Priaulx confident of being at the front from the off
SEB PRIAULX has made the top three of drivers to watch out for in the BTCC support series as he gets his inaugural single-seater campaign under way this weekend at Brands Hatch.
The 17-year-old Guernsey driver is competing for Arden Motorsport in the British Formula 4 Championship having made the step up from Ginetta Juniors and in their preview of the season, The Checkered Flag website have picked out 25 drivers they feel enthusiasts should be keeping an eye on at BTCC meetings in 2018.
Priaulx is listed at No. 3 and reporter Simon Paice writes of the Sarnian: ‘To say Priaulx endured a challenging 2017 season is an understatement as he battled with technical exclusions, team changes and more, so for him to emerge as Ginetta Junior vice-champion with seven victories to his name was a testament to his maturity, attitude and on-track talent.
‘Those attributes will serve him well as he embarks upon his first season in single-seaters, with hugely promising pace during pre-season testing putting him in the list of drivers that are likely to be in the battle for the race victories from the off this season.’
Priaulx has already put plenty of miles under his belt in his new car during the official pre-season tests, in which he has been able to assess his pace alongside the remainder of the 2018 grid.
Producing encouraging speed in mixed conditions over the last two months, the teenager kicked it off by finishing second fastest overall around the Brands Hatch Indy circuit and then continued to mix it towards the top of the timesheets at Donington Park, Rockingham and Snetterton.
His focus has now turned to the opening three rounds of the season around the Brands Hatch Indy Circuit in Kent this weekend.
‘I’ve been really pleased with our progress over the course of our winter testing programme, especially during the official tests since Christmas,’ said Priaulx, who is backed by 1st Central Insurance and Ravenscroft.
‘We’ve been towards the top of the timesheets in each test, which has been really encouraging.
‘I’ve had a lot to learn when it comes to driving a “slicks and wings” car, but I feel I am adapting very quickly with the support of Arden Motorsport, APSM and iZone.
‘We’re feeling confident that we can be fighting for victories from the season opener onwards.’
