GP3: Bottas lands Lotus ART seat for 2011

 
Inaugural GP3 Series champions ART have confirmed Williams F1 tester Valtteri Bottas as one of their drivers for the 2011 campaign.

21-year-old Bottas has contested the past two F3 Euro Series campaigns for the French squad, finishing third overall in both 2009 and 2010. The Finn also won the prestigious Zandvoort Masters of F3 event for ART in both seasons.

Now he will switch to F1 support category GP3 with the team, who will run under the Lotus ART banner in 2011 following a tie-up with the Malaysian-owned Group Lotus.

“A season of GP3 Series with Lotus ART is an ambitious project which is part of a logical progression," said Bottas. “This is my third season with the team, and [the change in category] gives us the opportunity of giving fresh impetus to a very profitable partnership on a sporting and personal level.

"My first objective is to learn, then be able to race with the best," he added.

“Valtteri is an extremely gifted, fast and very talented driver on a technical level," said ART boss Frederic Vasseur. "He is also a charming and intelligent human being with whom the team has always had the pleasure of working with.

"He is extremely fast, focused and mentally strong - Valtteri fits the profile that we are looking for in our second year in the GP3 Series,” the Frenchman concluded.

Bottas joins the already-confirmed James Calado at Lotus ART for 2011.

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