From this coming weekend's race meeting at Spa-Francorchamps, Dorian Boccolacci will be an FIA Formula 2 Championship driver with MP Motorsport.

The Frenchman steps up from the GP3 Series, having taken one win with the Dutch team at the Hungaroring, and will replace Spain's Roberto Merhi.

Boccolacci, who is 19-years-old, hopes to build on the form he displayed in a half-season of GP3 for MP Motorsport, taking pole at Paul Ricard and then the win at the Hungaroring. In Formula 2, Boccolacci will join up as a team mate to Ralph Boschung.

“I’m grasping this opportunity with both hands”, said Boccolacci, “Being promoted to F2 halfway into my second season in GP3 is a sign of confidence by MP Motorsport, a team with which I have gelled really well. I’m looking forward to the step up in both power and downforce, and that at the most exciting track on the calendar.”

Sander Dorsman, team manager at MP Motorsport, said: “Dorian has been outstanding in his GP3 stretch with us. We’ve been working very well together, so we are happy to promote him to the top category in our programme. I’m sure he will quickly adapt to the F2 car.”

Before joining MP at the start of 2018, Boccolacci took a win in his debut season in GP3. The year before, Boccolacci took two wins, two poles and seven podiums on his way to second place in the 2016 Formula Renault 2.0 Eurocup, while also taking third in the Formula Renault NEC Championship.

In 2014, his debut season in motor racing, the Frenchman took second place in the French F4 Championship before being promoted to the FIA Formula 3 Championship in 2015.