Motorsport: Race far from over

Brendon Hartley still has a profile in racing circles after his time with Red Bull. Photo / Supplied

Brendon Hartley says his exit from Red Bull's Formula One extended team may have been prompted because he wasn't quite "mentally there" at times.

Since his axing in the European summer, the 20-year-old Kiwi has been forced to face up to an uncertain future. After four and a half years in the cosseted world of Red Bull, where all expenses were met by the Austrian energy drink giant, Hartley is now racing against time to secure a drive for the 2011 season.

Hartley has been flying all over Europe trying to stitch together a deal, often representing himself in the boardroom as well as on the track. His time as the reserve driver for the Red Bull F1 team has ensured he still has a profile.

"There have been plenty of people getting in contact with me which is great," he says from his base in Milton Keynes. "There is still some interest and I just have to prove myself. Things change on a daily basis in this world.

"It has been a very different experience for me," he admits. "I think I have matured a lot. It has been exciting and stressful at the same time to not know what the future holds."

Hartley was once seen as the F1 protégé, inking a deal with Red Bull at 16 and steadily making his way up the ranks. He was highly regarded by their testing team, refining the car that has brought Mark Webber and Sebastian Vettel so much success in 2010.

With the benefit of hindsight, the Palmerston North-born Hartley admits he maybe should have done things a little bit differently at Red Bull.

After excelling in the first two seasons, Hartley slipped off the pace in 2009, finishing 15th in the Tech 1 squad (a feeder team for Red Bull) in the Formula Renault 3.5 series. He was inconsistent in the first half of 2010 which consigned him to the exit door; though there were rumours at the time the British arm of Red Bull wanted to retain him as a test driver.

"There were times this year when mentally I wasn't quite there," he says candidly. "I wouldn't say I ever took things for granted - I was always aware that I needed to seize my opportunities - but maybe I got a bit comfortable at times.

"I would never say I am happy not to be with Red Bull but things were not going to plan and maybe I did need a change."

Hartley's last race this season will come in the GP2 class at Abu Dhabi with Italian team Coloni. His first weekend with them, at Monza in September was forgettable.

The sleek GP2 cars can reach speeds of up to 320 km/h - as fast as F1 - and it is a challenge, as testing is limited to just 30 minutes as they share the track with the big boys.

Hartley is aiming for a couple of top 10 finishes - "it is the best way to show what I have got" - but says either way it is not make or break.

"If it goes well, more doors will open but there are already a lot of doors open."

He also recently completed testing with Formula Renault 3.5 team P1 Motorsport and had the fastest time on the second day in Barcelona. As always in motorsport there are financial considerations, but a seat with the British P1 team looks like his best option.

"Just getting back out there and winning some races is all that is takes, though that is much harder than it sounds. It has been a special journey and it is far from over."