean-Paul Driot added: "I’m really delighted to welcome Felipe to the DAMS team. We’ve known him and followed his progress since his Formula BMW days, and we immediately spotted his incredible potential. We’ll do what’s necessary to allow him to express his talent and develop it throughout the whole GP2 Series Championship. With Davide’s experience and Felipe’s fieriness and youth we’ve got the best possible driver combination."

Nasr won the 2011 Cooper Tires British Formula 3 International Series title thanks to seven race wins and an additional nine podium finishes with the Carlin team.

Felipe is not the only Brazilian former British F3 man to have signed with DAMS: Lucas Foresti will race with the squad in the Formula Renault 3.5 series.