Formula Renault UK and Formula Renault BARC entrant Hillspeed has confirmed a total of five driver signings for 2008 as the Derbyshire team bids to add to the title success it achieved during last November’s Winter Championship.Reigning Formula Renault UK Winter Champion, and 2006 Formula Renault BARC titlist, Richard Singleton will return with the Hathersage based squad for his assault on the Formula Renault UK series.Having raced to a string of top four and top five finishes in last year’s main championship the 19-year-old Welshman, from Llanfairfechan near Conwy, went on to achieve his maiden Formula Renault UK race victory during the opening round of the winter series.An incredibly nail-biting climax to the Winter Championship saw Singleton come through the order to achieve the top eight result he needed during the final round in order to seal the title triumph and he will undoubtedly start the 2008 Formula Renault UK campaign with a genuine opportunity of challenging for his third title in as many years.Joining Singleton in Hillspeed’s Formula Renault UK line-up will be compatriot Alex Morgan, the 20-year-old striving to achieve his maiden podium result in the category this year having having secured a career-best fifth position at Donington Park Grand Prix Circuit in 2007, an event attended by an incredible 135,000 spectators.Currently living in Northfield, Birmingham, where he is a student at the local university, Morgan originally hails from Bridgend in Wales and is another driver who graduated to Formula Renault UK from the Formula Renault BARC series, underlining the value of the latter as a key feeder category.Speaking on his brace of Formula Renault UK signings, Hillspeed team principal Richard Ollerenshaw commented: “We’re absolutely delighted to have agreed deals with both Richard and Alex. To have a pair of third-year drivers racing for us in Formula Renault UK is fantastic news and we’re feeling very confident for the season ahead.“Taking Richard to the winter crown last November was a fantastic achievement, particularly as we were up against some very quick drivers and teams, and we genuinely believe we have a great opportunity to challenge for the main title in 2008. Equally, Alex improved markedly last year and we’re very happy he’s agreed to be a Hillspeed driver.”Al Harthy, Idafar and Lyons confirmed for BARCIn the Formula Renault BARC Championship, Hillspeed returns with a three-car line-up ahead of the new season. Offering great continuity for the team, Omani 26-year-old Ahmad Al Harthy and 16-year-old British-born Bahraini racer Menasheh Idafar both continue with the squad having raced as Hillspeed team-mates in the winter series.Hathersage-based Al Harthy, of course, competed with Hillspeed throughout 2007 in Formula Renault BARC and took a best overall race result of fifth position at Oulton Park, eventually finishing 15th overall in the headline FR2000 Class. In the BARC class of the winter series he then finished third overall in the standings with three podiums.

Idafar, who has a UK residence in London but attends school in Switzerland, made his Formula Renault BARC debut in 2007 in the FR2000 Class. Joining Hillspeed for the four-round Winter Championship, the teenager went on to achieve two class podiums on his way to fifth position overall in the BARC driver standings.The team’s third entry into Formula Renault BARC this season comes from 16-year-old Michael Lyons, a driver with strong family connections to the historic racing scene and someone who made headlines last year as the youngest ever racer to pilot a Formula One car in the Thoroughbred Grand Prix (TGP) series.Making his competitive debut in a modern junior single-seater during last November’s winter series with a privateer entry, Felsted-based Lyons went on to take part in a couple of tests with Hillspeed following the conclusion of the championship. The Essex racer has now elected to join the squad for this year’s full BARC season.“To have three cars in the BARC championship as well as our two entries in Formula Renault UK is terrific news for everyone ay Hillspeed”, added Ollerenshaw, “I’m confident both Ahmad and Menasheh will perform well this season and Michael has a lot of promise which we aim to help him unlock.“All in all 2008 should be a very exciting year for Hillspeed, we’re feeling pretty confident for both championships. We’re by no means underestimating the competition but we are hopeful of a strong year from all five of our drivers.”The 2008 Formula Renault UK Championship will begin at Brands Hatch Indy Circuit on 29th/30th March. The Kent venue will also host the opening two rounds of the Formula Renault BARC series the weekend before on Easter Sunday, 23rd March, and Easter Monday, 24th March.