Following several weeks of testing in the Bar One Racing Dallara Mercedes Formula 3 car, Dundalk's Niall Breen is eager for his first race in the Lloyds TSB Insurance British Formula 3 Championship with Carlin Motorsport at Oulton Park on Easter Monday, April 9th.

The 2006 Formula BMW UK Champion has consistently been in the top six during most of the test sessions and even topped one of the sessions at Snetterton in the morning on March 6th.

Still combining his career as a racing driver with his final year as a law student at Griffith College Dublin, Breen starts in only his third season of single-seater racing this weekend.

Enthusiastic about his forthcoming year, 20-year old Breen said: 'I feel I've settled in well with the team and I get on really well with my engineer, Jimmy Goodwin, who looked after Anthony Davidson and fellow countryman, Michael Keohane, when they were both in Formula 3.

'I'm getting up to speed now and gaining confidence in the car's ability to handle well and find grip in the corners. Apart from my own team mates, I expect the main competition to come from drivers like Stephen Jelley and Marko Asmer.

'I really like the Oulton Park International circuit and obviously I'm aiming for a good finish in both races on Monday - preferably top four placings - and I definitely have my eye on the rookie award this year!'

Breen who has support from Bar One Racing, Quinn Direct and Motorsport Ireland amongst others, races in the championship class alongside Sam Bird, Mario Moraes, Alberto Valerio and Maro Engel at Carlin Motorsport, the team which has won the British Formula 3 title three times.

The teams have three hours of practice on Good Friday before two 30 minute sessions of official qualifying for the two Easter Monday races, starting on Saturday morning at 11.50. The afternoon qualifying session is scheduled for 15.55. On Monday the opening rounds of the Lloyds TSB Insurance British Formula 3 Championship take place at 10.45 and 16.00. Live results are shown here

Breen steps up British Formula 3 with Carlin

Posted by NB on 01/01/07

Ireland's leading up-and-coming young racing driver, Niall Breen, breaks new ground in 2007 as he takes the big step up into the Lloyds TSB Insurance British Formula 3 Championship with top team Carlin Motorsport.

The Dundalk 20-year old dominated the Formula BMW UK Championship last year, taking nine victories and 16 podium places from 20 races. He eclipsed the record of six wins in one season established in 2005 by Sam Bird, who becomes Breen's Formula 3 team mate at Carlin.

Law student Breen starts in only his third season of single-seater racing, having finished 11th in his first year of Formula BMW in 2005. The former top karter, who won last year's series with three races to go, aims to become a professional racing driver after he takes his final exams in May.

As he joins Carlin Motorsport, Breen follows in the footsteps of Formula BMW champions, Takuma Sato, Alan Van de Merwe and Alvaro Parente when he competes with Carlin in his first F3 race at Oulton Park on April 9.

Carlin, which has won the title three times and been F3 runner-up four times, switches to Mercedes power in its Dallara chassis and by doing so intends to maintain its position as the most successful team in British F3 history, with 73 race wins to date.

Commenting on his new signing, Team Principal Trevor Carlin said: 'Niall has shown he is an extremely talented driver and we are thrilled to welcome him to the team. His performance in Formula BMW last year was outstanding and I'm sure he will carry the same level of ability and determination into F3. We look forward to seeing him in the car later this month on February 19 at Pembrey when testing resumes.'

Breen will race in the Championship Class alongside Sam Bird and Mario Moraes. Niall said: “I'm really looking forward to my first season in Formula 3 with Carlin Motorsport. The team has a fantastic track record and the Mercedes engine will make Carlin an even stronger force this year.

'My prize for winning the Formula BMW UK Championship was the F3 test with Carlin in December which went really well and I was really impressed with the team then. I've got 12 days testing before the first race so by the first race at Oulton Park at Easter I should be comfortable with the extra power compared to Formula BMW.

'I have five new circuits to learn: Spa, Monza, Bucharest, Silverstone GP and Zandvoort (for the Masters race) and I'm aiming for a top six finish in the championship this year. A few podium positions would be good and maybe even a win by the end of the year. I'm thrilled that Bar One Racing is continuing with me as my main sponsor and also the support from Quinn Direct and Motorsport Ireland amongst others.'

Niall Breen clinched the 2006 Formula BMW UK Championship title

Posted by NB on 01/10/06

Niall Breen clinched the 2006 Formula BMW UK Championship title with a fine second place in round 17 at a wet Knockhill in Scotland today. The Dundalk law student has dominated the series with a record eight victories and was crowned after the first of two races.

The delighted 20-year old Fortec Motorsport-run driver, who is in line for the Dunlop Young Driver of the Year, said: 'It's a brilliant feeling to have won. I've been taking it one race at a time but always with the title in mind and it's a dream to win the championship. My sights are set on the move up to Formula 3 next year and I hope that winning the Formula BMW UK title will be the start of things to come.'

The two wet qualifying sessions at Knockhill saw Bar One Racing-backed Breen second and third respectively on the grid for rounds 17 and 18. He was aware that his title rival Ross Curnow was behind him on the grid and as long as that situation remained the same, Niall had the title in the bag.

During the wet first race, polesitter Oliver Turvey led away with Breen moving into second and staying there for the whole race, dropping back slightly towards the end as the spray created visibility problems. In the second race, he was third for the first three laps until he hit a wet patch and let Oliver Oakes through for third, leaving Breen to finish fourth behind Turvey, Euan Hankey and Oakes.

Breen finished on the podium no less that 14 times out of 17 races this year and the former multi-karting champion in only his second season of car racing, has become known for his cool and calm approach to racing.

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