Champions Ready for F3 Season Opener

17 March 2008

In less than a week Buckingham-based Hitech Racing will begin its defence of the British Formula 3 International Series title it dominated last year with BMW Sauber F1 test driver Marko Asmer. This season, with teenage sensations Austrian Walter Grubmüller and Briton Max Chilton at the wheel of Dallara F308 Mercedes HWAs, the team is ready to commence battle again when the 2008 season kicks off at Oulton Park on Easter Monday.

Four impressive pre-season test performances from the 19 year-old Grubmüller and 16 year-old Chilton at Snetterton, Pembrey, Silverstone and most recently at Oulton has seen them regularly in the top five. This Friday sees the pair join the rest of the series regulars for the final pre-season test prior to the start of the 22 round series which kicks off with a double-header on 24 March.

The team, never one to rest on their laurels, will put behind it the successes of 2007, which also included ten pole positions, preferring instead to tackle the year like every other. Team Principal David Hayle is under no illusions that 2008 will be a tough season. But, with a strong start to the year remains upbeat about its chances.

"I am very happy with the early pace of both Walter and Max, who are to all intents fairly inexperienced. They are at the same stage in their careers in that they both had fairly limited experience before they came into F3 last season.

"From then to now, the improvements in them have been fantastic and I'm very proud of them both. They have matured and no doubt spurred each other on which has resulted in some superb performances and very impressive pace.

"It's too early to begin speaking about the title but like every other year we go into the season with the intention of winning as many races as possible. Walter and Max have shown the potential to be up at the front on a regular basis and it is possible that either of them could be a race winner."

The Easter weekend kicks off with two 30-minute qualifying sessions at 11.00 and 14.25 on Saturday with two races taking place on Easter Monday 24 March at 10.20 and 15.20. Once again Motors TV and Channel 4 will be filming the series via Hay Fisher Productions with broadcast times on Motors TV provisionally booked for 5 April 17:00 and 23:00, 7 April 05:00 and 18:00, 9 April 23:00 and 15 April 23:00. Channel 4 times are expected to be released next week.

MPR Associates

See 2008 series calendar for British F3 Championship

Related Story 10.03.2008 - Hitech Happy with Silverstone F3 Debut