After being dismissed from the Red Bull ranks at the beginning of '23, 19-year-old Mexican driver Noel Leon was able to turn this setback around and close the year with a title and a seat in F3.

Earlier this year, Red Bull felt that León had not proven himself enough to stay with the team, so they decided to fire him. The Mexican then received an offer from Team Motopark to compete in the Eurofórmula Open. This decision paid off as the Mexican was eventually crowned champion with one round to go, after dominating the campaign with 7 wins and 16 podiums in total.

This performance earned him a seat in F3 with a team whose name is one of the most recognised in the lower categories, Van Amersfoort Racing. The team was home to the likes of Max Verstappen, Charles Leclerc and Kevin Magnussen among others.

Frits van Amersfoort: "Noel proved to be talented and motivated".

Leon, in the team's press release, said: "It has been a pleasure to be part of Van Amersfoort Racing so far. The team has been a pleasure to be part of Van Amersfoort Racing so far," he said, recalling that both parties worked together in post-season testing and in Macau. In the last test at Imola, the Mexican was able to finish 24th and 19th. In the legendary street race he finished the sprint race in 17th place and the main race in 19th. "It was a positive experience [collaborating in the post-season tests and Macau] and a great preparation for the upcoming season. I can't wait for the season to start!

Frits van Amersfoort, Team Principal of Van Amersfoort Racing, meanwhile emphasised the enthusiasm around working with the Mexican:"We are delighted to welcome Noel Leon to our team for the upcoming FIA F3 season. Noel has proven to be a talented and motivated driver. His previous single-seater experience and determination will help him in the preparation for a competitive 2024 season. The '24 F3 season will kick off in Bahrain with pre-season testing, leading to the first date just one weekend later in early March.

Image: Noel Leon's Instagram.