The HSBC Racing Academy team will contest the fifth round of the Formula Campus Renault Elf Championship at the Hungaroring early next month.

As part of the preparations, HSBC Racing Academy drivers are testing at the Dubai Autodrome in temperatures reaching the forties.

'The test is part of their ongoing development where they practice regularly using similar Formula Campus Renault cars as they use in the French Championship,' said a company source.

He said the drivers will have several more sessions pounding the hot tarmac at the Dubai Autodrome as part of their short term preparation and ongoing development.

Team coach David Terrien has been monitoring the progress of the Academy drivers’ from the sidelines of the circuit during such sessions.

'In between championship races, Academy drivers Mohammed Al Abdooli, Thani Al Thani and Khaled Al Mutawaa are to do regular sessions where they constantly develop their technique, gain track experience and keep learning the nuances of the cars identical to those they use when competing abroad.'

The intense heat they drove in served as intensive training which cannot be simulated in any other environment. Each driver completed two 20 minute sessions and the conditions took a toll on them, Terrien added.

“Driving in this heat really makes concentrating very difficult but it also forces you to adapt. I don’t think in Europe we will have to deal with such conditions, but being able to endure this heat will enable us to deal with any environment we encounter over there,” said a sweat-drenched and visibly-drained Al Mutawaa.

The academy drivers have just arrived from the cool and wet climate of France.

'It is a well known motorsport adage that there is no substitute for laps out on circuit. The extreme conditions accentuates what they will experience abroad by testing to the limits of their concentration, cardio-rhythm and ability to stay focused on doing consistent laps at race speeds.' TradeArabia News Service