BRDC British Formula 3 Championship team Hillspeed confirmed earlier today that US Formula 4 graduate Oliver Clarke will race with them in 2020.
The Norfolk racer tested Hillspeed’s race-winning car at Donington Park last week and made enough of an impression to be signed by the Derbyshire squad as preparations for next season are already beginning to gather pace and momentum.
Commenting on his deal to graduate into British F3 with Hillspeed, Clarke said: “I’m over the moon to be able to confirm my plans for next year at such an early stage, huge thanks must go out to my family, partners and sponsors for helping me to be in the position that I am now in.
“The BRDC British F3 Championship is a proven championship and the perfect platform for me at this point in my career and age. Having tested the car in recent weeks it quickly became apparent as to how good the car is, and that made things even clearer that this is what we wanted to do.”
He added: “Joining a team with the pedigree that Hillspeed has is only going to serve me well too and I’ve every confidence we can enjoy plenty of success moving forward. I’m just raring to go to see what we can achieve together, hopefully towards the front of the field.”
Clarke has had a successful racing career to this point, starting karting at the age of eight in 2011 and became the youngest member of the MSA Academy and was selected for the talent development pathway for two consecutive years.
By 2017, he had made it to the top of the karting echelon and won the OK Junior British Open title and finished third in both the OK Senior British Championship and the European Karting Championship Senior X30 Class.
Last year saw Clarke move across the Atlantic to race in the US F4 Championship and scored points for the brand-new Velocity Racing Development team with a highlight weekend at the Circuit of the Americas, but achieved his best result of fifth at Road Atlanta.
Hillspeed team principal Richard Ollerenshaw is delighted to have completed the deal with Clarke and said:
“He’s a terrific young talent, an exceptionally promising young driver, and he’s already shown his ability during the testing we’ve done together so far.
“Securing our first 2020 driver signing so soon after the conclusion of the 2019 championship really is fantastic news for Hillspeed and puts us in a very good place. I’m very confident Oliver will quickly establish himself as a strong contender in his maiden year of Formula 3, and we’re looking forward to helping nurture and develop his obvious skills.”
The action for the 2020 BRDC British Formula 3 Championship begins at the traditional season-opening venue of Oulton Park in Cheshire over the Easter weekend on April 11 and 13.
