Hillcrest F1 Racing

This timeline contains all of the key landmarks in the history of the team. From memorable race and championship wins, to notable driver signings.

1996

7th March - Hillcrest F1 Racing is formed, with the two drivers being Daniel Ryan and Darryl Connell, with Daniel also acting as Team Manager.
29th April - 1996 F1GPRS season begins with Hillcrest using the H-396 chassis and Renault engines.
31st August - The team gets its first podium finish when Daniel Ryan finishes 3rd at Silverstone.
12th October - Both drivers finish in the points in the top 6 when Daniel Ryan takes 3rd and Darryl Connell 5th in the rain at Spa Francorchamps.
21st October - 1996/97 LFRS season begins with Hillcrest using their H-896 chassis and continuing with Renault engines.
27th October - The team wins its first ever race when Daniel Ryan takes the chequered flag at Monza by 0.035 of a second.
8th December - The 1996 F1GPRS season finishes with Daniel Ryan taking a 2nd win and 3rd overall in the Championship. Darryl Connell finishes 14th overall. Hillcrest finish 3rd in the Open Sprint Team Championship.
20th December - Daniel Ryan wins the Rookie Of The Year award in his division.

13th January - Darryl Connell retires from the LFRS, leaving Daniel to drive alone.
17th February - The H-896B Chassis makes it's debut at Magny Cours.
15th April - The 1997 F1GPRS season begins with the team using the old H-396 chassis once more. Daniel only competes in two races of this league before quitting to concentrate on the 96/97 LFRS season.
26th May - 1996/97 LFRS season finishes with Daniel Ryan 4th in Class C. The team finishes 6th in the Class C Team Championship.
20th June - The teams sole driver, Daniel Ryan, signs a deal to join the Jokers Tunturi team for the 1997/98 LFRS season.
23rd June - LFRS Masters sees Daniel Ryan finish 4th overall at Imola.
24th June - Daniel Ryan joins Jokers Tunturi. The team stops its operations and for all intents and purposes no longer exists.
16th August - Daniel Ryan quits Jokers Tunturi and Hillcrest F1 Racing reforms after not existing for the past two months. H-797 Chassis is introduced and the team continue with Renault engines.
24th August - Ryan Buszard is the first person to join the reformed team.
13th October - The 1997/98 LFRS Season begins with the team using the H-797 Chassis and Renault engines.
14th November - Oleg Smirnoff Joins Hillcrest.

1st January - Hillcrest-Cougar Racing is formed.
5th January - Ryan Buszard wins at Barcelona for the team.
18th May - Daniel Ryan competes in his 50th LFRS race.
1st June - The 1997/98 LFRS Season ends with Ryan Buszard 5th, Daniel Ryan 6th, Federico Trevisan 6th and Oleg Smirnoff 9th among the notable results. The team finishes 6th overall.
20th August - Toshitaka Nakada joins the team.
5th September - Hiroshi Nobuoka joins the team.
20th September - Hillcrest announce they will be using the new H-991 Chassis and BMW engines in the upcoming LFRS season.
21st September - Ryan Buszard quits the team.
26th October - 1998/99 LFRS Season begins. Daniel Ryan wins at Adelaide.
10th November - Oleg Smirnoff retires from LFRS.
11th November - Hiroshi Nobuoka wins at Imola.
23rd November - Hillcrest win the Silk 1000 at Bathurst thanks to John Bogle, Daniel Ryan and Guy McGufficke.

6th February - Oleg Smirnoff returns for two races with Hillcrest.
14th February - Simon Harmel and John Bogle join the team.
15th February - Simon Harmel wins on debut for the team at Mexico.
7th June - 1998/99 LFRS season ends with a Drivers and Fastlap title for Daniel Ryan, 3rd for Simon Harmel, 4th for Hiroshi Nobuoka, 5th for John Bogle and Kiyoshi Ishiwaki, 7th for Toshitaka Nakada and 9th for Alex Hung among the notable results. The team finishes 5th overall and win the Class H Team Championship.
19th July - LFRS Masters race sees Simon Harmel finish 2nd and Daniel Ryan 6th in the Analog division. Toshitaka Nakada finishes 4th in the Digital race.
20th July - Second annual Hillcrest Awards Night sees Simon Harmel and Daniel Ryan take the Best Driver Trophies.
18th October - 1999/2000 LFRS Season begins with the team using the H-991 Chassis and BMW engines.
25th November - Jason Talati joins the team.
29th November - Daniel Ryan wins his first race of the season at Monaco.
5th December - The team cancel their partnership with BMW and go to work on finding a new engine supplier and a chassis to house it.
5th December - Also on this day the team decide to completely split from Hillcrest-Cougar Racing, who become known as Cougar Racing.
25th December - The team relaunches itself for the new millenium, with a new chassis, the H2K and a new engine supplier in Lotus.

25th January - Daniel Ryan competes in his 75th LFRS race (And wins it too...)
7th February - Juha Viitala join the team.
6th March - Simon Harmel drives for the only time this season with a wheel, and takes 2nd position at the Nurburgring in a Hillcrest 1-2.
29th May - 1999/2000 LFRS Season finishes with a Drivers Title for Daniel Ryan, 4th overall for Raimond Brakenhoff and 5th for Alex Hung the highlights of the season. The team finishes 6th overall.
20th June - Mat Pietraszek joins the team.
30th June - Daniel Ryan win the LFRS Masters in the SH Off Division. Alex Hung finishes 5th and in the SH On Division Mat Pietraszek takes 3rd on debut for the team.
2nd July - Third annual Hillcrest Awards Night. Daniel Ryan and Alex Hung take away the Best Driver trophies.