DeFrancesco, 16, finished fifth in British F4 this year, taking race wins at Thruxton, Oulton Park and Croft.

It was the Canadian's first full-time season in single-seaters, DeFrancesco having graduated out of karting in 2014 with a third-place finish in the CIK-FIA European Championship and the runner-up spot in the Italian series.

“I'm really looking forward to getting going and am very happy to continue my partnership with Carlin, who have offered me a huge amount of support,” DeFrancesco said.

“It will be a challenge, but I’ve been working very hard so that I’m in the best possible position when the season gets underway.”

Carlin joined Euroformula Open in 2016, fielding a three-car line-up, with British F4 graduate Colton Herta delivering four wins in the second half of the season.

“It was a very promising campaign for the boys in blue and the way they adapted so quickly to Euroformula Open demonstrates the amazingly high level this team performs at,” DeFrancesco added.

“They had an awesome second half of the year, winning four of the last eight races, and I’m sure that we’ll be at the front fighting for victories at every round in 2017.”