Brendon Hartley

Brendon Hartley (born 10 November, 1989) is a New Zealand born professional racing driver and two time FIA World Endurance Championship Champion.Jamie Klien, Gary Watkins, 'Shanghai WEC: Porsche seals both titles despite Toyota win', motorsport.com, (Motorsport Network, 05/11/2017), https://www.motorsport.com/wec/news/shanghai-wec-porsche-seals-both-titles-despite-toyota-win-974831/?s=1, (Accessed 11/12/2017) After serving as a test driver for and in his early twenties as part of the Red Bull Young Driver programme, Hartley's Formula One dream was all but over in 2012 after he lost his Red Bull funding to get into the top tier of motorsport. The Kiwi would subsequently complete simulator work for , but was overlooked for a race seat after the 2012 Young Driver Test at Magny-Cours.Sabrina Beaudoin, Jonathan Noble, 'Brendon Hartley hopes F1 test leads to more opportunities', (Haymarket Media, 14/09/2012), https://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/102536/, (Accessed 11/12/2017)
Remarkably, Hartley managed to revive his single seater career despite racing in sports cars, winning the World Endurance Championship twice in 2015 and 2017 for . In the midst of his second WEC title bid, Hartley himself approached Toro Rosso to replace Pierre Gasly, who was to miss the 2017 United States Grand Prix. The Kiwi duly made his debut at the Circuit of the Americas for the Red Bull "B" team, ending his maiden Grand Prix down in thirteenth. 
One day after his debut, Hartley was confirmed to compete at the following Mexican Grand Prix, replacing Daniil Kvyat after the Russian was ousted from the team. Hartley would go on to race for the Italian effort until the end of the season, before both himself and Gasly were signed up to a full campaign each for .'Toro Rosso retain Pierre Gasly and Brendon Hartley for 2018 F1 season', bbc.co.uk/sport, (British Broadcasting Company, 16/11/2017), http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/formula1/42012243, (Accessed 11/12/2017)
Hartley and Gasly were replaced at Toro Rosso in by Daniil Kvyat and Alexander Albon. Hartley currently serves as Test Driver for Scuderia Ferrari. 
==Background==
Hartley's career began at the age of six, with the Kiwi entering his first go-kart race in his native New Zealand.John Hindhaugh, Nick Daman, Tim Gray, 'Midweek Motorsport: Series 12 Episode 39', radiolemans.com, (Radio Show Ltd., 18/10/2017), http://www.radiolemans.co/2017/10/18/midweek-motorsport-series-12-episode-39/, (Accessed 15/12/2017), Podcast Audio His first taste of single seater car racing came at the age of eleven, with Hartley fast tracked into Formula Vee the following season. A successful first season for Harley saw the Kiwi earn a spot in the Formula Ford Festival of New Zealand, which the youngster duly won at the age of 13.
===Red Bull Racer===
Hartley's first season of Formula Ford proved to be a successful one, with the Kiwi ending the season second in the national New Zealand Championship. His efforts earned him enough sponsorship for a campaign in the maiden Toyota Racing Series in 2005. After finishing third in the inaugural TRS season, Hartley and his family contacted Red Bull for sponsorship money, with the Kiwi signing a contract in early 2006.
Hartley would outgrow New Zealand in 2006, moving away from his family to join the Formula Renault NEC and Eurocup series at the age of fifteen. His first seasons in both would see him finish mid-table, with a switch to the full Red Bull Formula Renault team in 2007. The Kiwi would win the Eurocup that season, while also claiming third in the Italian Formula Renault series. His efforts also earned him a couple of runs in Formula 3 at the season ending Macau Grand Prix.
===Junior Journeyman===
Hartley would be officially listed as the test driver in , although his efforts were still based in the junior categories. His maiden campaign in the British Formula 3 Championship saw the Kiwi end the season third, with first appearances in the Euro Series, and a podium spot in Macau. The Kiwi would dedicate himself to the Euro Series full time the following season, as well as a run in the Formula Renault 3.5 Series.
