Formula Ford ace to make GP3 step with Carlin

British Formula Ford ace Eric Lichtenstein will step up to the GP3 Series in 2013 with Carlin, according to Motorsport News.

The Argentinean, who turns 18 next month, has been a revelation in his rookie season in Formula Ford. He has won ten of 21 races so far, and is on a seven-race winning streak. He goes into the final weekend of the season at Donington Park at the end of this month with an outside chance of taking the title against category veteran Antti Buri.

Lichtenstein has now finalised a deal to join leading single-seater outfit Carlin in GP3 next year. The British squad was a four-time race-winner in the 2012 season, with Antonio Felix da Costa finishing third in the drivers’ standings.

Lichtenstein said he had weighed up graduation to Formula 3, but opted for the Formula 1 support category instead.

“GP3 made the most sense to me because it’s good value,” Lichtenstein is quoted as saying by Motorsports News. “We talked about F3 but the budget was huge and I felt GP3 was a better way to go as it has a new car for next season, which will have 400bhp and be a huge step up from my Formula Ford car. I’m going to be doing some testing just before the Festival next month to get used to it.”

Watch GP3 Series action on Motors TV.

Peter Allen