Tveter, 21, was 23rd in the standings in his first year in the series, having previously been a podium finisher in Formula Renault 2.0 NEC.

"My rookie year in FIA F3 was only my third full season in any kind of motorsport, so I’m very excited to continue to work with Carlin and Volkswagen for a second season of FIA F3 in 2016," Tveter said.

"I learned a huge amount this year with Carlin and we’ve built a strong foundation together that’s been showing in winter testing. I’m really looking forward to next season and the continuity of a second year with a great team."

"We’re pleased to welcome Ryan back to the team for a second season in Formula 3," added team boss Trevor Carlin. "He’s a pleasure to work with and very mature and professional.

"He did a good job in his rookie season in a very competitive field and we look forward to building on the progress made with some positive results in 2016."

Carlin has tested a large number of drivers during the off-season, among them hopefuls Raoul Hyman and Alessio Lorandi.

The British team will be forced to scale back to four cars from its six-car 2015 campaign due to the new regulations introduced by the FIA.

Of the five drivers who served as Tveter's teammates this year, none are likely to join him for a second campaign - Antonio Giovinazzi and Tatiana Calderon will not be able to return to F3 as per new rules that prevent drivers that have completed three full seasons from returning.

George Russell meanwhile has signed with Hitech, Callum Ilott has been extensively testing with other squads and Gustavo Menezes has been exploring options in rallycross.

2016 European F3 line-up so far