Langley-Khan tests Performance.

British youngster Adam Langley-Kahn has joined Performance Racing for an extensive winter testing programme that might lead to a shot at next year's British Formula Three Scholarship class title.

The tie-up comes after Langley-Khan impressed Performance boss Bobby Issazadhe in a 2002 test outing, and follows an abortive season in the new Formula Renault V6 Championship with DAMS. The two parties teamed up again after the 18-year old opted to drop out of the FRV6 series, and contested the penultimate round of the German F3 Cup as a toe-in-the-water exercise.

"We had tested a few times with Adam last year, when he was a complete novice with no background whatsoever in motorsport," Issazadhe said, "and I have to admit that I was a bit concerned about letting him test in an F3 car, bearing in mind that he had only done a few races in the BRDC Single Seater Championship in an old Formula Ford Van Diemen. But, even at the first test at Pembrey, it was clear that Adam was very special, and we where all excited about him.

"Unfortunately for us, in 2002, he decided to do the F3 Winter Series with another team and, this season, opted to go for Renault V6. But we always kept in contact, and he is now happy and excited to be back behind the wheel of a Dallara F3 car.

"At the first test, it was clear to us that Adam had not lost either his ability or his confidence during the disappointing season, and we could see that he had developed massively as a driver, so we suggested that he should do a race with us as soon as possible.

"We opted for the penultimate round of the German Cup at the A1-Ring, and the outcome was a solid performance with a ninth overall and a podium in the rookie category. Series organiser and former team owner Bertram Schafer was initially impressed with Adam's performance - and was stunned when we told him that this was more or less his first proper F3 race.

"We are now absolutely convinced that, with just a bit more testing, Adam has the potential to produce very good lap times. A testing programme was put together, beginning at Donington Park, where Adam, at the end of the day and despite a busy track, managed to produce times that where just a few tenths off a Scholarship Class pole time.

"With Warren Hughes as his driver coach for the next test at Croft - a track new to Adam - they worked on his lines and his approach to the different sections, and Adam again started to produce good lap times. At the end of the day, he made two runs on new tyres and shocked all of us by lapping 1min 14.5 and 1min 14.3 - lap times that would have put him on pole in the Championship Class race earlier this year.

"I can only repeat what Warren said to me - the kid is phenomenal!"