Interview
Happy and confident: Hitech pre-season testing review
Hitech Team Manager Paul Bellringer was pleased by his team’s efforts across the pre-season test in Barcelona, believing they have set themselves up for a good campaign.
2026 rookie drivers Jin Nakamura and Fionn McLaughlin were joined by Tim Tramnitz, who was deputing for Michael Shin following a shoulder injury he sustained over the winter.
Bellringer says the three days were hugely beneficial for the team and their drivers, as they experienced the different weather conditions, with both the rain, wind and sun playing their part.
“I think it's been quite good,” said Bellringer. “Obviously, we've had a whole range of weather conditions with the rain on the first day and then the gusty winds this afternoon.
“They were particularly quite challenging for everyone, not just us, but on balance, I think we've had a good, solid test.”
On Nakamura and McLaughlin, Bellringer says both have benefited from competing in the Formula Regional Oceania Trophy over the winter, and also from having a reference in Tramnitz, who has race-winning experience in Formula 3.
“I think they've both benefited from keeping racing over the winter in New Zealand,” said Bellringer. “I think what they learned last year at the end of the season test, they've now carried over through the sim work and into testing here.
“I think we're making good, steady progress. Tim has also been a good help to us. Obviously, it was a last-minute call-up for him to come in.
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“He has not driven a single seater for a while, so he sort of played himself back in general. He did a good, solid, professional job for us.”
Bellringer also revealed how much Hitech look at what their rivals are doing in testing to know better where they stand in the pecking order.
“It’s all about Hitech, Hitech, Hitech really,” he explained. “I think as soon as you get drawn into watching other people and trying to mimic what they're doing or trying to second-guess what they're doing, you lose focus on what your own plan is.
“So we tend to concentrate on ourselves. But we do have a look at what's going on in the times, who's on long runs, who's on short runs and how they compare, roughly, performance-wise to us, but it's not an overriding factor, no.”
When asked about his confidence in Hitech heading to Round 1 in Melbourne, Bellringer responded: “I think we are as happy and as confident as we can be.
“We all have the expectation that we're all going to be doing well and we're all going to be champions this year. But some people will be happy, some people will be sad, but we'll see how it pans out in Madrid.”