General news

Hitech off to a flying start in Croft testing

07.09.2007

Marko Asmer and the Hitech Racing team got their title bid off to a great start by twice posting the quickest lap in official testing at the Croft track today.

 Estonian Asmer and the Silverstone-based team wound up just six hundredths of a second quicker than Niall Breen and more importantly main rival Maro Engel ahead of this weekend’s penultimate round of the Lloyds TSB Insurance British Formula 3 International Series.

 

Marko’s team-mate Walter Grubmüller finished the day 12th quickest, on 1:14.639, less than a second off Asmer’s quickest time of 1:13.765 and both drivers head into tomorrow’s qualifying confident of improving their times. For the David Hayle-led team, victory this weekend could give them the title they so richly deserve following nine wins and eight pole positions so far this season but Hayle refuses to get complacent.

 

“Being quickest today has obviously given us all a real boost but it’s only testing and tomorrow will be the real test,” said David. “Marko drove well in both sessions and I’m confident he can reproduce that form when it comes to the crucial qualifying sessions tomorrow.

 

“Walter has driven superbly too, after Rockingham when he really got to grips with things and narrowly missed out on the fourth quickest time, he’s full of confidence and I’m fairly certain that come tomorrow we should be looking at a top six or seventh quickest time from him.”

 

Qualifying kicks off proceedings tomorrow with two 30 minute sessions taking place at 11.40 and 14.30 with the two races scheduled to start on Sunday at 12.50 and 16.05.

 

Testing times from Croft:

1 Marko ASMER Hitech Racing 1:13.765
2 Niall BREEN Carlin Motorsport 1:13.825

3 Maro ENGEL Carlin Motorsport 1:13.827

4 Atte MUSTONEN Raikkonen Robertson Racing 1:13.907

5 Alberto VALERIO Carlin Motorsport 1:14.055

6 Rodolfo GONZALEZ T-Sport 1:14.058

7 Mario MORAES Carlin Motorsport 1:14.333

8 Sebastian HOHENTHAL Fortec Motorsport 1:14.374

9 Sam BIRD Carlin Motorsport 1:14.703 27 1:14.419

10 Jonathan KENNARD Raikkonen Robertson Racing 1:14.428
11 Stephen JELLEY Raikkonen Robertson Racing 1:14.624
12 Walter Grubmüller Hitech Racing 1:14.639

 

Championship points after Round 18:

1 Marko Asmer 250

2 Maro Engel 178

3 Stephen Jelley 154

4 Sam Bird 150

5 Jonathan Kennard 130

6 Niall Breen 122