Salo to mentor Annala on F3 debut.

Juho Annala will receive help from an experiences source as he makes the step up to the British Formula Three Championship this season, following confirmation that ex-F1 driver Mika Salo will act as mentor for his fellow Finn.

The reigning Scandinavian Formula Ford champion graduates to F3 with Alan Docking Racing, coincidentally the team where Salo spent the most successful years of his UK F3 career, where he will run in the revitalised National class in 2005. Annala first tested an F3 car with ADR at Donington and Snetterton last November, and signed his deal to race in Britain last week.

"It is great to have achieved my aim of competing in the series," the 20-year old commented, "However, to also have Mika Salo guiding my career is more than I could dream of. I want to thank Alan Docking for helping me do this deal with one of my heroes. Now I can't wait to start testing and racing."

Docking was impressed with what he saw when he first test Annala last season, and expects the Finn to go well in the increasingly competitive National class.

"I think he has a lot of talent and was hoping we could do this deal," the veteran team boss commented, "This will only be his second season of single-seater racing, but you would have never guessed this from the way he drove the F3 car."

Docking also admitted that he worked hard on persuading Salo to add his weight of experience to Annala's campaign, having run him to runner-up spot behind another Finn, Mika Hakkinen, in 1990.

"I was very happy to help Juho and Mika get together, as I know how important it is for young drivers to have the right guidance," Docking continued, "Mika can give him invaluable advice on what happens - both in and out of the car."

Annala is next due to test the ADR car on 22 February, when he will return to Snetterton to continue his graduation.