Aspiring Australian single seater driver Olly Rae will sample an MRF Challenge car after being invited by the championship to complete a three day test in India this week.
The Western Australian will head to the Kari Motor Speedway at Coimbatore for an extensive test program behind the wheel of the bespoke Dallara built MRF Challenge single-seater.
Rae has enjoyed a strong campaign in the British-based F3 Cup Championship this season, which has seen the 24-year-old claim the Trophy 01 class honours.
Alongside his on track achievements this year, the Albany-born racer has also won selection into the prestigious McLaren Performance Academy, an initiative designed to aid the growth of young racers based at the McLaren Technology Centre.
With his 2015 future not yet secured, Rae is hoping a strong performance in the MRF Challenge India could open doors to join the series, which begins its third season in October.
The MRF Challenge single-seater series, held in the off-season, has developed into a proving ground for aspiring drivers attracting stars including GP2 stars Conor Daly and Jon Lancaster.
Buy tickets
“I’ve looked though some information on the car and I am looking forward to driving it out there,” Rae told Speedcafe.com.
“I know that the series has been getting some good recognition as a off-season championship, thats about it.
“Its definitely not a step up in turns of speed as a Formula 3 car is still quite a lot quicker then this series, but as far as exposure, yes, this is a massive step up.
“Hopefully this test can lead to a spot in the championship this year.”
With just two meetings of the F3 Cup season remaining, Rae is already exploring his options for next season admitting a move to German F3 Cup is a realistic possibility if he is able to secure enough funds.
“I’ve had my eyes on German F3 as a realistic possibility,” added Rae.
“I have had talks with a few teams but at the end of the day the teams are asking for amount of money and if that amount can’t be met then I can’t keep moving forward, its as simple as that.”
Rae is due to head back to England on Thursday as he begins his preparations for the penultimate round of the F3 Cup season at Silverstone on September 6.
Discussion about this post