BRITISH GT4 CHAMP JAMIE CHADWICK MOVES TO BRITISH F3 WITH DOUBLE R
British GT4 champion Jamie Chadwick has completed a surprise switch to race for Double R in the BRDC British Formula 3 Championship this season.
Chadwick became the youngest driver to win a British GT title in 2015, after clinching the GT4 title in a Beechdean Aston Martin V8 Vantage alongside Ross Gunn aged 17 – also becoming the first female driver to claim a crown in the British GT Championship’s history.
Part of the BRDC’S Rising Stars programme, the teenager last year contested a part-campaign in GT4 as well as VLN races at the Nurburgring, but has now agreed to race in British F3 for Double R – which last year helped Matheus Leist to the championship – as part of a two-year development plan.
Chadwick had previously tested with Lanan and HHC in Tatuus-Cosworth F3 machinery.
“Most people come straight out of Ginetta Juniors and into singleseaters, [but] I chose a bit of an unconventional route by going into GTS, which was a great move for me,” Chadwick said. “When I was evaluating it after 2016, I wanted to develop myself as much as possible as a technical driver and someone who can jump into anything.
“A lot of the skillsets required to do that come from driving singleseaters and the technical demands that come from that.
“We approached Boyo [Anthony Hieatt, Double R team principal]; they were one of the teams on our list given their pedigree from last year and before that. We had a conversation and quickly it all fitted between the parties involved.
“It’s going to be a tough year – we’re looking at a two-year plan. It’s a big transition and actually a step up from what I’ve been doing, so the aim is to learn as much as possible. Hopefully I can be in the top 10 as often as possible, but we’re not going to put too much pressure on results.”
Hieatt added: “Jamie’s achievements in British GT speak volumes and while the F3 car is an entirely different animal to the Aston Martin GT4 cars she has been racing for the past couple of years, she’s adapted to the driving style very impressively.”
● Double R has also confirmed karter Karl Massaad will join its British F4 line-up for 2017. Lebanese Massaad, 18, has no previous car racing experience but has taken part in the two F4 pre-season tests at Oulton Park and Brands Hatch alongside 2017 team-mate Linus Lundqvist.
Harry Webb has been announced as the first driver to have signed up for the new-for-2017 Ssangyong Racing Challenge.
Webb, a Rotax Max European, Winter and Challenge Grand Final junior karting champion, has a year of experience in car racing, having competed in the 750 Motor Club’s Formula Vee Championship. He finished sixth overall in 2016 and highest-placed rookie, with a best finish of fourth.
The 19-year-old has now agreed to race one of the Korando Pickup trucks for Team Walero in the Ssangyong Challenge, and is the first driver to confirm his participation in the series.
“I am really happy to be joining the Ssangyong Challenge in partnership with Walero Base Layers,” said Webb. “This challenge is earning its respect in the world of motorsport, and I am honoured to be involved.”
Webb has also assisted Richardson Racing with the shakedown of its British F4 car, and drove for the outfit during last Thursday’s F4 test at Brands Hatch.