Smith: Hartley has ‘star quality’

A fearless attitude, self-belief and God-given talent are crucial to be a top driver, says Kiwi motorsport legend Kenny Smith.

And Brendon Hartley, he insists, has got the lot.

Smith, who used his contacts to help get Hartley his first contract with Red Bull when he was just 16, reckons Toro Rosso won’t regret selecting the Palmerston North native to make his Formula One debut at the US Grand Prix in Austin next week.

‘‘You have to go out there thinking you are better than everyone else, you can’t be intimidated,’’ Smith said. ‘‘And Brendon won’t be. He never has been.’’

Smith, who first raced competitively in 1958 when he claimed the NZ Hill Climb Championships at 17, knew plenty about Hartley, now 27, from the days when he started making an impression on the karting circuit and later graduated to Formula Fords.

In 2006 Smith called an American journalist to see if he knew anyone who could promote Hartley’s career; the reporter put Smith on to a contact at Red Bull who dealt with the junior drivers.

That was to be the start of Hartley’s career as a driver.

Hartley, the Red Bull official reserve driver in 2009 and 2010, completed one test for the team in 2008 and two for Toro Rosso the following year before being released from the team’s junior programme.

Smith said Hartley did well to last as long as he did during his first stint with Red Bull.

‘‘They can now see his ability is unbelievable in those sports cars. He is good, very good.

‘‘He had so much ability as a kid, Brendon. He just had born skill. You could see that every time he was going out, he was 100 per cent dedicated and wanted to be up the front.

‘‘He is star quality, no doubt about that.’’

Hartley is currently contracted to Porsche and competing in the World Endurance Championship. He could win the title this weekend at Fuji, Japan. He won at Le Mans with Porsche and also claimed the World Endurance Championship title in 2015.

Smith said much of the credit to Hartley’s success must go to his family. His father Bryan encouraged him, and like all parents who help their children to pursue their sporting dream they had to make financial sacrifices.

It helped a great deal that Hartley clearly had ability from a young age.

‘‘Some people look natural and some don’t. Some struggle while they are learning but Brendon, anything he jumped into, he was quick straight away.’’ Hartleys’ joy / p24-25