by Russell Atkins
Former
Formula 1 engineer Simon Armstrong is one of the key driving forces behind Ultimate Motorsport’s newly-launched British F3 bid, and he is confident the young team can turn heads over the course of its maiden campaign in the series.
Ultimate’s team principal helped
McLaren to three world titles in 1998 and 1999, and now he is bidding to put all the experience and expertise he has gained from almost a decade in the top flight to good use as Ultimate gets set to take on the cream of the British F3 crop. Here he tells us how he foresees the upcoming season panning out…
Q:
Simon, the launch of Ultimate Motorsport’s first British F3 machine must have been a very proud moment for you?
Simon Armstrong:
Absolutely; it was the culmination of quite a few months’ hard work and it punctuates our entry into British F3.
Q:
Like you say it has been a few months’ hard work, but that really is all it has been isn’t it, a few months? How difficult has it been over those past few months to put everything together in time?
SA:
Very difficult – there has been a lot of midnight oil and a lot of stress, but some fun too. We always like to keep a good attitude and have a bit of fun while we are doing it all.
Q:
Although Ultimate is such a young team, it does have a wealth of experience in its workforce, not least of whom being yourself. How much will that help?
SA:
It will help enormously. We obviously are a young team, but in the depth we have and the experience of our members we are equipped to take on the challenges that will be presented to us.
Q:
How is everything gelling together so far?
SA:
It’s gelling together very well. Our test at Pembrey recently was the first time we went to a circuit under our own steam with our own cars. Arguably we were not as ready as we would have liked to have been, but we were delighted to have done what we did and came away with a list of things to do for the next one.
Q:
So how pleased are you with the way testing has gone so far?
