F3 Euroseries Rookie Champion Edoardo Mortara has agreed terms to remain at Signature in 2008, as the half-French/half-Italian ace bids to follow in Lewis Hamilton's wheeltracks by lifting the outright championship laurels.

Mortara fought off the challenge of Franck Mailleux en route to the 2007 rookie honours, and ninth spot in the overall drivers' standings, ironically just one point behind his French rival after impressively notching up two victories and two podium finishes in only his second season of racing cars. Next year he will be partnered by 'countrymen' Stefano Coletti and Jean-Karl Vernay at the newly-announced VW factory-powered French outfit

“I'm very grateful to Volkswagen and Signature for giving me this amazing opportunity,” the 20-year-old enthused. “The F3 Euroseries will be as competitive as ever next year, but the reputation of Volkswagen speaks for itself. Having worked with the Signature team throughout 2007, I know that together with Volkswagen we will form an extremely strong package.

“Now that I have won the rookie title, the next natural target is the overall championship. While this is sure to be an extremely tough task, it is nonetheless my firm aim – as well as that of Signature.”

“We are very pleased to have Edoardo in our team,” added VW Motorsport Director and former tin-top star Kris Nissen. “For his young age he is already a very strong character and a good driver. He has everything that is needed to become very good in the future.

“We are also delighted to be able to welcome Team Signature as a new partner in F3. The squad headed by Philippe Sinault possesses top-calibre know-how, experience galore and is very ambitious as well. This perfectly fits our objective of joining the front-runners in the fierce competition of the F3 Euroseries as quickly as possible.”

Mortara has already tested Volkswagen's all-new F3 powerplant, and clearly intends to help build on Signature's 40 international wins and VW's equally impressive motor racing pedigree, stretching back some four decades and taking in both single-seater competition and rallying. The German car giant has been a seminal influence at the grass roots of the sport in Formula Vee, originally founded in 1966, which launched the careers of Formula 1 world champions such as Niki Lauda, Nelson Piquet and Keke Rosberg.

What's more, VW power triumphed in 92 German F3 Championship races between 1979 and 1991. The Wolfsburg manufacturer's new engine – which made its debut at this year's Nurburgring F3 Euroseries meeting – signals a firm intention from Volkswagen to return to its title-winning ways.

Coletti and Vernay, meanwhile, are both members of the renowned Red Bull Junior team. Whilst the latter also raced for Signature in the F3 Euroseries in 2007 like Mortara – finishing ninth overall and third in the rookie rankings – 18-year-old Coletti will be making his debut in the category next year.

Signature are due to continue testing the new engine on 10 December at Nogaro in France, whilst similarly-powered Team RC Motorsport will take to the track at Valencia in Spain. The 2008 campaign will get underway at Hockenheim next April.