Basil Shaaban has boosted his challenge in the F3 Euro Series by signing an agreement to join the Prema Powerteam for the 2009 season.

The Prema outfit, based in Vicenza, northern Italy, is one of the top four teams in the world’s toughest F3 championship, and Shaaban, the only Arab to have appeared in the series, is the first Middle East driver it has offered a seat.
 
 “I’m very excited to be joining a team of Prema’s calibre and heritage for my third year of F3 racing,” said Shaaban who was born in Beirut but raised in Abu Dhabi.

“Their decision to offer me a contract underlines the fact that I’ve developed significantly as a racing driver in my first two seasons in the F3 Euro Series.”

Shaaban, entering a third season with Shell sponsorship, already knows one of his new team-mates, Italian Stefano Coletti, a former European junior karting champion who joined Prema in the middle of last year’s championship. A third driver will be named shortly.

"We were really impressed by Basil's skills during the test he made with us, especially as his overall experience is still limited. Our goal is to help him express his strong points, and we hope our determination will make us even stronger, in order to work our way through a successful 2009 season," said Angelo Rosin, Prema’s team principal.

Shaaban also underwent winter testing with Manor Motorsport in Britain with a view to a 2009 race contract, and with top French Formula 3 team ART Grand Prix at Le Mans for an evaluation of his capabilities for the future.

Shaaban will take part in official tests with the team in Estoril on March 18 and 19 in readiness for 10 race weekends in Germany, Holland, England, Spain and France. He will drive a Shell Dallara 308/9 powered by a Mercedes engine.- TradeArabia News Service