Howard Fuller will remain with reigning champions Hillspeed for the 2011 Formula Renault BARC Championship season after today, Tuesday, 15th March, agreeing a deal to join Zaamin Jaffer and Sean Walkinshaw as part of an impressive three-car line-up.
Fuller, who had his maiden taste of Formula Renault BARC with the Hathersage-based team during last November's six-round Winter Series, will almost certainly begin his first full season in the category as a true podium contender after showing impressive pace during recent test outings.
He said: "I'm really pleased to stay with Hillspeed for my first full year in Formula Renault BARC, we have a strong package and I think we have a good opportunity to do well. Obviously the team had a fantastic year in 2010 so hopefully we can share some great success together this season."
The 18-year-old, who resides in Worcester Park near Kingston upon Thames, graduated to car racing in 2007 in the now defunct T-Car Championship before switching to single-seaters the following year in the Formula Palmer Audi Autumn Trophy. Putting together a full campaign in FPA throughout 2009, he returned for a second season last year and finished seventh overall in the driver standings.
He also dovetailed his FPA programme with selected saloon car appearances in the Volkswagen Racing Cup - becoming a race winner on his first weekend in the championship. Now Fuller's sights are focused on the increasingly popular Formula Renault BARC Championship where he intends to become an established front-runner for Hillspeed as the Derbyshire squad aims to try and retain the title it won in 2010 with Alice Powell.
Team principal Richard Ollerenshaw commented: "We're delighted to have secured a deal to retain Howard as a Hillspeed driver for the 2011 season. We worked well together during last year's Winter Series and we were impressed with how well he adapted to the Formula Renault BARC car.
"He's shown very good pace over the last few months during the test outings he's had so it's great for Hillspeed to have Howard onboard. We're looking forward to him being a regular front-runner and alongside Zaamin (Jaffer) we're confident we'll have two very strong podium contenders."
Hillspeed will be back on track this week at Silverstone in Northamptonshire - first on Thursday, 17th March, for the Ginetta Junior Championship 'Media Day' with drivers Seb Morris and Struan Moore and again on Friday, 18th March, for the Formula Renault BARC Championship equivalent.
