Auto Action #1802

RACE TASMANIA FULL GUIDE TO RACING’S RETURN .COM .AU

SINCE 1971

BACK IN BLACK CRAZY DAVE’S NEW MUSTANG BREAKS COVER

KELLY RACING ‘DARK HORSE’ REVEALED

REYNOLDS’ ROCKET HOME AND AWAY SEVEN’S SERIOUS SUPERCARS RETURN

Issue #1802 Jan 14 to Jan 27 2021 $9.95 INC GST

www.autoaction.com.au

PLUS

TASSIE DEVILS

OFFICIAL PROGRAM – APPLE ISLE’S FESTIVAL OF FAST

OSCAR VS FOGES

PIASTRI GRILLED ON HIS F1 FUTURE

Allweld Manufacturing build race car transporters to your specification.

Whatever your vehicle, we can build a transporter to carry it.

www.allweldmanufacturing.com.au Our transporter builds are all custom-built to your specific needs Build Options: • Sleeping Quarters • Slide-outs • Kitchens/Cupboards/ Fridges/Showers/Toilets etc.

• Vinyl, Rubber Alloy, Carpet flooring • Air-Conditioners • Composite Panelling, Fibre Glass • LED Lights/Light Bars/ Strip Lighting • Tailgate Lifters • Double level car carrying Allweld also manufacturers • Ramps gooseneck trailers and tag-along trailers in • Tool Boxes, Belly locker • Winches many sizes to suit all applications.

Are you in the market for a car transporter to get you and your car to your race meetings all over Australia?

What’s your budget? Extreme or conservative, we can help get the build you want.

Whether you are into V8’s, Motorbikes, Rally cars or transporting your pride and joy, if it has a motor or not, we can design a build for you. Is your business moving into new technologies, we can build office spaces into our Transporters to cater for autonomous services?

The standard of commitment to our customers, means that they save time and money because what we build for you is guaranteed to last.

You don’t want to give your project to just anyone and certainly not to a backyard operator who lacks the equipment needed to do the job right.

And you shouldn’t leave your expensive equipment with anyone but a trusted manufacturer like Allweld.

When you need to upgrade your vehicle or want to buy a custom made race car transporter or gooseneck trailer, you need it done by the professional team who will deliver the outcomes you want … and you will find that team at Allweld.

Customers have been putting their trust in Allweld for the past 25 years because we listen to you, we take care of your equipment and we deliver the outcomes you want within budget.

Allweld Manufacturing will build you durable, reliable, cost-effective on time design for your business and individual needs, and you can be sure that the end result is a transporter that you are proud of and on that withstands the toughest Australian conditions and driving.

For further information call 07 4123 4244 or visit the web site www.allweldmanufacturing.com.au E: sales@allweldmanufacturing.com.au 11 - 13 Gateway Court, Maryborough QLD 4650

Image: Supercars

Lee Holdsworth leaves Supercars with his head high and looking to the future

By BRUCE NEWTON LEE HOLDSWORTH says he departs 15 years of full-time Supercars racing without regrets or bitterness.

The end of the 37-year old’s Supercars career was officially confirmed when Tickford Racing issued a statement last week.

It came weeks after his departure from the team had become common knowledge within the motorsport industry and only 24 hours before his new deal to race in the TCR Australia Series with Ashley Seward Motorsport in an Alfa Romeo Giulietta was announced.

Unlike many drivers who leave Supercars, Holdsworth accepts it is unlikely he will ever return on a full-time basis. “I’m not going to go chasing the dream,�

Holdsworth told Auto Action. “I have lived that dream and there are plenty of talented young blokes coming through the ranks. “The commercial reality of it is that sponsorship’s hard at the moment and there are plenty of drivers having to help out teams when they come in. “I am not one of those drivers and never have been, so I am not going to bust my balls trying to get back into Supercars. I turn 38 next month and the way I see it is that horse may have bolted. “Having said that, if an attractive opportunity comes up I’d consider it for sure.�

Noticeably missing from the Tickford announcement was confirmation Holdsworth would co-drive one of the team’s three Ford Mustangs in the Bathurst 1000 next October.

He is being linked with Walkinshaw Andretti United to co-drive with Chaz Mostert, but there was no official confirmation of this ahead of AA deadline.

Holdsworth was delisted by Tickford despite a valid contract because it had too many drivers and not enough Racing Entitlement Contracts (RECs) to underpin them all.

Even if it had been able to secure a fourth REC and run an extra car, Randle was in the queue ahead of Holdsworth for the seat.

Holdsworth only learned he was in danger of losing his drive after the 2020 Bathurst 1000.

He steadfastly declined to comment publicly throughout the holiday period as he and Tickford negotiated his exit.

Now with that all sorted he’s broken his silence, but to stress he is at peace with the process rather than shattered by it. “We finished up with no hard feelings and

NO REGRETS it has all worked out quite amicably,� said Holdsworth. “I walk away and look at those two years at Tickford and I am proud of what I achieved and I appreciate the opportunity they gave me. “I don’t have any bad words to say.�

A graduate of the Commodore Cup and the development series, Holdsworth made his Supercars debut as an endurance co-driver in 2004 and full-time in 2006 with Garry Rogers Motorsport. He stayed with that team until 2012.

He shifted to Stone Brothers Racing in 2012, which transformed into Erebus Motorsport in 2013. He scored the first win for Mercedes in Supercars in 2014.

Holdsworth raced for Charlie Schwerkolt from 2015-18, suffering a horrendous crash and severe injuries at Hidden Valley in 2016 that took him months to overcome. He went through a career rejuvenation at Tickford in the new Mustang, finishing 10th in the championship in 2019 and 11th in 2020.

