Hywel the leader of the pack — F3 Racing with Hywel Lloyd

Hywel the leader of the pack

Racing driver Hywel Lloyd has thrown down the gauntlet to the rest by being the first driver to commit himself to the Formula Three International Class this season.

The flying 23-year-old from Corwen mailed off his entry fee this week to ensure he will be on the grid when the red lights go off at Oulton Park in April’s Cooper Tires British Formula 3 International Series opener.

He follows in an illustrious line of F3 International Class drivers which stretches back to Sir Jackie Stewart through Ayrton Senna, Nelson Piquet and Mika Hakkinen to current stars Rubens Barrichello, Jensen Button and Mark Webber.

2008 was a big year for Welsh speaker Lloyd with his F3 debut and the accolades from the British Racing Drivers’ Club who hailed him as a ‘Rising Star’ and the Welsh Racing Drivers Association who named him the first winner of the Tom Pryce Trophy as the most promising young Welsh racing driver.

Now 2009 promises to be even bigger as he prepares for the step up in class after he finished third in his debut season in F3 in the National Class last year – a campaign that included magnificent wins at Monza and Silverstone.

That was no small feat for Lloyd and his CF Racing team, managed by his father, Harry, up against the big race experience of long established racing outfits.

Most of those teams ran three and four cars but Lloyd proved his competitiveness alone and without team-mates to help nurse him through qualifying and back him up on the track.

That’s what persuaded Harry to accelerate Hywel’s development: “We had a three-year plan when we went into F3,” he explained this week: “We would look to step up after two seasons.

“But Hywel finished third in his first season so we had achieved more than we had hoped or expected and it was time to move on.

“That’s why we have decided to go up to the International Class – he will be the first Welshman to race at this level for over 20 years.

“But Hywel is ready for it. He developed so well last year he is both physically and mentally ready.”

Hywel added: “It’s very competitive there and we are really looking forward to it. Lots of people talk about doing it but we are committed and we have shown our commitment by entering.

“I’m desperate to get behind the wheel again but we have plenty of work to do before the testing ban finishes next month.”

That starts with meetings with their engine suppliers, highly respected race engineering company Neil Brown Engineering who work with Honda in F3 touring cars and with Audi in the prestigious German touring car championships.

Harry Lloyd said: “They did a great job for us last year and they are with us again this year and helping us in our preparation.”

Neil Brown General Manager Gavin Harrison, a 20-year veteran of motorsport, has also given Lloyd a vote of confidence and he said: “Hywel knows what’s going on, he’s not just a driver.

“He knows his stuff and gives good feedback and is the perfect candidate to work with – it’s very rare that a driver is so involved in the technical and mechanical side.

“I’m very enthused by his results and his winter testing has been very positive which makes us very buoyant and looking forward to working with him again.

“He showed his mettle in the National Class and I don’t see any reason why he shouldn’t be able to step up and do well again.”