Leading Formula 3 Australian Drivers’ Championship team Gilmour Racing has secured sponsorship from hamburger giant McDonald’s.

The company’s famous logo will appear on the Dallara-Mercedes of Cecil Plains, Queensland, driver Ben Gersekowski from this weekend’s fourth round of the 2013 season at Sydney Motorsport Park.

The deal has been brokered McDonald’s franchisee Mark Ward, who previously instigated the brand’s involvement in the Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge.

Gilmour Racing, which won the 2011 F3ADC with now team driver coach Chris Gilmour, currently fields Gersekowski’s Championship Class entry alongside a National Class Dallara for Arrie Maree.

Team owner Errol Gilmour says he hopes that the sponsor will play a key role in plans to help young drivers progress overseas.

“We have been working together on this for almost 12 months and it’s a great moment for our team to be able to confirm McDonald’s will be on the car this weekend,” he said.

“Mark shares our teams desire to support these young drivers and give them opportunities to further their careers, and he enjoys the category and the competition.

“The fact that our team is a family-run outfit and has a clean-cut and professional reputation helped and we got on really well from the moment we started talking.

“Mark is already supporting a young guy from Toowoomba, so it made even more sense for McDonald’s to appear on Ben’s car.

“It’s taken time to get to this point, but we’re working really well together so far and the potential is there for a long term future supporting young drivers coming through Gilmour Racing.”

Gersekowski sits fifth in the points standings heading to Sydney Motorsport Park having scored a maiden podium finish last time out at Hidden Valley.

Maree, a 20-year-old South African native, leads the National Class points.

McDonald’s sponsorship is also currently seen on the Dunlop Series and Kumho V8 Touring Car Series Holdens of Sydneysider Jim Pollicina, who owns multiple franchises.