Liuzzi, Friesacher get Red Bull backing at Coloni.

Far from disappearing from the FIA F3000 series, Red Bull will remain prominent in 2003, following the news that promising youngsters Vitantonio Liuzzi and Patrick Friesacher will campaign the distinctive blue-and-silver colours on their Coloni-entered Lolas.

The team, to be officially known as Coloni Red Bull Junior Team F3000, snapped up both pilots shortly after the 2002 season ended but, with two teams under its wing, had still to formally announce its line-up before today's announcement. Coloni Motorsport was one of the top teams last season, guiding late signing Giorgio Pantano to second in the standings and taking a similar position in the teams' classification.

The new line-up will be aiming for the 2003 title, despite Liuzzi only graduating from German F3 this year and only beginning his second full season after winning the world kart crown in 2001. Like Friesacher, who campaigned two seasons for the official Red Bull Junior Team run by Helmut Marko in 2001-02, the Italian has a long association with the Austrian-based drinks brand.

Liuzzi impressed the Coloni Motorsport management during four successful test sessions at Magione, Imola, Misano and Barcelona, and was also in the running for a possible testing slot with the BMW WilliamsF1 team after running an evaluation, alongside Pantano, at Valencia last month.

The 'new' Red Bull Junior Team's debut is expected to take place on 20-21 February at the Enzo e Dino Ferrari circuit in Imola, during an official two-day test session.