Motorsport: GP3 deal likely for Evans

Mitch Evans. Photo / Supplied.

Young motor racing ace Mitch Evans is about to take one step closer to the big time.

The 16-year-old Aucklander recently completed a round of testing in Europe and looks set to ink a deal with the MW Arden GP3 team. That is the team overseen by Mark Webber, the Australian Formula One champion who has been in a mentor role with Evans since March.

MW Arden finished ninth (of 10) in the 2010 championship, with their drivers finishing 10th, 27th and 31st in a mostly disappointing season. Evans impressed over the three days of testing in Portugal and his management are currently in the final round of negotiations to join the series.

GP3 is two tiers below F1; the step above is GP2 or the competing World Series Renault outfit. The GP2 series is seen as a natural feeder series into F1 and alumni include Lewis Hamilton, Nico Rosberg, Timo Glock and Nelson Piquet jnr.

GP3 feature standardised cars and use the same engine and chassis manufacturer as GP2. Eight of the events are raced concurrently to F1 races, crucial for gaining exposure to the decision makers. Consequently it is where all the promising drivers want to be and seats are hotly contested.

"It was hard to believe how competitive it was," says Evans of the sessions. "You were constantly pushing, straining - trying to get that extra tenth of a second out of the car."

Across the three days Evans was sixth fastest of the 60 drivers. Just a second covered the top 27 and only 0.05s between third and sixth. Most of his European rivals had experience of the circuit or the cars but for Evans it was his first time in both.

"It makes it tough but that is reality," says Evans. "That is what it will be like next year."

There was three hours of testing in the morning followed by an afternoon session. At a cost of €12,000 ($21,513) a day this was the only chance for the Antipodean; his own one shot for glory.

"You know one little mistake could put you way down," says Evans. "It is all about keeping completely focused and trying not to think about the consequences of an error."

A further complication is the huge insurance excess; any damage to these finely tuned machines means you are liable for bills of thousands of dollars.

"You can't afford to think about not damaging the car, or not crashing. It would take your mind off getting the maximum out of the car but it is always in the back of your mind."

His management team estimate there are enough funds for two years of racing in the Northern Hemisphere. By that time the Kiwi teen will need to have made enough of an impression to be picked up by a wider F1 squad, like compatriot Brendon Hartley's previous deal with Red Bull.

While he waits for confirmation, Evans is focused on the defence of his TRS title, against one of the strongest fields in years.