AUSF3: Team BRM names Nathan Caratti for 208

Nathan Caratti is ready for a full season of Formula 3 with Opes Prime Team BRM

Opes Prime Team BRM is pleased to confirm that young West Australian driver Nathan Caratti will join the team for the 2008 Kumho Tyres Australian Formula 3 Championship for the CAMS Gold Star.

He will drive one of the teams' Opes Prime Dallara F307 -- Mercedes Benz chassis after testing at Mallala Raceway near Adelaide recently.

Caratti, 22, is the younger brother to 2005 Australian F3 champion Aaron Caratti and has a wealth of experience in open wheel racing despite his young age.

Since 2004 he has raced in the Australian Formula Ford Championship, finishing 7th in the series in both 2005 and 2006 -- scoring five podiums and eight top five finishes in his final year. He has also twice raced in the prestigious Formula Ford Festival in the UK and in 2005 started four races in the Australian Formula 3 Championship.

Last year stepped up to wings and slicks cars in Formula Renault, basing himself in London.

Caratti rounded off his debut Formula Renault season in the UK with several top finishes before electing to return home to compete for the $80,000 cash prize, or the chance to negotiate a fully-funded Formula V6 Asia drive, that the champion of this years F3 series can win thanks to Opes Prime.

After his initial two-day test at Mallala, Caratti will join the team for several days of pre-season testing at Eastern Creek in the lead-up to the opening round at the Australian A1GP World Cup of Motorsport round between February 1 -- 3.

"I've got plenty of experience in Open Wheelers so it was a choice of either staying in Formula Renault in the UK, or coming home to step into F3 -- which was the decision we made in the end," Nathan Caratti said.

"I'm very happy to be joining Team BRM -- they have won a lot of championships and have been very successful.

"There is not a lot of difference between the Renault and the F3 car -- the F3 just has a bit more power and a bit more grip but the driving style is the same. I'm confident that I'll be able to go out and do the job from the first round."

Caratti said he was looking forward to the first round, but noted that the second round in Adelaide was also a tantalising prospect.

"I've raced at the Clipsal 500 twice in Formula Ford and It's great to race in front of a crowd," he enthused.

"There won't be too many other drivers in the field this year that have been around there so that will hopefully be a good weekend for us."

"We are thrilled that Nathan will be joining us for what is shaping up to be the most competitive year for F3 and Opes Prime Team BRM yet," team manager Mark Rundle said.

"Nathan's pace and feedback when he tested for us at Mallala last week was excellent. He has a lot of Open Wheel experience thanks to his miles in Formula Ford and Formula Renault so there is no reason not to expect him to be a championship contender this season.

"It's great to see some young Australian talent joining F3 and we are very excited to work with Nathan this season." He said.

Opes Prime Team BRM have won three Australian Formula 3 Championships, in 2002, 2004 and 2006 and will this year run four cars in the series in an effort to regain the crown for the fourth time.

Caratti joins Opes Prime National Class driver Lee Farrell as confirmed Team BRM drivers for 2008, with the two remaining drivers set to be announced shortly.

-credit: www.teambrm.com.au