HWA RACELAB announce Doohan, Fittipaldi and Hughes for 2020

HWA RACELAB have added two new promising young racers to their stable for the 2020 season, in Jack Doohan and Enzo Fiitipaldi, while also securing the services of race winner Jake Hughes for another year.

The German outfit made their debut in F3 last season and earned plaudits for their performances, despite their inexperience at that level of junior formula. Finishing fifth in the Championship with one win and three further podiums, the team have moved quickly to re-sign Hughes, the winner of that silverware.

The British racer brings with him his experience and expertise. Hughes impressed the team last year with his work behind the scenes, while his knowledge of the Pirelli tyres within a side who had never previously used them proved pivotal.

The 25-year-old initially started in the now defunct GP3 Series back in 2016, opting to remain in the category when it merged with European F3 to form FIA F3. He has won at least once every single season and earned HWA their maiden victory in the Championship. The team will hope he can be a frontrunner once again in 2020, while also helping his young teammates to become accustomed to the category.

On re-signing, Hughes said: "I am pleased to be driving for HWA RACELAB in Formula 3 again. I want to use my wealth of experience to help the team this season. I am sure we will find it easier in our second year.

“As I have stressed many times in the past, it is a great privilege to be part of the HWA company. Throughout my career, I have always developed. I still see sufficient potential for that in Formula 3. The goal is clear: To take my career and the team to the next level.”

The Mercedes-linked team have laid out their plans to regularly challenge for silverware in the coming season, with more than one driver competing for the podium on a frequent basis, recruiting highly rated potential alongside race winner Hughes.

Doohan is the 2019 F3 Asia vice-champion and son of legendary five-time MotoGP World Champion, Mick Doohan. Opting for a career on four-wheels as opposed to two, Doohan has also won the rookie cup in the 2018 British F4 Championship.

Doohan got his first taste of F3 machinery in Valencia at the post-season tests with Hitech GP and caught the eye of HWA, who have now moved to sign him up.

"I am pleased to be part of the HWA RACELAB team in the 2020 FIA Formula 3 Championship," Doohan elated. "I can hardly wait for the start of the season. HWA is known for its competitiveness and I am confident that will be the case again this year.

“The last two years of racing have given me a good basis. I now hope I can challenge for the title with a top team like HWA RACELAB."

Like Doohan, Fittipaldi comes with the tag of a famous surname. The Brazilian is the grandson of former F1 World Champion Emerson Fittipaldi. The Ferrari Academy Driver won the Italian F4 Championship in 2018, with seven race victories, before stepping up to the Formula Regional European Championship, where he finished as Vice-Champion.

The Brazilian tested with PREMA Racing in the post-season tests at Valencia and impressed HWA with his pace and ability to adapt to the machinery. He then entered the 2019 FIA F3 World Cup at Macau with Sauber Junior Team by Charouz, where he finished 16th.

Fittipaldi said: “I really can’t wait to join this super competitive and challenging FIA F3 Championship. I am also really excited to join this new adventure with HWA Racelab. Thanks also to the Ferrari Driver Academy and my sponsors for their continued support.”

HWA CEO Ulrich Fritz added: "After our promising first season last year, we are now looking to use the experience gained to improve again and consistently have more than one driver challenging for the podium this season. I am delighted that we have managed to secure the services of Jack and Enzo.

“However, we did not opt for them because of their famous names, but because of their immense talent, which they have both demonstrated emphatically in recent years. The FIA Formula 3 Championship is the next level for them both. In Jake, they have the right teacher at their side, from whom they can learn an awful lot."