Hitech Racing enjoyed a successful and productive test at Thruxton on Wednesday with Max Chilton fourth quickest and Walter Grubmüller undergoing a test and development programme.  Just two days after racing at Rockingham, the Buckingham-based team headed to Hampshire for the one-day test in preparation for next month’s round of the British Formula 3 International Series.

In wet conditions the opening session had Max third quickest of the 27 runners and Walter 11th.  During the break, 19 year-old Walter switched to the team’s third Dallara F308 Mercedes HWA to test some different set-ups ready for the races there on 28/29 June. In the improved track conditions, the youngster wound up 17th.

For the young Austrian it was his first time running in the wet at the ultra-fast circuit near Andover and it provided his last chance to test prior to the critical qualifying session in June.

“It was my first time running there on a wet track,” said Walter “I’m pretty happy that we have a good set-up now if it happens to be wet.  The first session was OK and I was able to get a good few laps in when the track was damp.  But for the second session, there were three red flag situations so I couldn’t really get any clear laps.”

Seventeen year-old Max took his second podium of the season for Hitech at the weekend and once again was on good form in testing.  “It was good to be quick straight away and in both sessions.  The first was damp and in the second it got wetter but we had a good two hours running which was a great help. The car was great, just a minor adjustment to the set-up which you’d expect here. ”

In a session that had the first 16 cars covered by less than a second, Team Principal David Hayle was equally happy with the performance.  “We had a fairly good run in the two sessions and once again there was very little to choose between them all.

“Max was quick in both sessions which was a great result and bodes well for the races.  Walter was able to take the opportunity to try some different set-ups on both his race car and the spare and I think we’ve gained information which I hope will be useful for us when it comes to the race meeting itself.”

The team’s next outing will be the official test at Snetterton a week on Friday prior to qualifying on Saturday 7 June and two races on Sunday 8 June.

Combined testing times from Thruxton

1. Sam Abay Carlin Motorsport Dallara F308 Mercedes HWA 1:11.994

2. Sergio Perez T-Sport Dallara F308 Mugen Honda 1:12.217

3. Oliver Turvey Carlin Motorsport Dallara F308 Mercedes HWA 1:12.228

4. Max Chilton Hitech Racing Dallara F308 Mercedes HWA 1:12.280

5. John Martin Raikkonen Robertson Racing Dallara F308 Mercedes HWA 1:12.293

6. Jaime Alguersuari Carlin Motorsport Dallara F308 Mercedes HWA 1:12.336

17. Walter Grubmüller Hitech Racing Dallara F308 Mercedes HWA 1:13.347

Championship points after Round 8

1. Sergio Perez 88

2. Atte Mustonen 78

3. Jaime Alguersuari 71

4. Sebastian Hohenthal 58

5. Oliver Turvey 57

6. Marcus Ericsson 54

7. Max Chilton 50

11. Walter Grubmüller 21