Teenage single-seater star Gary Thompson is the youngest entrant in the upcoming Japanese Formula♊ 3 series this season following the release of the entry list by the organisers.

With a grid of 18 cars confirmed at this point, Thompson will face stiff competition in his Achievement by KCMG run Dallara-Toyota and, at just 17 years of age ♋is sure to attract plenty of publicity.

Thomps🥃on graduates to the key Japanese single-seater feeder series after taking victory in the Rookie Cup in the Formula BMW Pacific series in his first season of car racing last y🅺ear.

The Dublin born racer has been enjoying pre-season preparations with his new team, showing impressive form in extended t🍰ests at the Motegi and Fuji international tracks ahead of the season opener at Suzuka i🍎n just under a month's time.

Thompson is just one of two foreign racers in thಌe series and the only one in the National Class.

"Testing has gone well so far and I've really settled in w⛦ell with the KCMG squad," said Thompson. "Motegi was first and it wasn't too difficult to learn and it was good to get some consistent running.

"The weather was a bit more unpredic🎐table in Fuji so it was tough to get representative lap times but I'll have to get used to that because wet weathe𝔍r racing is far from unusual in Japan.

"Overall I'm satisfied with h💧ow the programme is going so far and I'm confident we can be competitiv𝄹e with the leading runners when the racing gets under way."

The 16-race Japanese F3 series begins a🦩t the Suzuka Grand Prix circuit on April 17 and conclude🌼s at Autopolis on October 17.