MP Motorsport completes FIA F3 roster

The 17-year-old will make the step up to F3 following a season in the Formula Renault Eurocup that netted 12th in the championship, driving for Alpine F1 driver Fernando Alonso's FA Racing squad.

Van der Helm has previously raced for MP Motorsport having teamed up for the 2019 Spanish Formula 4 Championship.

Confirmation the teenager will return to the outfit comes after MP Motorsport announced Alpine Academy drivers Victor Martins and Caio Collet as part of its line up earlier this week.

"I am very happy to be a Formula 3 driver with MP Motorsport in 2021," said Van der Helm.

"This will be a very important step in my career, as Formula 3 is the category where the very best young single-seater talents go head-to-head. It's exactly the place where I need to show what I'm capable of.

"Furthermore, it's a great prospect to be so close to Formula 1 – seeing and hearing those cars will add something special to each and every race meeting. Moreover, it is great to return to the old nest.

"I have wonderful memories of my year with MP in the Spanish F4 Championship, so if it is up to me we will create more good memories this year."

MP Motorsport Team manager Sander Dorsman added: "It's fantastic news Tijmen will be driving with us again," said Sander Dorsman, team manager of MP Motorsport.

"I'm looking forward to working together as we did in 2019.

"With Tijmen, Victor and Caio, our Formula 3 line-up consists of three very fast and talented rookies who will start the season hungry for success.

"I'm very curious to see how they will challenge each other to get the best out of each other. I know one thing for sure, this will be an amazing year."

The team was set to head to Jerez later this month for the first FIA F3 pre-season test before a call was made to postpone the outing after Spain extended its travel ban on UK travellers, meaning Carlin and Hitech GP would be unable to attend.

Championship organisers have confirmed the test will be rescheduled.

At this stage pre-season tests are slated for Barcelona on 16-17 March followed by another two-day outing at Austria's Red Bull Ring on 3-4 April.

The season opener is due to take place at the Spanish Grand Prix on 7-9 May.