Hitech Grand Prix

(Redirected from Hitech Pulse-Eight)

Hitech Grand Prix (formerly Hitech Racing, currently racing as Hitech Pulse-Eight for sponsorship reasons) is a British motor racing team. It was founded in 2002 by Dennis Rushen and David Hayle.[1] The team started racing in the British Formula 3 Championship in 2003. The team also competed in the South American Formula Three Series, namely the Formula 3 Sudamericana.[2] Currently the team competes in the FIA Formula 2 Championship, FIA Formula 3 Championship, GB3 Championship and the Formula Regional Middle East Championship.

United Kingdom Hitech GP
Founded2002
BaseSilverstone, United Kingdom
Team principal(s)Oliver Oakes
Founder(s)Dennis Rushen
David Hayle
Current seriesFIA Formula 2 Championship
FIA Formula 3 Championship
Formula Regional Middle East Championship
GB3 Championship
F4 British Championship
Formula 4 UAE Championship
Former seriesBritish Formula 3 Championship
GP2 Series
Formula 3 Sudamericana
Brazilian Formula Three Championship
Stock Car Light
FIA Formula 3 European Championship
W Series
Formula 3 Euro Series
Current driversFormula 2
Belgium 16. Amaury Cordeel
Estonia 17. Paul Aron
Formula 3
United Kingdom 14. Luke Browning
Norway 15. Martinius Stenshorne
United Kingdom 16. Cian Shields
GB3 Championship
21. United Kingdom William Macintyre
22. Poland Tymek Kucharczyk
23. China Gerrard Xie
F4 British Championship
4. Australia James Piszcyk
5. United Kingdom William Macintyre
6. Japan Kanato Le
7. United Kingdom Gabriel Stilp
Teams'
Championships
Formula 3 Sudamericana:
2013

F3 Asian Championship:
2018 2019

F3 Asian Winter series:
2019
Drivers'
Championships
British Formula 3:
2007: Marko Asmer
Formula 3 Sudamericana:
2013: Felipe Guimarães
F3 Asian Championship:
2018: Raoul Hyman
2019: Ukyo Sasahara
F3 Asian Winter series:
2019: Rinus VeeKay
F4 British Championship:
2022: Alex Dunne
Websitehttp://www.hitechgp.co.uk/

History

Formula Three

In its first season, Hitech scored five pole positions and six podium finishes, with drivers Danny Watts and Eric Salignon.[1] Andrew Thompson also contributed some points finishes. Watts finished the British F3 Championship in 5th place in a season that included a memorable win at Castle Combe. In the Korea Super Prix, guest driver Richard Antinucci achieved Hitech's first international race win.[1]

In the second season, 2004, Thompson was retained and joined by drivers Marko Asmer, James Walker, and Lucas Di Grassi.[1] Di Grassi had two wins and was classified in eighth place overall. Another of that year's highlights was a podium finish on Di Grassi's début at the Macau Grand Prix. Asmer managed to finish the championship closing the top 10.

In 2005, Hitech retained Asmer and brought in Tim Bridgman from Formula BMW.[1] Asmer was the best of the duo, scoring no less than five second places, but missing out on an actual win, even so managing to snatch the fourth place in the championship.

For 2006, Hitech brought back James Walker, alongside James Jakes and Salvador Durán, with Jakes finishing 8th, Walker 9th and Durán 10th in a poor season that only heralded one podium finish (achieved by Walker).

In 2007 Hitech retained the services of Marko Asmer who joined Austrian Walter Grubmuller for an assault on the British F3 Championship.[1] Hitech and Asmer took the title, scoring 11 poles, 11 wins (from 22 races) and 9 fastest laps. Marko Asmer secured the title long before the final round and in the end by a margin of 85 points from Maro Engel.

In 2008, Walter Grubmuller was joined by the youngest driver in the sport, Max Chilton.[3]

For 2012, Brazilian Felipe Guimarães took 4 wins and two poles to end fourth with Hitech Racing Brazil in the Formula Three Sudamericana series.

