Menu Motorsport confirms F3 plans.

Top British F3 team Menu Motorsport has confirmed its plans for 2002 as it hope to build on its debut-year performance.

The team, run by former British Touring Car champion Alain Menu and experienced engineer Mike Baker has signed a new driver and new engines for 2002.

Italian driver Giandomenico Brusatin joins the team this year having competed in the European F3000 Championship two seasons ago. His move to F3 is a step to re-launch his career.

"He raced for Martello in Formula Renault in 1998," explains team boss Mike Baker. "He worked with our engineer Mick Kouros there and they get on very well. It was Mick that put him in touch with us."

Brusatin tested effectively over the winter despite having to become familiar with a conventional gearbox rather than the sequential mechanism used in a F3000 car.

"I think he will surprise a lot of people this year," said Baker. Brusatin teams up with British driver Rob Austin who will race for the team for the second year running.

New engines will be a feature of Menu F3 Motorsport this year as the cars will run Spiess-Opel powerplants. With team owner Alain Menu driving for Opel in the German Touring Car Championship and having a strong relationship with Spiess, the choice was a logical one.

"We have a strong team, good drivers and a good engine," said Baker. "We are looking forward to a great season."

The BRDC British F3 Championship kicks off at Menu F3 Motorsport's home track of Brands Hatch, Kent, on April 1.