BRIGHT young Eastleigh racing prospect Shane Kelly is being courted on three fronts.

A trio of Formula 3 teams, including the famed Italian-based Prost marque, have kept tabs on the speedy youngster since a sensational double victory at Donington during the summer.

Kelly celebrated his debut for the Hillspeed Racing team in the ARP Formula 3 Championship with back-to-backs wins at the Leicestershire circuit in August.

And, to prove it wasn't a fluke, he went out in his next race at Brands Hatch and broke the class lap record to put the car on pole position on the grid.

It's no wonder the Sheffield-based Hillspeed team are keen to sign the 22-year-old Kelly for next season when they are moving up into the Scholarship Class of the British Formula Three Championship.

But Kelly made an even more significant impression on a senior member of the Prost team, who was at Donington doing some talent spotting.

The upshot was that Kelly was offered a test drive at Mugello in Italy, originally scheduled for this autumn.

He's still waiting, but according to his father, Phil, there's nothing sinister in that. "Prost are awaiting delivery of their new Dellara cars before they start their test programme," he said. "There's no point in anyone testing the old cars so hopefully we'll still be going out there to test early in the New Year."

Prost contest the German-based European Formula 3 Championship which also takes in blue riband Formula 3 events like the Marlborough Masters and the Macau Grand Prix.

"It's a much quicker route into Formula 1," says Phil, whose son has been quick to make his mark after emerging as star pupil from the Silverstone Racing School only two years ago.

He followed up with a top-three place in the BRDC Formula Ford Championship in 2000 and his blistering baptism in more powerful Formula 3 cars marked him out as a star in the making.

Hillspeed have been constantly linked with Kelly in the motoring press and his father admitted that a drive for them in the British Championship next season would be a viable option if the Prost drive doesn't materialise.

"We would need half the sponsorship for the UK series than for the European championship - something in the region of £160,000," said Kelly senior, "but the European Championship is far more high profile with 22 races. A sponsor or sponsors would get a lot more out of it."

The Duma team, who made their British Formula 3 debut last season, are also said to be showing an interest in Kelly.

Phil Kelly says that Duma's Roger Parkes has been on the telephone inquiring over his son's movements for last season. According to Phil, the team use a lot of surplus Formula One equipment.

While he waits for his single-seater racing career to take shape, Kelly has gone back to his karting roots. He is competing in various charity events around the south in the new gas-powered karts and, at a recent meeting at Swindon, he reeled off four wins and broke the lap record.