Donington Park in Leicestershire hosts the opening round of the 2007 Formula Renault BARC Championship this Sunday, 29th April, and leading entrant Russell Racing has high hopes of a promising start to the new campaign for its exciting three car line-up.Since formally announcing its partnership with the Bahrain-based Thunder Arabia series earlier this month, the Doncaster squad will run throughout the Formula Renault BARC season under the revised moniker Middle East-Russell Racing and the team aims to make a big impact during its second year of competition in the headline FR2000 Class.All three of Middle East-Russell Racing’s confirmed drivers will make their category debuts this weekend but for 24-year-old Manchester racer Mark Gillibrand, the event will also mark his actual car race debut.Having previously enjoyed success in British Championship Gearbox Karting, Mark has been away from motorsport for a couple of years but has now raised the budget for a full season in Formula Renault BARC and is relishing his maiden single-seater outing. Joining him at the team, and making their UK circuit debuts, will be Bahraini 16-year-olds Essa Yusuf Mohammed and Menasheh Salman Idafar. Graduates of the Thunder Arabia series, both drivers have shown plenty of eastern promise in their homeland but they are fully aware of the increased competitiveness which Formula Renault BARC will bring.With a test session this Friday at Donington Park’s 1.95-mile National Circuit marking the first time Essa and Menasheh will have ever seen the track, they’re aiming to learn as quickly as possible as they bid to firmly establish themselves in the UK.Looking forward to the weekend, team owner Tim Russell said: “It’s good to be back in Formula Renault BARC and while we’re fully aware of how tough the competition will be, we all have very high hopes for Mark, Essa and Menasheh. It’s set to be an exciting year and we’re confident that, as we gather momentum, we’ll soon enjoy some good results.”Contested over a total of 12 rounds at some of the UK’s most spectacular circuits, the 2007 Formula Renault BARC Championship promises exciting action season-long with Middle East-Russell Racing aiming to build on a good category debut last year.Matt Shawyer, who may yet return to the championship if current sponsorship bids come to fruition, achieved the team’s first ever podium result during the opening round of the 2006 season at Silverstone with further rostrum success coming at Snetterton.The team has today, Wednesday, 25th April, confirmed it is feverishly re-building a fourth FR2000 Class car for an additional Middle Eastern driver who could also, potentially, make his UK and category debut at Donington Park this weekend.Round one of the 2007 Formula Renault BARC Championship takes place this Sunday, 29th April, at the Leicestershire venue with qualifying beginning at 11.10 and the race scheduled to get underway at 16.05.