DALLAS, Texas — M1 Racing will give Brazil's Felipe Donato the opportunity to experience driving in the Pro Mazda Championship Presented by Cooper Tires when it fields a car for him in Rounds 8 and 9 of that series this weekend on the Houston street course.

Donato, 19, of Guarani das Missões, Brazil, will drive the Dallas-based team's #9 car, which will carry sponsorship from Top House Design and Inova Marketing. The team operates in conjunction with its corporate partner, Tampa Bay Jaw Surgery.

Donato started driving go-karts in 2007 as a hobby but soon became very serious about it, competing in the PJK, PK and PGK divisions in his native Brazil. He moved into formula cars in 2011. He was slated to compete in USF2000 this year, but so far he hasn't made a start in that series this season after flipping during a practice session at the opener in St. Petersburg, Fla.  He made 10 USF2000 starts in 2013 though, with his best finish being fifth at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. 

He didn't compete in the USF2000 races at Houston last year, so he'll be getting his first laps of that 1.7-mile, 10-turn street course centered at Reliant Park during his Pro Mazda debut.

"Felipe is eager to get back in a car, as he's been on the sidelines, waiting," noted team owner Paul Mata. "He did very well in testing at NOLA [NOLA Motorsports Park in Avondale, La.] on a really hot, humid day."

The tentative schedule shows two half-hour practice sessions at 10:15 a.m. and 2:15 p.m. Eastern time on Friday. Qualifying is at 10:15 a.m. Eastern on Saturday. The first race is at 2:05 p.m. Eastern that same day, with the second half of the doubleheader slated to get the green flag at 2 p.m. Eastern on Sunday. 

Donato's Web site is at FelipeDonato.com.br and he also has a Facebook page. He's @FelipeDonato51 on Twitter, FelipeDonato09 on Instagram and FelipeDonato on Tumblr.

For more information on M1 Racing, see its Web site at M1Racing.co. It also has a Facebook page and a Twitter account.