In 2013, Hitech's Brazilian ace Felipe Guimarães took both the Formula 3 Brazil Open and the Formula Three Sudamericana series titles, winning 13 races and obtaining 7 poles and 12 fastest laps in the process.

In 2014, Brazilian Felipe Guimarães defended his Formula 3 Brazil Open title with Hitech Racing Brazil in January 2014 at the 2014 Formula 3 Brazil Open with his teammate Victor Franzoni finishing second.

In 2015, the team changed its name to Hitech GP, and made guest appearances in the two final rounds of the European Formula 3 Championship with Alex Sims.[4][5]

In 2016, Hitech joined forces with ART Grand Prix, to make a full season in the FIA F3 European Championship.[6] George Russell and rookies Ben Barnicoat and Nikita Mazepin will race for the team.[7][8] 2015's guest driver Sims again appeared in the 2016 season's final round at Hockenheim.[9]

The following season, only Mazepin remained with the team, he was joined by 2016 Prema driver Ralf Aron, Jake Hughes and Honda Junior Tadasuke Makino.[10][11][12][13]

For 2018 the team signed Enaam Ahmed, Ben Hingeley, Álex Palou[14][15][16]

In 2019 the team was represented by Jüri Vips in the new FIA Formula 3 Championship.[17] He was joined by Leonardo Pulcini, who raced in the GP3 Series, and 2016 French F4 champion Yifei Ye. The team saw four wins coming from Vips and Pulcini that ultimately resulted in the outfit finishing second behind Prema Racing in the teams' standings.

In 2019, Hitech GP provided a full race operation package to W Series, including preparation, shipping and all trackside requirements. Hitech GP also supplied race engineers and pit crew for each of the cars.[18] This partnership was discontinued for the 2021 season following the 2020 season's cancellation due to the COVID-19 pandemic and Hitech GP's subsequent expansion into other series.[19]

FIA Motorsport Games

For the inaugural 2019 FIA Motorsport Games Formula 4 Cup all drivers utilized KCMG KC MG-01 cars, which were operated by Hitech GP. This was the first Formula 4 car to feature Halo safety device.[20]

GP2 Series

In 2004, Hitech partnered with Piquet Sports to enter the GP2 Series, running Nelson Piquet Jr. and Alexandre Negrao.[21][22] However, prior to the Istanbul round, it was announced that this partnership had ended and that Piquet Sports would run the team for the remainder of the season.[23] Despite this, team would continue carrying the Hitech name until the end of the season[23]

FIA Formula 2 Championship

In January 2020, Hitech announced it would expand into the championship for the 2020 season.[24]

Formula One

It was reported in February 2023 that Hitech registered an interest in joining the Formula 1 at a date to be determined.[25] In June 2023, Hitech announced that it has lodged an entry to join the 2026 season.[26] Following announcements by the FIA on accepted submissions, Hitech was not one of the accepted applications, and speculation is that their application was rejected.[27] There are some who believe that they are being funded secretly by Dmitry Mazepin, who is banned from competing in F1 due to European Union sanctions following the invasion of Ukraine in 2022.[28] The allegation is that Vladimir Kim who has purchased a 25% stake in the Team is the face of the funding with the actual funding coming from Mazepin.[29]

Ownership

Founded in 2002 by Dennis Rushen and David Hayle as HiTech Racing Ltd, in 2015 Hayle in partnership with Oliver Oakes formed the company and its assets into a new company, HiTech Grand Prix Ltd to compete in the FIA F3 European Championship. In 2016, Hitech joined forces with ART Grand Prix, to make a full season in the FIA F3 European Championship.[6] Gaining Nikita Mazepin as a driver, they also gained Russian minerals company Uralkali as a sponsor, and partial ownership by Dmitry Mazepin. Over the next few years, Mazepin increased his holding through Cyprus-based investment company Bergton Management Ltd to 75%. In March 2022, following the Russian war against Ukraine, the shares held by Bergton Management Ltd were relinquished to Oakes, who took full control of the company.[30] Oakes had formed a new company Hitech Global Holdings Ltd on 11 March 2022 to take control of the shares, formed just three days after Mazepin and his son were sanctioned by both the UK Government and the European Union,[30] resulting in questions being asked in the UK Parliament over the effect of sanctions against Russia.[30][31] In June 2023, Hitech announced that Kazakh businessman Vladimir Kim has bought a 25% stake of the company.[26]

