Oliver Stewart hopes to achieve further racing glory this season as he prepares to make his GB3 Championship debut at Oulton Park this weekend.
Beauly teenager Stewart is making the step up from the F4 British Championship, where he spent just 12 months following a successful karting career.
After finishing 10th overall in last year’s standings, Stewart was handed the opportunity to continue his progression at F3 level with Elite Motorsport.
Having capped his maiden F4 campaign with a race victory at Thruxton last August, Stewart believes he is capable of continuing his success at the next stage.
Stewart said: “I will keep approaching every year as I have done before, as it has worked.
“If anything, I will just continue to put in the effort I do, and maximise every opportunity I am given.
“Hopefully that is going to be good enough for some really good results, and hopefully some wins, poles and podiums.
“My main goal would be to finish as high up as possible in the championship.
“To win in my first year in GB3, in such a highly-competitive grid with drivers from all around the world, is a massive ask.
“But I really think that if we continue to go the way we are going, and continue working extremely hard as a team, that is possible.”
Testing stands Stewart in good stead
Stewart has enjoyed a successful pre-season testing campaign, which saw him record a time beneath the outright lap record at this weekend’s venue.
He is among 16 debutants in the GB3 Championship, of a minimum 24-car entry.
Stewart feels he is well equipped for the changes which lie ahead of him in his transition.
He added: “The next step for us is very clear. We made a lot of improvements throughout the year, and now we need to carry a lot of things forward into higher categories such as the GB3 Championship.
“The F4 and F3 cars are two very different driving styles. You tend to drive an F4 car quite aggressive and hard, as there isn’t as much grip as an F3 car.
“In an F3 car, you’ve got to drive very smooth and precise to stay fast. If you don’t, you are not maximising the grip the car has.
“I race against all different types of people, with all different types of financial backings.
“We have been extremely fortunate to have the sponsors we have – I wouldn’t be on the grid without them.
“I know I have to make the absolute most of this one year that I can.
“I have to take every year as it comes, and make sure I get the best results I can.
“For this year, it’s just going to be the same. I will keep working as hard as I can, which we have done as a family to get to the point where we are.
“If we keep doing that, hopefully I can get the best results for everyone I can.”
Elite will give teenager platform to develop
Stewart is relishing the opportunity to develop under the Elite banner, which was founded by Eddie Ives in 2011.
The Charleston Academy pupil added: “Every driver has got a weakness, and it sometimes can’t be seen by the naked eye.
“I’ve got certain weaknesses as well, which I have been trying to work on with the team.
“The difference this year has just been unreal – there have been certain things that engineers have noticed by looking at data, as well my own track performance.
“As I’ve been testing over these short few days, we have managed to iron a lot of them out.
“We are continually working hard in getting these things sorted out, which is ultimately working so far.
“We are getting closer every time, so we will just keep doing that.”
Conversation