Formula Renault UK with Michelin Champion Mike Conway (Sevenoaks, Kent) made his first appearance in a British Formula 3 car at Donington Park yesterday morning during a general test session at the Leicestershire circuit.
The 21-year old, who sealed the Formula Renault UK title last month at Brands Hatch and went on to secure his seventh and eighth wins of a dominant season at Snetterton last weekend, got his first ever taste of one of Fortec Motorsport’s F3 cars with both Conway and team boss Richard Dutton delighted with the maiden run.
Speaking at the end of his initial Formula 3 test, Conway said: “It was a good morning, I felt comfortable in the car straight away and soon got in the rhythm. It was a general test so there were other cars out there like Clios and Porsches, making it difficult to get a good run of clean laps as those cars use lots of kerb so they tend to bring mud onto the track.
“I’m very happy with how the test went though, we set some good times and I think the team was happy with what we achieved. The corner speeds, braking distances and the power delivery of the engine is different to what I’m used to with Formula Renault but once you’re up to high speed on the straights the difference isn’t all that noticeable.
“All in all it was a good test and I feel I learnt a lot about the car and what to expect if we decide to race in the British Formula 3 Championship. Hopefully, I’ll be back out for more testing at Pembrey next week once Fortec returns from the British F3 race in Belgium.”
Fortec boss Richard Dutton added: “Mike looked like he’d been in a Formula 3 car all year with the way he drove this morning, he was straight on the pace and took to the car like a duck to water.
“He did use new tyres towards the end of the session but then more cars came onto the circuit so he couldn’t get a single clear lap to make the most of the fresh rubber. The times he set on old tyres were well inside the lap record though, he did an absolutely fabulous job.”
The final two rounds of the 2004 Formula Renault UK Championship with Michelin take place at Donington Park on 25th/26th September, but a decision on whether Conway will aim to equal the 10 race victories Lewis Hamilton recorded en route to the 2003 title isn’t likely to be made just yet.
“We’re still thinking about what to do”, added Dutton. “It’s likely we’ll make a decision by the end of the week but we’re all going to give it a lot of thought over the next 24 hours or so. Mike looked very much at home in the F3 car today, he was awesome.”
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