Current series results

FIA Formula 2 Championship

YearChassisEngineTyresDriversRacesWinsPolesF. LapsPodiumsD.C.PtsT.C.Pts
2020Dallara
F2 2018
Mecachrome
V634T V6 t
P Nikita Mazepin2420265th1644th270
Luca Ghiotto23102410th106
2021Dallara
F2 2018
Mecachrome
V634T V6 t
P Liam Lawson2311239th1034th223
Jüri Vips2320166th120
2022Dallara
F2 2018
Mecachrome
V634T V6 t
P Marcus Armstrong28300413th935th207
Jüri Vips28124511th114
2023Dallara
F2 2018
Mecachrome
V634T V6 t
P Jak Crawford26110513th578th112
Isack Hadjar26101214th55
2024Dallara
F2 2024
Mecachrome
V634T V6 t
P Amaury Cordeel16000016th254th*142*
Paul Aron1601172nd117

In detail

(key)

YearDrivers12345678910111213141516171819202122232425262728T.C.Points
2020RBR
FEA
RBR
SPR
RBR
FEA
RBR
SPR
HUN
FEA
HUN
SPR
SIL
FEA
SIL
SPR
SIL
FEA
SIL
SPR
CAT
FEA
CAT
SPR
SPA
FEA
SPA
SPR
MNZ
FEA
MNZ
SPR
MUG
FEA
MUG
SPR
SOC
FEA
SOC
SPR
BHR
FEA
BHR
SPR
BHR
FEA
BHR
SPR
4th270
Nikita Mazepin14101482F5154813624NC811872F5299
Luca GhiottoDNSRet1110411719†131082952F152Ret4512FRet167
2021BHR
SP1
BHR
SP2
BHR
FEA
MON
SP1
MON
SP2
MON
FEA
BAK
SP1
BAK
SP2
BAK
FEA
SIL
SP1
SIL
SP2
SIL
FEA
MNZ
SP1
MNZ
SP2
MNZ
FEA
SOC
SP1
SOC
SP2
SOC
FEA
JED
SP1
JED
SP2
JED
FEA
YMC
SP1
YMC
SP2
YMC
FEA
4th223
Liam Lawson1Ret39DSQ7Ret76P751154RetFRetC7F2Ret956Ret
Jüri Vips1016135F3881126786Ret2CRet3Ret612Ret8
2022BHR
SPR
BHR
FEA
JED
SPR
JED
FEA
IMO
SPR
IMO
FEA
CAT
SPR
CAT
FEA
MON
SPR
MON
FEA
BAK
SPR
BAK
FEA
SIL
SPR
SIL
FEA
RBR
SPR
RBR
FEA
LEC
SPR
LEC
FEA
HUN
SPR
HUN
FEA
SPA
SPR
SPA
FEA
ZAN
SPR
ZAN
FEA
MNZ
SPR
MNZ
FEA
YMC
SPR
YMC
FEA
5th207
Marcus ArmstrongRet5Ret511610736412981Ret14Ret767131141012109
Jüri Vips73F2F1015FRetPRet175312RetP F1265811122514857110128
2023BHR
SPR
BHR
FEA
JED
SPR
JED
FEA
ALB
SPR
ALB
FEA
BAK
SPR
BAK
FEA
MON
SPR
MON
FEA
CAT
SPR
CAT
FEA
RBR
SPR
RBR
FEA
SIL
SPR
SIL
FEA
HUN
SPR
HUN
FEA
SPA
SPR
SPA
FEA
ZAN
SPR
ZAN
FEA
MNZ
SPR
MNZ
FEA
YMC
SPR
YMC
FEA
8th112
Jak Crawford14129152Ret3939Ret13181410141714RetRet3P1316†1210
Isack Hadjar207129615117FRet1212203125158511Ret16111158
2024BHR
SPR
BHR
FEA
JED
SPR
JED
FEA
ALB
SPR
ALB
FEA
IMO
SPR
IMO
FEA
MCO
SPR
MCO
FEA
CAT
SPR
CAT
FEA
RBR
SPR
RBR
FEA
SIL
SPR
SIL
FEA
HUN
SPR
HUN
FEA
SPA
SPR
SPA
FEA
MNZ
SPR
MNZ
FEA
BAK
SPR
BAK
FEA
LUS
SPR
LUS
FEA
YMC
SPR
YMC
FEA
4th*142*
Amaury CordeelRetRetRet516114Ret14Ret1481871515
Paul Aron532F10182267334P35Ret12

* Season still in progress.

