Bruno Senna has sealed a deal to make his Formula 1 debut with the new Campos Meta team next season.
The 26-year-old nephew of legendary three-time world champion Ayrton had been close to securing a deal to drive with Honda for 2009 before the Japanese manufacturer pulled out of F1 last winter and the replacement Brawn team eventually opted to stick with the experienced Rubens Barrichello.
But having expressed confidence in recent weeks that he would definitely be on the grid in 2010, an agreement with the all-new Spanish-based Campos team was confirmed in Abu Dhabi on Saturday morning.
Campos said it was thrilled to have secured the services of the young Brazilian star and be bringing the iconic Senna name back to the sport.
"For Campos Meta it is an extraordinary honour to be returning the name of Senna to Formula 1," Campos Meta CEO Enrique Rodriguez de Castro said in a statement.
"The deal with Senna confirms and re-enforces our prime objective of being not only the first Spanish Formula 1 team, but rather the first Iberian-American F1 team.”
Senna himself, who has spent this year racing in sportscar events, expressed delight at securing his first F1 deal and believes he is joining a team with plenty of potential.
"I'm absolutely delighted to fulfil a lifetime's dream,” Senna said.
“Now it is time to set new targets. The project Campos Meta have developed is designed to succeed both on and off track."