TITLE CONTENDER HEDLEY RELIEVED AS HE JOINS BRITISH F4 GRID WITH FORTEC
Hedley assumes position as a British F4 title favourite with a late deal to race for 2020 champion team
British Formula 4 frontrunner James Hedley has expressed relief after confirming a deal for his second year racing in the category, switching to reigning champion Fortec Motorsport for 2021.
The 17-year-old from Poole is the highest-placed from last year’s British F4 table to return this year, him placing fifth with JHR Developments in a campaign that included a hat-trick of wins in the Thruxton meeting.
His initial ’21 deal covers the first three rounds of the season, but Hedley is hopeful of completing the campaign and considers himself among the title favourites. The season-opener is this weekend at Thruxton.
Hedley has participated in preseason tests with the Fortec team that took Luke Browning to 2020’s drivers’title, though only confirmed his race deal last week.
“It’s a weight off my shoulders to have got a deal signed for the first three,” Hedley told Motorsport News, “[there’s] more motivation and excitement [now] it’s 100% and we can crack on.”
Hedley added that Fortec offered a package that he was very grateful for, and without which he wouldn’t be racing.
“[Fortec] are a great team, they won it last year, they wanted me more than any other team did.
The package that they can provide is excellent,” he added.
“I don’t want to do anything and not win it, so you’ve got to go up the ladder and try and win everything you can.”