Motorsport: Michael to become youngest to sample F3

Sixteen-year-old young gun racer Michael Devaney from Rathfarnham, Dublin, will become Ireland ' youngest driver to sample an F3 car with the news that veteran Formula Ford racer George McAlpin, who clinched his first Irish Formula Ford title this year, is to share his championship prize of an F3 test with the promising teenager.

The prize which was put up for the winner of the 2001 Ford of Ireland Zetec Championship by Irish team Meritus Racing, takes place at Silverstone this Friday (12 Oct) and will see the reigning Irish JICA Kart Champion drive the same Toyota powered Dallara F398 in which the team successfully ran Irishman Michael Keohane in this year's British F3 Scholarship class.

One of Ireland s most-talked about drivers, the test will see Michael emulate his father Bernard who raced F3 in 1979 as teammate to Eddie Jordan in the British Championship.

Excited by the prospects of the test Michael said: "I am really grateful to George for giving me this opportunity, at 16 you never expect that you will get to drive a Formula 3 car.

"My dad keeps reminding me that he was 23 before he got to drive an F3 car. Ultimately I want to end up racing in F3 so this test will give me a good idea of what lies ahead."

Graduating from karts to cars this year, Michael quickly made his mark becoming the youngest driver to win a round of the Ford of Ireland F/Ford Zetec Championship.

This outstanding result saw the Seahorse.ie/Movie Magic supported driver nominated for Motorsport Ireland s £25,000 Young Racing Driver of the Year Award which will be announced in December. The highly rated teenager backed up his debut win with a second victory at Kirkistown.

Already working on his 2002 racing plans Michael is hoping to graduate to the British Formula Renault Championship.