Unfortunately for Hartley, his arrival in Formula Renault 3.5 would come at the series' peak in terms of talent, meaning he failed to win a single race between 2009 and 2011. His decline saw Red Bull's interest decline, with their backing officially dropped at the end of 2010. Without Red Bull backing Hartley's career took a turn for the worse, with the Kiwi only appearing in a handful of races throughout 2012.
Yet, Hartley proved to be among one of the mentally strongest young drivers in the world during 2012, and after securing a maiden start in the 24 Hours of Le Mans, and a simulator role with , would begin to rebuild his career in sportscars. A seat was found in the European Le Mans Series, with the Kiwi performing excellently on his debut to earn a maiden podium. Hartley also made a number of appearances in the final edition of the Rolex Sports Car Series in the United States, also picking up a win.
===Emerging Endurance===
For 2014, Hartley was signed up to the new factory LMP1 team in the FIA World Endurance Championship, taking part in the full WEC season. Although he would end his maiden WEC season winless, the Kiwi was re-signed in 2015, and would go on to dominate the season. Four wins in eight races, as well as a podium finish at Le Mans, earned the Kiwi his first World Championship crown alongside ex-F1 racer Mark Webber and Timo Bernhard.John Dagys, 'Porsche Wins Bahrain, Claims Drivers Championship in Thriller', sportscar365.com,
 (John Dagys Media, LLC., 21/11/2015), http://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/porsche-wins-race-claims-drivers-title-in-bahrain-thriller/,
 (Accessed 15/12/2017)
Hartley's revived form carried through to 2016, although the Kiwi's four wins alongside Bernhard and Webber that season were not enough to see them lift the crown. Another four win run followed in 2017, with the Porsche #2 car taking the first four wins of the season, including the 24 Hours of Le Mans, to win the Championship with a race to go. Hartley would also claim a victory in the United SportsCar Championship, and successfully revive his F1 career.
Hartley had signed a contract to drive in the Indy Car Series for 2018, although that contract was broken by mutual agreement after the Kiwi was offered a drive in F1 for the year.'Hartley's IndyCar deal had Formula 1 clause', speedcafe.com, (SpeedCafe, 02/11/2017),
 https://www.speedcafe.com/2017/11/02/hartleys-indycar-deal-formula-1-clause/, (Accessed 15/12/2017)
==Formula One Career==
===Toro Tester===
==Formula One Statistical Overview==
===Formula One Record===
Year 	Entrant 	Team 	Pts 	WDC Pos. 	Report
Youth Career 	Youth Career 	Youth Career 	Youth Career 	Youth Career 	Youth Career
2006 - 2010 	Red Bull Junior Team 	Red Bull Junior Team	Red Bull Junior Team	Red Bull Junior Team	Red Bull Junior Team
Senior Career	Senior Career 	Senior Career 	Senior Career 	Senior Career 	Senior Career
 	Scuderia Toro Rosso 	 	Test Driver 	Test Driver 	Test Driver
 	Scuderia Toro Rosso 	 	Test Driver 	Test Driver 	Test Driver
 	Red Bull Racing 	 	Test Driver 	Test Driver 	Test Driver
 	Scuderia Toro Rosso 	 	Test Driver 	Test Driver 	Test Driver
 	Red Bull Racing 	 	Test Driver 	Test Driver 	Test Driver
 	Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team	 	Test Driver 	Test Driver 	Test Driver
 	Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team	 	Test Driver 	Test Driver 	Test Driver
 	Scuderia Toro Rosso 	 	0 	23rd 	Report
 	Red Bull Toro Rosso Honda 	 	4 	19th 	Report
 	Scuderia Ferrari 	 	Test Driver 	Test Driver 	Test Driver
===Career Statistics===
Correct as of the 2018 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix qualifying
===Career Results===
==References==
Images and Videos:
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References: 
Category:1989 births
Category:Kiwi Drivers
Category:Toro Rosso Drivers
Category:Red Bull Drivers
Category:Mercedes Drivers
Category:Living people
Category:Test drivers
Category:2017 Début Drivers
Category:Brendon Hartley
Category:World Endurance Championship Drivers