FIA Formula 3 Championship

YearChassisEngineTyresDriversRacesWinsPolesF. LapsPodiumsD.C.PtsT.C.Pts
2019Dallara
F3 2019
Mecachrome
V634 V6
P Leonardo Pulcini1610028th782nd223
Jüri Vips1631244th141
Yifei Ye16000021st4
2020Dallara
F3 2019
Mecachrome
V634 V6
P Max Fewtrell12000020th54th167
Pierre-Louis Chovet4000019th5
Liam Lawson1831165th143
Dennis Hauger18001117th14
2021Dallara
F3 2019
Mecachrome
V634 V6
P Jak Crawford20000113th456th126
Ayumu Iwasa20100212th52
Roman Staněk20000216th29
2022Dallara
F3 2019
Mecachrome
V634 V6
P Kaylen Frederick18000017th275th150
Isack Hadjar1831254th123
Nazim Azman18000032nd0
2023Dallara
F3 2019
Mecachrome
V634 V6
P Sebastián Montoya18000116th375th170
Gabriele Minì1722147th92
Luke Browning18001115th41
2024Dallara
F3 2019
Mecachrome
V634 V6
P Luke Browning1422233rd1125th*138*
Martinius Stenshorne12101215th26
James Wharton2000031st0
Cian Shields14000028th0

In detail

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)

YearDrivers123456789101112131415161718192021T.C.Points
2019CAT
FEA
CAT
SPR
LEC
FEA
LEC
SPR
RBR
FEA
RBR
SPR
SIL
FEA
SIL
SPR
HUN
FEA
HUN
SPR
SPA
FEA
SPA
SPR
MNZ
FEA
MNZ
SPR
SOC
FEA
SOC
SPR
2nd223
Leonardo Pulcini2021Ret1295417277106416
Jüri Vips624171F61P1544521Ret11F81
Yifei Ye22Ret132220Ret121118221510Ret19136
2020RBR
FEA
RBR
SPR
RBR
FEA
RBR
SPR
HUN
FEA
HUN
SPR
SIL
FEA
SIL
SPR
SIL
FEA
SIL
SPR
CAT
FEA
CAT
SPR
SPA
FEA
SPA
SPR
MNZ
FEA
MNZ
SPR
MUG
FEA
MUG
SPR
4th167
Max Fewtrell12101471111Ret20161217Ret
Pierre-Louis Chovet22Ret196
Liam Lawson618RetRetRet143F527936P7101
Dennis Hauger15221812831617Ret201826F151912151412
2021CAT
SP1
CAT
SP2
CAT
FEA
LEC
SP1
LEC
SP2
LEC
FEA
RBR
SP1
RBR
SP2
RBR
FEA
HUN
SP1
HUN
SP2
HUN
FEA
SPA
SP1
SPA
SP2
SPA
FEA
ZAN
SP1
ZAN
SP2
ZAN
FEA
SOC
SP1
SOC
SP2
SOC
FEA
6th126
Jak Crawford139181114108Ret262621152121248711C5
Ayumu Iwasa14715897DSQ146110121511133Ret1110C9
Roman Staněk16121026191511412113233131527151313C26
2022BHR
SPR
BHR
FEA
IMO
SPR
IMO
FEA
CAT
SPR
CAT
FEA
SIL
SPR
SIL
FEA
RBR
SPR
RBR
FEA
HUN
SPR
HUN
FEA
SPA
SPR
SPA
FEA
ZAN
SPR
ZAN
FEA
MNZ
SPR
MNZ
FEA
5th150
Kaylen Frederick810167795126231920Ret161513Ret25
Isack Hadjar125531031F5101P F41891465279
Nazim Azman16Ret2119Ret1822Ret24162326162025212121
2023BHR
SPR
BHR
FEA
ALB
SPR
ALB
FEA
MCO
SPR
MCO
FEA
CAT
SPR
CAT
FEA
RBR
SPR
RBR
FEA
SIL
SPR
SIL
FEA
HUN
SPR
HUN
FEA
SPA
SPR
SPA
FEA
MNZ
SPR
MNZ
FEA
5th170
Sebastián Montoya1092Ret7DSQ267920810Ret24Ret612Ret
Gabriele Mini178P43111P F20142Ret57116RetDNS619
Luke BrowningRet517F8842Ret112214Ret1612823DSQ18
2024BHR
SPR
BHR
FEA
ALB
SPR
ALB
FEA
IMO
SPR
IMO
FEA
MCO
SPR
MCO
FEA
CAT
SPR
CAT
FEA
RBR
SPR
RBR
FEA
SIL
SPR
SIL
FEA
HUN
SPR
HUN
FEA
SPA
SPR
SPA
FEA
MNZ
SPR
MNZ
FEA
5th*138*
Luke Browning15128F426†483125F111P248P
Martinius Stenshorne111412622141626F427212EXEX
James Wharton1821
Cian Shields262625201918Ret211420162117Ret

