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Melker joins Ocean Racing Technology

Nigel Melker was a race winner in the F3 Euroseries this year © Sutton Images

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• Ocean Racing Technology

Nigel Melker has joined Ocean Racing Technology for the 2012 GP2 season having tested for the team in October.

Melker was third in the GP3 championship in 2011, while also finishing fourth in the F3 Euroseries at the same time. He then impressed the team with the fifth and third fastest times on his first day at the second test in Barcelona, before driving for DAMS in the GP2 Final in Abu Dhabi, finishing the two races 15th and 20th. Melker thanked the team managers for providing him with the opportunity.

"I am glad to be a part of Ocean Racing Technology," Melker said. "The team has demonstrated and proven its desire to achieve big things in the short term and I think I am in a position to make my contribution to the success of this plan. I would like to thank Tiago Monteiro and José Guedes for believing in my potential. I will do my best to live up to their confidence."

Monteiro and Guedes said that Melker's impressive technical feedback would make him a good asset to the team.

"Nigel had two remarkable seasons both in the GP3 and F3 Euro Series," Monteiro and Guedes said. "During the tests we conducted together in Barcelona, last October, he proved to be very professional and an extremely competitive young driver at the wheel of one of our cars.

"The relationship with the technical team has been fruitful and we believe that together we will be able to achieve the goals we set for ourselves. In Barcelona, despite being a rookie, he adapted very quickly to the team as well as to the car. Ocean Racing Technology is proud to have signed a contract with a driver who was courted by several of the best teams in the championship."

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