F3: Hughes tipped for Hitech seat

GP3 race winner Jake Hughes is tipped for a switch to the Formula 3 European Championship with Hitech GP next season.

Hughes, who took his second GP3 victory in last weekend's finale in Abu Dhabi, is testing one of Hitech's Dallara-Mercedes cars at Silverstone on Tuesday and Wednesday. The 22-year-old Briton starred on his first two F3 appearances with Carlin at the end of the 2016 campaign. He qualified on the front row and took a podium finish in the European championship finale at Hockenheim, and then placed sixth in the Macau Grand Prix (pictured).

His targeting by Hitech comes as the team's lead driver from 2016, George Russell, looks set for a move to GP3 along with a role as a Mercedes Formula 1 development driver.

Also out testing with Hitech is Ralf Aron, who is driving on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. The Estonian was a race winner in his rookie F3 season with Prema Powerteam this year, and is expected to move to Hitech in 2017.

Driving with Hitech at Silverstone on Monday only is Formula Renault Eurocup race winner Harrison Scott, who made his FIA F3 debut with the team in August's Masters of F3 at Zandvoort.

Originally on Autosport.com