Motorsport: Hartley shows good form in F3

Brendon Hartley is notching up some good results for his Red Bull team. Photo / Supplied

Last weekend Kiwi super licence holder Brendon Hartley proved his European Formula Three win at Brands Hatch was no fluke.

The Red Bull driver showed he has the goods to compete at the sharp end of open wheel racing by again finishing on the podium at the latest round of the World Series Renault (WSR). He showed great pace in qualifying, putting his car on pole and followed it up by finishing second behind his Tech 1 team-mate, Charles Pic.

"It was another good result because I was the first rookie driver and it was a 1-2 finish for the Tech 1 team," said Hartley. "Having started from pole, I would have preferred a win, but I'm happy with the result anyway. I tried putting Charles under pressure before the mandatory pit-stop, and in the rest of the race too; but he just drove a great race."

Hartley appears to have his mojo back after a series of dismal results in the opening rounds of the Euro F3 championship while also being the official reserve driver for the Red Bull Formula One team. After four F1 races leaning on the pit wall, Jamie Alguersuari, who has now moved on the Toro Rosso team as a full-time driver, replaced him.

Although irked, Hartley looks on his sideways move back to racing F3 and WSR in a positive light.

"I'm still part of the Red Bull squad and they still have faith in me and I'm still doing a lot of work on the Red Bull simulator. It's a shame though [losing out to Alguersuari] as I'd have to say I thought I'd definitely be in Formula One by now if things had gone a little bit better," said Hartley.

"But that's motor racing and that's just how it goes. It's quite a cruel sport in some ways but very rewarding in many others."

To a mentally fragile driver, such a forced move away from F1 might have caused a few problems, but not to Hartley. He's made of sterner stuff than that. Getting back to racing cars, rather than a simulator, has given him a renewed vigour to prove that he can cut it at the top.

"You have a lot more downs than ups and it's all about how you manage them. You have to set yourself up and move on. One good thing about having a bad year is that it just makes you stronger so that's the big positive," said Hartley. "I'd be lying if I said I was really happy with the way things have gone but I'm staying positive because it could be worse, and also, I still have a job at Red Bull and things are starting to look a bit more shiny."

Hartley's Euro F3 campaign has not been the best as by his own admission as he has struggled with the pace of the car and the new tyres. Although he was regularly the fastest of the VW-powered cars, just getting into the top 10 was a mission on its own, let alone vying for a top three finish. Now he's concentrating on the remaining WSR races, where he has a proven track record, he's come into his own again.

"I'm actually really looking forward to the remaining races and I'm confident I'm going to do well. I'm also really excited about going to the Macau Grand Prix [F3] as we're back on the tyres I like. I did pretty well there last year and I still have the fastest lap around there. It's the one I'd really like to win.

"I still have a few opportunities before the end of the year and I'm going to make the most of them."