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British Formula 3 Champions Hitech Racing has concluded
its first post-season test programme with impressive performances at Oulton Park and
Silverstone. The team, and its regular driver Walter Grubmüller, were joined
at the Cheshire track on Wednesday and on Monday in Northamptonshire by Mexican
sensation Rodolfo Gonzalez and Swede Sebastian Hohenthal as it carried out
evaluations prior to next season.
Both days the experienced Gonzalez topped the times, with
Grubmüller and Hohenthal consistently sharing the second place slot. Gonzalez,
using the team’s third car, settled in quickly and was immediately on the
pace at Silverstone, while Hohenthal, driving the championship winning car of
Marko Asmer, lost track time on Monday with a differential problem.
On Wednesday, at Oulton, Austrian Grubmüller who will
spearhead the team’s assault on next year’s Lloyds TSB Insurance
British Formula 3 International Series, showed impressive pace winding up just
shy of the time posted by Gonzalez. The 18 year-old rookie has now set off to
Australia to compete in the final round of the Australian F3 Championship at
Oran Park, near Sydney on November 10th/11th prior to heading out to Macau the
following week.
For team Principal David Hayle, the performance of the two
newcomers offered the chance of look at alternative drivers ahead of the 2008
season, with a decision on who will partner Grubmüller not expected to be
announced until after the Macau Grand Prix which takes place on November 18th.
Following the Macau race, the team
will continue its pre-Christmas test during December when it flies off to Spain for six
days.
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