Surtees, Hill back talent

British ex-World Champions John Surtees and Damon Hill are supporting young UK talent in this season’s World Series by Renault.

As the figurehead of Britain’s A1 GP team, Surtees has run Robbie Kerr during the winter, and has now placed Kerr in the WSR, a GP2-style series for 450bhp Dallara chassis, based in Southern Europe. He will drive for Belgian team KTR.

Hill, who has acted as mentor to Steven Kane since 2003, has helped the Northern Irishman secure a seat with Epsilon Euskadi, winner of the title last year with new BMW-Sauber F1 test driver Robert Kubica.

Kerr and Kane will join three other UK drivers in the series: James Rossiter, godson of Adrian Reynard and a Honda-backed F1 junior, will drive for Pons Racing, winner of the 2004 title; Renault F1 protégé Ben Hanley lines up with CRAM Competition; and British historic racing wunderkind Edwin Jowsey has joined Comtec Racing, with Martin Donnelly as mentor.