Sébastien Buemi will make the step up to race full-time in GP2 in 2008, having agreed terms to drive for multiple former championship-winning team – in the series' F3000 forerunner – Arden International.

The Swiss ace finished as runner-up to newly-announced Renault F1 test-driver Romain Grosjean in the 2007 F3 Euroseries, after taking the fight all the way down to the wire in the final meeting at Hockenheim.

What's more, he participated in eleven GP2 outings for ART Grand Prix in place of the injured Michael Ammermüller, qualifying a superb fourth on his debut at Monaco and going on to set a brace of fastest laps at Hockenheim and Budapest.

Having tested for Arden in recent weeks, Speed TV now reports the 19-year-old as having signed up to compete with the Banbury-based squad in 2008. He is backed by Red Bull, with the Arden owner – Christian Horner – team principal of Red Bull Racing's Formula 1 concern.

Buemi tested for RBR at Jerez in both July and September – particularly impressing on the latter occasion by setting the third-quickest time of the nine drivers present. It is believed his Arden deal includes some further F1 testing, though it is not yet known whether that will be for RBR or sister outfit Scuderia Toro Rosso.