From FT to TP-T for Hancock.

Still chasing his Formula One dream, F3000 driver Sam Hancock has been spotted with one of Britain's leading 'it girls', guaranteeing himself some welcome exposure in the press.

Hancock, who made a handful of late-season appearances with the Super Nova team in 2003, is currently chasing the funds to compete in the grand prix support series again this year, and has launched an innovative share deal in order to help raise the capital he needs to take him all the way to Formula One. For now, however, he has moved from the financial and sporting pages of the national press and into the celebrity and social sections.

The Daily Telegraph's London Spy column reports that Hancock met model-turned-TV presenter Tara Palmer-Tomkinson at a post-Brit Award party hosted by the band Duran Duran, before fixing a first public engagement at the launch of Quintessentially magazine earlier this week.

"Sam is lovely," TP-T, who was spotted in an amorous clinch with an Australian lifeguard only last week, told the column, "He is going to be Britain's next Formula One driver - and he's gorgeous to boot!"

The equally gregarious Hancock admitted that he had been 'bowled over' by his new companion, but was still focused on trying to raise up to ?1.75million by selling shares in himself as a racing driver.

He plans to use the funds raised by floating SH plc on the OFEX exchange to finance the next two years of his racing career, with the aim of moving in to Formula One by 2006. In exchange, the company will receive all income derived from Hancock's activities over the next five years, and half of that achieved over the subsequent five years.

Hancock told the audience at January's Autosport International exhibition that his aim was race in the FIA F3000 Championship this season, despite the disappointment of missing out on a drive with reigning champions Arden International.