F3 Asian Championship / Formula Regional Asian Championship

YearCarDriversRacesWinsPolesF/LapsPointsD.C.T.C.
2018Tatuus F3 T-318 Raoul Hyman151022271st1st
Jake Hughes99682252nd
Charles Leong150001454th
Ben Hingeley31004310th
Harrison Scott30002614th
2019Tatuus F3 T-318 Ukyo Sasahara158773011st1st
Jack Doohan155142762nd
Jackson Walls9000906th
2019-20Tatuus F3 T-318 Nikita Mazepin150001863rd4th
Jake Hughes60012414th
Alessio Deledda150002115th
Ukyo Sasahara153410NC†
2021Tatuus F3 T-318 Roy Nissany15000995th2nd
Ayumu Iwasa15000818th
Reece Ushijima150004512th
Roman Staněk150006010th
2022Tatuus F3 T-318 Isack Hadjar152121343rd2nd
Gabriele Minì122111304th
Leonardo Fornaroli90002217th
Joshua Dufek90001218th
Owen Tangavelou9000031st
Vladislav Lomko3000034th

Formula Regional Middle East Championship

YearCarDriversRacesWinsPolesF/LapsPointsD.C.T.C.
2023Tatuus F3 T-318 Sebastián Montoya150001221st7th
Gabriele Minì60101022nd
Luke Browning6000826th
Jak Crawford3000428th
Daniel Mavlyutov15000032nd

BRDC British Formula 3 Championship / GB3 Championship

GB3 Championship results
YearCarDriversRacesWinsPolesF/LapsPodiumsPointsD.C.T.C.
2020Tatuus-Cosworth BF3-020 Kush Maini24321124482ndN/A
Reece Ushijima24001224411th
2021Tatuus-Cosworth BF3-020 Reece Ushijima2423363664th2nd
Bart Horsten2402433336th
Sebastián Álvarez2411022908th
2022Tatuus-Cosworth MSV-022 Luke Browning24558135071st1st
Bryce Aron24100321512th
Cian Shields241003186.513th
2023Tatuus-Cosworth MSV-022 Alex Dunne2351874662nd4th
Souta Arao21001014617th
Michael Shin21000014418th
Gerrard Xie22101112820th9th[a]
Daniel Mavlyutov23400411622nd
2024Tatuus-Cosworth MSV-022 Will Macintyre
Tymek Kucharczyk
Gerrard Xie

