Hitech announce three-pronged GB3 attack for 2022

Hitech GP announced all three of their 2022 GB3 Championship contenders on Tuesday.

The Silverstone-based team confirmed Bryce Aron, Luke Browning and Cian Shields would join for its third season at this level.

In its first season, Oliver Oakes’ team took Kush Maini to second place in the 2020 Drivers’ Championship, finishing second in the inaugural Teams’ Championship in 2021.

GB3 Team Manager, Phil Blow said the team was “confident [Aron, Browning and Shields] will give us the best chance possible to fight for the title and we look forward to a strong season.”

Former Team USA Scholar Aron joined the GB3 grid with Carlin for 2021, and finished all 24 races, only disqualified from Race 3 at Silverstone following a collision with Dexter Patterson.

Among those 24 finishes were ten top-ten results, and though a podium eluded him, he did record a best-finish of fourth at Brands Hatch and Donington Park in the early rounds.

Aron finished third in the 2020 Walter Hayes Trophy, prior to his announcement at Carlin.

“I’m excited to be joining Hitech in the 2022 GB3 Championship,” he said. 

“I believe my experience as a second-year driver in the series will be a great platform to build from.”

Browning won the 2020 F4 British Championship by four points ahead of current GB3 champion Zak O’Sullivan, graduating to ADAC and Italian F4 in 2021. Running with US Racing in both categories, his campaign in Germany brought wins at the Red Bull Ring and the Hockenheimring, with six further podiums powering him to third in the standings.

He appeared in the penultimate round of the 2021 GB3 season with Fortec Motorsport at Oulton Park, and won Race 2 after surviving a clash with O’Sullivan.

“I’m delighted to announce I’ll be joining Hitech for our 2022 title push,” the 20-year-old said.

“I’m feeling excited and confident in the team, and I’m looking forward to fighting for victories this year.

“Pre-season testing has been great and we’re going to be well-prepared for our campaign.”

Cian Shields graduates straight from karting to join one of Europe’s leading junior single-seater outfits, which now has a direct line from the F4 British Championship, through GB3, into FIA F3 and F2.

Shields took third place in the 2018 IAME Winter Cup X30 Junior class, and won the IAME Series Benelux equivalent in 2019.

He began testing with the team before the final round of 2021 at Donington in October, to acclimatise to a calendar full of tracks he has never raced before, including Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps.

He said, “I am really looking forward to racing in GB3 this year with Hitech.

“It’s my first season in cars so I have a lot to learn but I’m confident that with Hitech’s help, we can have a good season of racing.”