Top single-seater team Double R Racing has today, Monday, 16th March, confirmed its second driver signing for the 2015 MSA Formula season with young Brazilian racer Matheus Tobias Leist joining the Woking squad for his first year of action outside South America.

Managed by British Formula 3 race winner and former Champ Car Atlantic competitor Danilo Dirani and Dirani’s brother Dennis, the 17-year-old from Novo Hamburgo joins Indian teenager Tarun Reddy as part of Double R’s planned three-car entry in the eagerly awaited new championship.

Graduating from karting to cars last year, Leist raced in the Brazilian F3 Light series and claimed two Class B victories along with seven other podiums on his way to the Vice-Champion’s position. He also claimed three outright podium finishes in the main championship.

The South American is scheduled to have his first timed run in the Ford EcoBoost-powered MSA Formula car at Silverstone today, as part of an official championship test day, and will be back in the car on Wednesday, 18th March, at Rockingham.

“We’re delighted to have secured Matheus’ signature for MSA Formula, he’s a young driver with a lot of potential and has a good group of people around him too with Dirani Management looking after his career”, said Double R team principal Anthony ‘Boyo’ Hieatt, “We’re all expecting MSA Formula to be hugely competitive, but Matheus’ F3 experience will stand him in good stead.”

Leist made his motorsport debut in 2009 in karting and after four seasons he made the move into Petrobas Karting in 2013. Joining the Brazilian F3 Light grid in 2014, the car racing rookie made a strong impact in his maiden season and is now relishing the prospect of racing in the UK for the first time in the cosmopolitan MSA Formula category.

“I am very pleased to race my first season in the UK with Double R and Boyo [Anthony Hieatt], he was Danilo's engineer in his first year in F3 back in 2004”, said Leist, “I know it is a very good team and I trust what Danilo says about racing in the UK, I am looking forward to the season and to having a lot of fun!”

Brands Hatch Indy Circuit in Kent, Double R’s ‘home’ circuit, will host the opening three rounds of the inaugural MSA Formula season on 4th/5th April.