Wales’s fastest man tackles one of the world’s great racing circuits, Germany’s fearsome Nurburgring, this weekend.
Corwen’s Hywel Lloyd will line up on the grid when the Formula Three International Series blasts off for three races at the famous track in the shadow of the Eifel Mountains.
And the 26-year-old Welshman has already had a taste of the Nurburgring Grand Prix track’s three miles of sweeping curves and straights in a BMW M3 – and soaked up the atmosphere of the place.
He said: “It’s motorsport central here. You can pay to drive round the Grand Prix circuit and also the old Nordschleite – the Northern Loop – which is the old 14-mile track through the forests and round the village of Nurburg.
“You’ve never seen so many super cars, there are Ferraris and Porches and everything else you can think of everywhere and after five’o’clock the place really comes alive.
“I think everyone around here finishes work, jumps in their fast cars and heads for the circuit to give it a blast.”
Lloyd will be giving it a blast himself in his Sino Vision Racing Dallara Mercedes which arrived yesterday (Thursday) and he reckons they can make a good impression over the three races of the weekend.
He said: “We’ve had good pace at the last two meetings and at Brands Hatch we were unlucky not to do better before finishing seventh in the final race but it’s time for the luck to turn and it would be great for it to happen here.
“We’re very close to making a real impact and being really competitive and this is a circuit which should suit us.
“It’s a Grand Prix track and it’s a bit special. It’s wider and faster and has some great curves and straights and there are places where you can really race and pass people.
“We’ve had a good look at the track and we’ve walked it and made notes and I’m just looking forward to getting out there and racing on it because there’s no reason why we can’t to really well.
“There’s a tight chicane at the end of the long straight which gives you a chance to pass and there’s also room for manoeuvre at the first corner.”
Lloyd has worked with his team of engineers to make some adjustments to the car after Brands Hatch and he expects that to shave a few tenths of a second off his times as well.
In the meantime the F3 International Series have scrapped plans to have compulsory pit stops at some of the remaining races after concerns that the planned tyre changes might cause safety issues.
Lloyd said: “It’s a shame that we’re not doing the pit stops but they were worried about the design of the wheel nuts and clips so they’ve scrapped the idea for this year but gthere will be a completely new car for next season so hopefully the pit-stops will be back.
“They had excitement and give you something else to think about and they’re good preparation if you’ve got ambitions to reach the top of the sport.”
The Nurburgring is the first in a month-long swing round three of Europe’s great GP tracks for the F3 International Series with a trip to the South of France to the Paul Ricard Circuit on the weekend of July 16 and 17 and to Belgium’s Spa on July 30 and 31.
For more on Hywel Lloyd go to www.f3racing.co.uk
