Walker, a former Victoria College pupil from St Martin, drove for Hitech in 2004, and returns after a year with Fortec – a spell in which he recorded his first win, at the Nurburgring, in Germany.
The lure of racing in a car powered by Mercedes-Benz – on their British International F3 series debut – was obviously a strong one.
After signing to race in that series, a happy Walker said: ‘This is going to be the most important year of my life.
I’m putting every ounce of effort into winning the championship.
I know I’m good enough now to do the job.
‘With the right package behind me I think it’s very achievable and I intend to repay the faith my sponsors and family have put in me by doing so.
‘I’m really looking forward to working with everyone at Hitech again.’ Hitech is one of only three British teams to be powered by the Mercedes-Benz units, the German company also supplying the McLaren Formula 1 cars of Kimi Raikkonen and Juan-Pablo Montoya.
Walker’s F3 route to his Formula 1 dream is a path taken by, amongst others, the legendary Ayrton Senna, and Jersey’s own Nigel Mansell and Derek Warwick, the latter now involved in helping Walker in his quest.
The 2006 championship includes races in France, Belgium, Italy and Ireland as well as the UK, with the first race at Oulton Park on 17 April.
Walker’s first taste of his new car will come a lot earlier – next week, in fact.
Although he has signed, the 22-year-old has not yet secured the full budget to complete the season and he’s hopeful that more of the Island’s businesses will team-up to help him become the first Jerseyborn F1 driver.
‘This is a real Jersey effort and I’d love to take the sponsors all the way to F1,’ said Walker, adding: ‘I want to be testing a Formula 1 car by the end of the year.
I’ve got enough confidence in myself to know that I’m good enough for F1.
If I work hard enough, it can happen.’