Formula 4 UAE Championship

YearCarDriversRacesWinsPolesF/LapsPointsD.C.T.C.
2022Tatuus F4-T421 Alex Dunne202011686th4th
Luke Browning80006411th
Oliver Gray80004115th
Ricardo Escotto20000025th10th[b]
Anshul Gandhi20000032nd
2023Tatuus F4-T421 Arvid Lindblad151111075th4th
William Macintyre150002814th
James Piszcyk150002515th11th
Kanato Le150002217th
2024Tatuus F4-T421 Deagen Fairclough15000757th4th
Gabriel Stilp15100739th
Reza Seewooruthun150002416th
Sebastian Murray150001219th

F4 British Championship

YearCarDriversRacesWinsPolesF/LapsPointsD.C.T.C.
2022Tatuus F4-T421 Alex Dunne271111114121st2nd
Eduardo Coseteng301031987th
Oliver Stewart3010110810th
Daniel Mavlyutov300003215th
2023Tatuus F4-T421 William Macintyre302333712nd2nd
James Piszcyk302122205th
Kanato Le302041957th
Gabriel Stilp301011649th
2024Tatuus F4-T421 Reza Seewooruthun
Mika Abrahams
Deagen Fairclough
Bianca Bustamante

Former series results

F3 Asian Winter Series

YearCarDriversRacesWinsPolesFLapsPointsD.C.T.C.
2019Tatuus F3 T-318 Rinus VeeKay94241841st1st
Alessandro Ghiretti90001063rd
Pavan Ravishankar9000735th
Dan Ticktum6020389th
Max Fewtrell30002011th
Jack Doohan30000NC

FIA European Formula 3 Championship

YearCarDriversStartsWinsPolesF.LapsPointsD.C.T.C.
2016Dallara F312-Mercedes HWA George Russell302331943rd2nd
Ben Barnicoat302001177th
Nikita Mazepin30000519th
Alexander Sims3000-NC†
2017Dallara F317-Mercedes HWA Jake Hughes301222075th4th
Ralf Aron300111239th
Nikita Mazepin3000110810th
Tadasuke Makino270005715th
2018Dallara F317-Mercedes HWA Álex Palou300012047th3rd
Enaam Ahmed302211749th
Ben Hingeley300002217th
Charles Leong3000026th

As Sims was a guest driver, he was ineligible for points.

British Formula 3 International Series

YearCarDriversStartsWinsPolesF.LapsPointsD.C.
2003Dallara F303-Renault Danny Watts241321255th
Eric Salignon220114312th
Andrew Thompson240001819th
Fabio Carbone2000125th
2004Dallara F304-Renault Lucas di Grassi232201308th
Marko Asmer230028710th
Andrew Thompson230003615th
James Walker230002018th
2005Dallara F305-Mercedes HWA Marko Asmer200211634th
Tim Bridgman180001615th
2006Dallara F306-Mercedes HWA James Jakes22001968th
James Walker22000929th
Salvador Durán200005410th
2007Dallara F307-Mercedes HWA Walter Grubmüller22000716th
Marko Asmer22111192931st
2008Dallara F308-Mercedes HWA Max Chilton220217210th
Walter Grubmüller220004414th
2009Dallara F309-Mercedes HWA Walter Grubmüller202211882nd
Renger van der Zande163471783rd
2010Dallara F310-Volkswagen William Buller300001118th
Gabriel Dias302011356th
2011Dallara F308-Volkswagen
Dallara F310-Volkswagen
Pietro Fantin301221198th
Riki Christodoulou91005112th
António Félix da Costa60015113th
Pedro Nunes30001019th
Max Snegirev9000224th
Bruno Méndez3000125th

Timeline

Current series
FIA Formula 3 Championship2019–present
FIA Formula 2 Championship2020–present
GB3 Championship2020–present
F4 British Championship2022–present
Formula 4 UAE Championship2022–present
Former series
British Formula 3 International Series2003–2011
GP2 Series2005
Formula 3 Euro Series2006
Formula 3 Sudamericana2009–2013
Brazilian Formula Three Championship2014–2017
Mercedes-Benz Challenge2015
Campeonato Brasileiro de Turismo2015–2016
FIA Formula 3 European Championship2016–2018
Formula Regional Asian Championship2018–2022
W Series2019
Formula Regional Middle East Championship2023

See also

Footnotes

References