Lebanon's leading racing driver Daniel Morad is to contest the full season in the GP3 Series, the new championship supporting Formula One races, with UK-based team Status Grand Prix.

Management company GMH Motorsport has finalised the deal for its driver Morad to race in GP3 after strong performances with Status Grand Prix in the three pre-season tests, in which the 20-year-old ended the final test at Barcelona last month in the Top Six of the timesheets. Morad will race the 280hp Renault-powered Dallara chassis at eight Formula One Grands Prix across Europe, starting this weekend at the Spanish Grand Prix at Barcelona's Circuit de Catalunya.

GMH Motorsport, a growing force in Middle Eastern motorsport, ran Morad in 2008-09 under the banner of A1 Team Lebanon, when they made Lebanese racing history with their strong results in the A1GP World Cup of Motorsport. It has now identified the GP3 Series as the next stepping stone in Morad's career.

"Following Danny's strong last season in A1GP we felt there was unfinished business and great potential in further developing his driving career," said Nicholas Roe, GMH Motorsport's Sporting Director. "The inaugural GP3 season and Status GP seemed to be the perfect fit for Danny and following his strong official GP3 testing we are confident that Danny will provide exciting results in this series. We are also delighted to bring our commercial partners in Lebanon into this series, and in particular the Lebanese Ministry of Tourism, who will be looking to GMH Motorsport and Danny to promote Lebanon as an exciting and dynamic tourist destination."

Morad, who was born in Ontario, Canada, has a multitude of North American karting titles to his name before winning the 2006 Formula BMW USA championship. For his first full season of European racing, the race engineer assigned to his GP3 car will be Status GP team manager Simon Cayzer, which Morad sees as a major positive.

"Simon and I have worked together before in A1GP and we have a great understanding, which has already paid dividends while we've developed the new GP3 car in pre-season testing," said Morad. "This is a fantastic opportunity provided to me by GMH Motorsport, and with them behind me I'm confident I can have a very strong year with Status GP."

Status Grand Prix's Team Principal, Teddy Yip Jr, is delighted the team is working with GMH Motorsport and Morad. "GMH Motorsport is a great business partner for the team to have in 2010, and we're committed to bringing them on-track success," he said. "Daniel is a definite talent with great natural ability, and we know he's a serious contender this year and has a great future ahead of him."