Regalia to miss Silverstone after quitting Hilmer

Facu Regalia will miss this weekend's GP2 Series round at Silverstone after parting company with the Hilmer Motorsport team.

The Argentine ace cited the technical problems affecting his car in the first four meetings, as well as a lack of funding, as the main reasons for taking the decision, which was taken after he sat down with team boss Franz Hilmer following the double-header at Austria's Red Bull Ring just over a week ago.

"On Sunday, after our second race in Austria, I made the decision to stop competing with the team," Regalia confirmed, "I spoke to Franz Hilmer and I gave him a number of reasons.

"The team wasn't able to have a competitive car, as I had set-up problems in Bahrain, Spain and Austria, and engine issues throughout the season, even in Monaco, although, there, it didn't play an important part.

"The lack of financial support has played a significant role as well, because otherwise I would have joined DAMS, Racing Engineering, ART or Campos Racing. The solution involves finding a new team, but I need that support which I haven't got so far, with the exception of YPF, Varlion and a private Argentine entrepreneur."

Regalia will now take time to draw up changes to his racing programme, exploring different options to continue his career, claiming to have received proposals to compete in the new Formula E series. Whatever happens, however he is keen to point out that the decision to quit Hilmer does not change his position as with Sahara Force India's driver development programme.

"The team isn't directly involved in the technical part, but what I know is that, with my results in the championship so far, my presence in this driver development programme was over as of September," he claimed, "Personally I need a car to fight for top places, as I proved last year, and keep my chances to reach the pinnacle of motorsport, F1, intact."