The Cooper Tires British Formula 3 International Series has been selected as the ideal European test environment for a new F3 engine from Japan. The ThreeBond-Nissan SR20VE power unit has already proved successful in the Japanese F3 series but has yet to be tried on this side of the world.

British team T-Sport has formed a new partnership with ThreeBond to field a 2012 Dallara fitted with the engine; it will be driven by 21-year-old Formula Ford graduate Nick McBride, from Australia.

“We’re very happy to undertake this new venture with ThreeBond,” said T-Sport team principal Russell Eacott. “The Tomei engine has a proven record in Japanese F3, where it has taken many wins and pole positions, it will be interesting to see how it fares in the British series. The International class is a big jump for a rookie but I think Nick has got what it takes to succeed.”

McBride joins fellow Australian Formula Ford man Spike Goddard, who will drive in the National Class for T-Sport. “I’m really excited to be racing in British F3 with T-Sport and ThreeBond,” said McBride, who finished third in the 2011 MSA Formula Ford Championship of Great Britain, “and I would like to thank both of them for the opportunity.”

T-Sport has an enviable track record in British Formula 3, having won the National class in 2010 with Menasheh Idafar and in ’07 with Sergio Perez, now a Sauber F1 pilot.