Marijn Kremers has won the FEED Racing France shootout, organised in part by 1997 Formula 1 world champion Jacques Villeneuve, to earn a seat in British Formula 4 next year with Carlin.

The 21-year-old Dutchman, this year’s CIK-FIA World Karting champion in the 125cc two-stroke KZ class, was one of nearly 100 drivers who registered for the scholarship.

This was narrowed down to six finalists, who contested a shootout in the Mygale F4 car at Magny-Cours.

Etienne Ch?li, 18, finisher runner up to Kremers. The Frenchman was ninth in last year’s IAME International Final in the X30 Senior category. A surprise third was 20-year-old Alexis Giroud, whose previous experience only included rental karting.

Dorian Cazals, motorsport returnee Timothy Peisselon and Ukranian Ivan Peklin were the other three finalists.

The final began with a circuit acclimatisation test, with all six then getting a seven-lap run on new tyres in a knockout format. Each driver’s best three laps was taken into consideration by the jury when deciding who would progress to the next stage.

In the jury was Villeneuve and his FEED co-founder Patrick Lemarie, 1996 Monaco Grand Prix winner Olivier Panis, 2006 Dakar Rally winner Luc Alphand, former Peugeot Sport boss Serge Saulnier and Carlin’s Martin Knapman.

CV

Age 21

D/O/B January 5, 1998

Country The Netherlands

Karting

2019: CIK-FIA World champion – KZ, 4th in WSK Super Master Series – KZ2, 4th in WSK South Garda Winter Cup – KZ2

2018: 2nd in SKUSA SuperNationals ? KZ, 6th in CIK-FIA European championship – KZ

2017: 3rd in CIK-FIA European championship – KZ, 6th in CIK-FIA World championship – KZ

2016: Queensland state champion – KZ2, 2nd in Australian championship – KZ2, 10th in CIK-FIA Int. Super Cup – KZ2

2015: 7th in WSK Super Master Series – KZ2, 8th in CIK-FIA European championship – KZ2

2014: 14th in CIK-FIA European championship – KZ2, 20th in South Garda Winter Cup – KZ2

2013: 10th in WSK Euro Series – KZ2, 29th in CIK-FIA European championship – KZ2

2012: 18th in WSK Super Master Series – KF3, 18th in South Garda Winter Cup – KF3

2011: 7th in CIK-FIA Academy Trophy

2010: Dutch Rotax Max Challenge champion – Junior rookie