After a brilliant results achieved last year in the Formula Renault UK, Cheng Cong Fu moves forward his career to the British F3 international Championship 2007, joining Performance Racing team in the Scholarship class.

In 2006 with 8 podiums and one pole, Cheng Cong Fu finished 3th overall in the FR UK. Cheng Cong Fu impressed onlookers with his speed and commitment. This is the best result that a real Chinese driver has gained in such high level worldwide championship; the season was completed with A1 team China achieving an impressive 4th place in the Brno sprint race

Cheng Cong Fu said: ”After a long winter period, where I was focussing on physical training, now I feel a lot stronger both in my body and my mind. Obviously F3 is a big step up from F. Renault in terms of speed and competition. The season will be a massive challenge for me, but I believe, with 3 years of experience in FR UK, I am ready for this big challenge, doing my best to maximise this opportunity.”

The official pre season tests ended last Tuesday at Oulton Park and Cheng Cong Fu was immediately up to pace. During the all official practise, he came to grips with the car and performed competitively against the A class as well, a good preamble before the first race that confirm the quality of the young Chinese ace. “The team did a great job the car was always well prepared; we concentrated more on test different set up solutions that can be useful during the season but despite that the lap time was good. Even if my season started later I feel very confident to be part of the battle for the scholarship’s title”

The British F3 series will start on April 9th, totalling 22 races and 33 drivers visiting celebrated circuit such as Monza, Silverstone, Brands Hatch Donington and Spa.


For further information: Aida Fang Yuan
+86 13911335504
aida@march3.com.cn

Bahrain’s rising motor sport star Hamad Al Fardan will race for Performance Racing in the 2007 British Formula Three International Series.  

The son of one of the Middle East’s most illustrious rally drivers, Ahmed Al Fardan, Hamad inherited his father’s sporting prowess and put it to good use from an early age. Having conquered the world of Karting, the training ground for all budding racing drivers, Hamad completed his first season in single-seater racing at just 16 years of age, racing in the 2004 Formula BMW Asia series. Competing with team Belgravia, Hamad finished an impressive third in the Rookie Championship.
 
In 2005 Hamad joined championship winning team Meritus for a full-scale assault on the Formula BMW Asia title as the second youngest driver in the championship. Hamad finished the season in third place notching up four wins, two pole positions and seven podiums, then moved on in 2006 to New Zealand to compete in the Toyota Racing Series with Meritus.
 
Europe, the traditional heartland of motor sport, is now Hamad’s target as he gets to grips with British Formula 3. Although Hamad is aware a steep learning curve awaits him on circuits that he has never experienced, he is relishing the challenge: ‘I am really looking forward to this season. I am happy to finally reach UK motor sport. I am looking at British Formula 3 as a two-year plan.
 
‘It’s a pleasure to race with all these experienced drivers that I can learn from and to measure my skills against. I think we can have a strong start with all the support from the team, Performance Racing, and from my dad and the sponsor and Bahrain. I think we are not very far from the European drivers as I did the same mileage.
 
‘The support from Bahrain and my sponsor has been really good and they believe in me. I hope to represent Bahrain very well.’
 
Back in February this year Hamad had his first official test at Pembrey with his new British F3 team. The bleak midwinter in Wales is a long way from the year-round sunshine in his homeland, the ‘land of golden smiles’, but Hamad nonetheless finished the morning season second quickest in his class. Hamad has just two more tests before the season kicks off at Oulton Park on April 7th when all of Bahrain will be watching.
 
The Kingdom of Bahrain, which has become known as the ‘Home of Motorsport in the Middle East’ since bringing Formula One to the region in 2004, is nurturing racing talent from across the region and sees Hamad Al Fardan as one of its brightest prospects. In December 2006 the Kingdom played host to its first international endurance race, the 24 Hours of Bahrain, with a huge entry from some of the top names in long-distance racing such as Franz Konrad and Diester Quester among the front-runners – but the headlines were all made by the performance of the all-Bahraini Porsche GT3 with Hamad Al Fardan in the four-strong driving squad.
 
The team, which put Hamad together with Fahad Al Musalam, Shaikh Salman bin Rashid Al Khalifa and Shaikh Salman bin Isa Al Khalifa, was right on the pace of the very fastest cars in the race despite being in a smaller class and struggling with tyre wear problems for much of the race. Despite these setbacks Hamad led the charge to sixth overall and a comprehensive class victory.
 
“It is a truly exciting time for Bahrain to see Hamad prepare for British F3, with the reputation that the series has for developing drivers in readiness for the upper echelons of the sport,” said Shaikh Salman bin Isa Al Khalifa, who is Director of PR and Governmental Affairs at the Bahrain International Circuit as well as an accomplished racer. “He is talented and dedicated, and has all the attributes he needs to succeed.”

Performance Racing is an established dynamic team based in Leicestershire.
We are currently running cars in both A1GP and the British Formula 3 championship.

For the 2007 season, we have exciting prospects for our Formula 3 team, and due to expansion are looking to recruit the following personnel.

No.1 Mechanic;
Responsible for preparation, set up and presentation of race car, organising and overseeing work for No.2 mechanic. As the ideal candidate, you will be a ‘team player’, able to contribute to the team ethos, and have a flexible approach to working. 2 years experience in a similar capacity would be advantageous as would ‘working knowledge’ of the Dallara F3 car.

No.2 Mechanic;
This position is primarily a support role to the No.1 mechanic. As the ideal candidate, you will be a ’team player’ and demonstrate flexibility in working approach. Previous experience in a motor racing or similar environment would be advantageous. You would need to show a willingness to learn, in keeping with our in-house training policy. This position would suit someone looking to establish a career in professional motor sport.
 
If you feel you match our standards, then please apply by email with current CV and salary expectations to;
Annica Eng

The young macanese driver will join the next 2 pre-season test sessions of British F3 Championship.

The New Year of Pig started for Macanese motorsport biggest hope Rodolfo Avila with a two day testing at Pembrey, Wales. The Macau SAR driver was pleased with his and the teams performance in the first official test of 2007 British F3 International Series and he is looking forward this week test sessions at Silverstone and Snetterton.

Rodolfo Avila celebrated his 20th birthday and Chinese New Year at the wheel of the Performance Racing Europe‘s Dallara F307-Mügen Honda. The former National Class podium contender undertook a programme of chassis set-up and secured the 11th best time of the second day among 27 cars.

“As I expected the team suffered a crew restructure during the winter and look like a new team. However the lack of teamwork experience didn’t affected the boys and got into the pace straight way! The times were coming down lap after lap but I wasn’t focus on the chronometer. To accomplish our setup programme was my main target and we did well”, said Avila.

The youngest driver ever to race in Macau Grand Prix wasn’t delighted with 2007 tyre compounds performance so he is going to concentrate in the spot for the next three days of testing. “The 2007 Avon tyres are quite slow to get into the right temperatures. We were struggle with understeering and braking. Of course, the car is slower in new tyres. We have to work hard on that before the season starts. This is going to be our mission for Silverstone and Snetterton”.

Rodolfo Avila will take part in a second official test at the Northamptonshire circuit of Silverstone on March 1 and after he will move on to Snetterton Circuit on March 5/6 for the third collective official test session.

Following the three days of testing the Macau racer will decide his racing future and announce his partners for the season 2007.