Apr
6
Hitech Racing: Double top ten in season opener
Hitech Racing bounced back from a difficult qualifying session at Oulton Park to secure a double top ten finish in the first round of the Cooper Tires British F3 International Series season.
Brazilian racer Gabriel Dias started the race from tenth on the grid but was able to make up two places to run in eighth by the end of the opening lap. Gabriel then found himself behind Jay Bridger for most of the race, but the Litespeed driver was forced to retire in the closing stages, which promoted Gabriel into seventh place.
A new reverse grid system for the second F3 race of the weekend sees the race one winner draw a random number from a hat to decide who starts on pole for the second race. That draw saw Gabriel secure pole for Monday’s opening race.
“From tenth on the grid I knew it would be difficult as it isn’t easy to overtake at Oulton Park, but I made a good start to get up to eighth place and then got seventh when Jay retired,” Gabriel said. “That is an important result for us as we need to try and score points in every race. It will be good to start race two from pole position and I’m sixth on the grid for race three so I’m confident of scoring some good points on Monday.”
MSA Team UK driver William Buller started the race in twelfth place but stalled his Dallara-Volkswagen when the lights went out and dropped to the rear of the field as a result.
Despite Oulton Park being one of the most difficult circuits for overtaking on the British F3 calendar, Will fought his way back through the pack to take the chequered flag in tenth place and score his first points finish of the year.
“Qualifying didn’t go to plan for me and I wasn’t able to show my true pace, so I was eleventh on the grid,” he said. “I stalled at the start and dropped to the back of the field but I was able to fight my way back up to tenth by the finish. It’s difficult to overtake here so I had to be really aggressive and forceful to make up places, as I knew how important it was to score some points. Looking ahead to Monday, I’m sure the team will give me a car to fight for more points finishes.”
Hitech boss Ryan Sharp said he was pleased to see both drivers score points in the season opener, with the team now looking to make the most of its pole position in the second race.
“Oulton Park is a difficult circuit to pass on, so it was good that Gabriel was able to make up places off the start and he then benefitted from Bridger’s retirement to finish seventh,” he said. “Will battled back through the field well to take tenth, so we’ve been able to get both cars in the points, which is good.
“Gabriel will now start the second race from pole thanks to the draw, and while that isn’t the way we want to get pole position, we will take what we are given. After a difficult pre-season, that might be the bit of luck we need, but both drivers are well placed to score points on Monday.”