New Zealand Formula One reserve driver Brendon Hartley heads into this weekend's opening round of the 2010 Formula Renault 3.5 World Series (WSR) in Spain, tipped as a top contender for overall honours by his team principal.
The 20-year-old Palmerston North driver will start his second WSR season with the French Tech 1 team, having contested selected races in the series alongside European Formula 3 and Red Bull Formula 1 commitments in 2009.
Tech 1 boss Simon Abadie said Hartley had learned a lot last season and had shown incredible speed.
"He has a year's experience under his belt in this formula ... we didn't have a lot of luck with him in 2009, but when we fit all the pieces together, he'll be one hell of a challenger."
Hartley said he was feeling confident heading into the eight-round championship particularly as he had a "good strong team mate" to work with him in developing the 3.5-litre car.
Australian Daniel Ricciardo, a fellow Red Bull racing development programme member has replaced Frenchman Charles Pic in the Tech 1 lineup.
Hartley and Ricciardo currently split the reserve driver role for the two Red Bull-owned Formula 1 teams - Red Bull Racing and Scuderia Toro Rosso - alternating attendance at Grand Prix race weekends.
They also share test driver roles in the Red Bull Racing chassis development simulator at the team's Milton Keynes base.
Hartley and Ricciardo missed a couple of days of pre-season WSR collective testing because of their Red Bull Formula 1 commitments but Hartley was on the pace, running consistently in the top three at the final testing in Spain.
Ricciardo has been recovering from a hand injury during training.
"Daniel is fast and I trust him," Hartley said. "We are good friends and we know we are both fast - so the last little bit is up to us."
After three months on the F1 simulator, testing with the WSR team and an intensive training programme, Hartley says he is fit and ready for the season ahead.
"I've been working with a new trainer on a slightly different programme. I've been getting more variety in my workouts and putting in more outside training.
"I'm feeling really positive about this year. Last season I was thrown in the deep end because I didn't get any preparation time and did not do any pre-season testing.
"I intend to make the most of this year after such a good build-up."
The regulations for the series have been tweaked but Hartley says the decision to do away with the reverse grid race in each round was the most pleasing.
"The new format - with the fastest at the front - is fairer and there are better opportunities to win races."
