November 27, 2024 | Formula Winter Series
FWS: Hitech GP announces driver line-up for Formula Winter Series
Hitech GP has announced its driver line-up for the 2025 Formula Winter Series, as preparations continue at pace for the team’s debut in the series.
Silverstone-based Hitech has announced Leo Robinson, Thomas Bearman, Fionn McLaughlin and Nina Gademan as its quartet of competitors for the upcoming season in Portugal and Spain.
Leo Robinson arrives into the Formula Winter Series with plentiful car racing experience. The 15-year-old Anglo-Algerian was a race-winner in the 2023 Ginetta Juniors, before switching to the F4 Danish Championship mid-season. Despite missing eight races in the Danish series, he finished fourth in the standings, and never finished off the podium.
After a strong 2024 British F4 season that saw him take three victories, Robinson has formed a new partnership with Hitech for the Formula Winter Series.
Thomas Bearman, 15, debuted in single seaters with Hitech during the tail-end of 2024. Having already netted top-10 finishes in British F4, just three weekends into his career in cars, it is expected that Bearman will make big strides during the Formula Winter Series season. The British hopeful is looking to emulate his older brother and 2025 Haas F1 driver, Oliver.
Red Bull Junior Team driver Fionn McLaughlin, 17, steps into single-seaters after a strong career in karts. In 2023, he was the driver to beat in the FIA World Karting Championship, only losing the final due to an engine problem. He would go on to secure victory in the FIA Academy Champions of the Future race in Abu Dhabi. In 2024, the Irishman has once again been a front-runner in international karting, and is a hotly-anticipated single-seater debutant.
Both Fionn and Thomas will be classed as Rookies for the 2025 season.
Nina Gademan, 21, is looking to build upon a full season in British F4, where she secured a best finish of 11th at Knockhill. The Dutch racer also impressed on home turf as an F1 Academy wildcard in Zandvoort. Gademan finished fourth in race one, a feat she matched in race two before a penalty was applied. With a broad range of experience in single seaters and tin tops, Gademan has great experience to capitalise on during the 2025 Formula Winter Series.
Commenting on Hitech’s Formula Winter Series line-up, Dominic Stott, Team Manager for F4 Championships, said: “We are looking forward to the new challenge of Formula Winter Series, on four great circuits, pitting ourselves against some of the best teams and drivers in Europe. In preparation for 2025, everyone is working hard to ensure we can hit the ground running in January and with Leo, Thomas, Fionn and Nina working well together already, and all pushing each other, we are confident in the group of people and drivers we have put together to spearhead another successful year of F4 competition.”
Formula Winter Series is for F4 cars with a Tatuus T421 chassis and Abarth engine, and uses Pirelli tyres and TM Brakes.
Each event comprises two test days and two race days, with two qualifying sessions (2x 15 mins) and three sprint races (3x 30 mins +1 lap).
The opening round lines up alongside Gedlich Racing’s inaugural Portimão 6h race weekend from 30th January-2nd February and will be broadcast live on YouTube.
Calendar
30 JAN – 2 FEB PORTIMAO /P
13 FEB – 16 FEB VALENCIA /E
27 FEB – 2 MAR ARAGÓN /E
6 MAR – 9 MAR BARCELONA /E
More info on FWS
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