The 17-year-old Briton is targeting the title outright in his first full F3 season in the 30-race, 10-event series. Having scored an amazing 43 podium finishes (21 race wins), 26 pole-positions and 13 fastest race laps in 2016, Norris contested the final FIA Euro F3 event at Hockenheim (D) then the FIA Formula Three World Cup in Macau (CH) with Carlin.

This year’s McLaren Autosport BRDC Award winner recorded the second fastest lap in the final race at Hockenheim in October and sliced his way impressively through from 26th to 11th around the demanding “street” track in Macau last month which bodes well for his 2017 foray. Lando, who collected the Henry Surtees Award and Chris Bristow Trophy at the BRDC Awards in London last week (5 Dec), commences on a test programme with Carlin in advance of the opening Euro F3 race at Silverstone* in April*. Carlin has won the British F3 title nine times and finished second in the FIA Euro series in 2015.

*To be confirmed

Lando:

“I’m very excited to be joining Carlin and can’t wait to contest the FIA Formula 3 European Championship. My aim is simple and the same as at the start of every season – I want to win the championship title outright. Although it’s my ‘rookie’ F3 season, I'm totally confident with the ‘package’ – the team and Volkswagen. I believe I have what it takes to challenge for the title in my first full season of F3 racing especially after the pace we showed at Hockenheim and Macau.

“The competition will be tough, it’s an ultra-competitive series, of that there is no doubt. Many of the drivers I’m up against will be in at least their second year in the category so will have a lot of F3 experience on the tracks we’ll be racing on. There will be a couple of circuits totally new to me but this year in Renault I learnt them quickly. If, in my first year, the outright F3 title is not within my grasp, it won’t be for the want of trying and then winning the ‘rookie’ title is an absolute must. It’ll be my third season racing for Carlin – I feel very comfortable and at ease with them and we all get along very well.”

Trevor Carlin, Racing Director, Carlin:

“We are very pleased and proud that Lando and his management have chosen to stay with the team for a third season, and I’d like to thank them for the trust they’ve placed in our FIA F3 team after two very promising outings in Hockenheim and Macau.  Lando is an incredibly exciting young driver and has already shown in his short career his talent, dedication and work ethic.  We very much look forward to working with him again in 2017 and showing what we can achieve together in FIA F3.”