Laura Tillett is back on track this weekend as the MRF Challenge returns for its first round of the 2015 season.

Run over the winter period at some of the best international circuits the 24-year-old is preparing to take on a series that she enjoys once again.

Fresh from her first full season in saloon cars this year, in the UK-based Milltek Sport Volkswagen Racing Cup, Sittingbourne racer Laura is switching back to her first love of ‘open-wheel’ action for her third campaign in the India-based MRF series.

While retaining its Indian roots, the championship is expanding its international reach for the 2015/2016 season with the curtain-raiser taking place later this week – between Thursday, 29th October, and Saturday, 31st October – at the Yas Marina Formula One venue.

Round two of the MRF Challenge will follow between Wednesday, 18th November, and Friday, 20th November, at Bahrain International Circuit in Sakhir where the series will be on the same card as the FIA World Endurance Championship. 

Dubai Autodrome will host round three between Thursday, 17th December, and Friday, 19th December, and the season finale will then follow in the New Year from Friday, 29th January, to Sunday, 31st January, at Chennai in India.

Speaking ahead of the opening round of the season, Laura said: “I’m really excited to come back to the MRF Challenge because this year we are racing at Abu Dhabi and Dubai as well as Bahrain and Chennai, there are some fantastic F1 tracks on the calendar and I can’t wait to be back in a single-seater”, said Laura.

“I have kept the same mechanic and engineer as last year, as we got on really well and improved massively, so that continuity is going to be really important. I love the set-up of the championship with the whole grid centrally run under one tent instead of different teams, everyone shares data and that makes the whole event a lot more relaxed and fun.”

Numerous top-line racing drivers have competed in the MRF Challenge since its inauguration in 2012, the three champions being GP2 Series and Indycar racer Conor Daly (2012-2013), multiple British Formula 3 race winner Rupert Svendsen-Cook (2013-2014) and current MSA Formula racer Toby Sowery (2014-2015).

The car utilised in the championship is a Dallara chassis which is powered by a 2.0-litre Renault engine, producing 210bhp, mated to a six speed sequential gearbox. Madras Rubber Factory Limited (MRF) is the championship’s sole tyre supplier.

She added: “The first races in Abu Dhabi this weekend should be great and I’m feeling pretty confident and really strong going into it.

“My season in Volkswagens wasn’t so promising in the end, we had a lot of misfortune and issues with the car, so I’m determined to push hard for some really strong results and, hopefully, a podium!”