He started at Tickford on a single year deal and was re-signed on a multi-year contract at the end of 2019.

In what turned out to be his last full-time race, he was fastest in qualifying at the 2020 Bathurst 1000 and finished seventh in the race with good friend Michael Caruso despite car issues.

In 470 race starts Holdsworth claimed three wins across his full-time career, 19 podiums and four pole positions. His best Bathurst finish was third with Caruso in 2009. His best championship finish was

seventh with GRM in 2010. “My dream was always to race in Supercars since I was a young kid and I reached that achievement,� reflected Holdsworth. “I got a podium in my first year and my next goal was to win a race and I did that in my second year, so things kicked off really well. “I would have liked to have ticked off the Bathurst 1000 win by now, but there are still other chances to come. So it could be 2021. “I didn’t achieve my goal of winning the championship, but to be in the top level of Australian motorsport for 15 full seasons is something I am really proud of. “I have met some great people along the way, had some great support, amazing fans and now I have had some time for it to process and reflect on it all, I am content with how my career has gone. “I feel I am still at the top of my game, so it is disappointing to not continue on and race until I lose that edge, but now I have to put it towards another category.�

Holdsworth confirmed he had opportunities in multiple categories including TCR and Carrera Cup, but eventually chose the former because it is the pinnacle category within the Australian Racing Group line-up.

He was also attracted by the strong line-up of drivers including former Supercars rivals Caruso (GRM Alfa Romeo), Tony D’Alberto (Wall Racing Honda Civic Type R), Jason Bargwanna (GRM Peugeot 308) and James Moffat (GRM Renault Megane). “It’s important to me to be up against those guys and still to be testing my skill

and abilities,� said Holdsworth. “It is a fair reflection on your talent then if you are competing with and beating those guys.�

There will also be a group of young guns in the entry including his own ASM team-mate, 17-year old Jay Hanson.

Holdsworth settled on ASM after talking to multiple TCR teams, effectively taking the seat Tim Slade was expected to occupy until he was recalled to Supercars with the new Blanchard Racing Team. “It was a case of weighing up what’s best for me and having a look at Ash’s facilities and resources, I feel he can really provide me with the goods. I have known Ash for a long time as well, so it all made sense,� Holdsworth said.

Having spent plenty of time racing in a variety of categories, Holdsworth is not fazed by learning the intricacies of the front-wheel drive turbocharged TCR hot hatches. “One thing that is a positive is I am finally in a car that suits my size,� he joked. “It makes me look like a normal person next to it. It might be the short-man category.�

While the TCR deal is locked and loaded, Holdsworth confirmed he was on the lookout to drive in other categories such as GT to ensure he stays up to speed for his Bathurst commitments. “I am open to anything at this point. I want to keep racing as much as possible at the moment, stay sharp for the enduros so I can do the best job I can,� he said. “When you’re straight out of Supercars you are sharp and I want to make the most of it for at least the next few years.�

UP COMING RACE EVENT CALENDAR Brought to you by www.speedflow.com.au DAKAR RALLY SAUDI ARABIA JANUARY 3-15, WORLD RALLY CHAMPIONSHIP RD 1 MONTE CARLO JANUARY 21-24, ARG SYMMONS PLAINS JANUARY 24-26, ARG BASKERVILLE JANUARY 29-31 $XVWUDOLDQ 0DGH 6LQFH $XVWUDOLDQ $XVWUD $ $X D LD DOLDQ DQ 0DGH 0DG 0 0DGH GH G H 6LQFH H 6LQFH L

peedflow ZZZ VSHHGĂŞRZ FRP DX

www.autoaction.com.au

AutoActionMagazine

Auto_Action

instagram.com/autoactionmag/

AutoAction

3

LATEST NEWS

e t i r n e P d n a ’ e v a ‘Crazy D y Racing l l e K n i o j

REYNOLDS’ ROCKE BRUCE NEWTON exclusively outlines the convoluted return of mercurial star to family team in need of a proven front-runner THE DEAL for David Reynolds to drive a Kelly Racing Ford Mustang in Penrite Oil colours has been done and will be announced within days.

But no need for you to wait to see what the new Reynolds Rocket will look like when it rolls out for combat in the 2021 Supercars championship in February.

You can check it out right now, right here.

4 AutoAction

Many thanks to graphic design guru Nick Moss for assembling our insider information into these stunning images.

Although some sponsor logos are still to be added, they closely depict the fundamental look of the Kelly Racing Ford Reynolds will use to rebuild his career after a disastrous 2020.

That dreadful season, in which he finished only 14th in the Supercars championship, resulted in a tumultuous split with Erebus

Motorsport just one year into a 10-year driving contract.

The break-up was completed on December 16 after weeks of intense legal negotiations.

The statement issued by Erebus hours later offered little hint of the ructions behind the scenes that led to the split.

“Unfortunately David has decided that his future lies elsewhere, and we do not wish to stop him taking another path,” team owner Betty Klimenko said in the statement.

“David needs to do what is best for him and we need to do what is best for our team’s future and long-term stability.

“Unfortunately, we were unable to

come to an agreement and we have had to go our separate ways. family all the “We wish David and his new fami best for their future.”

For his part, Reynold was quoted as saying: “My preference has been to stay aat Erebus me to move but unfortunately it is time for m on.” my time “I have really enjoyed m with the team and leav leaving has difficult decision been a very difficul to make.

“The team are a fantastic bunch of people that th I’ve built relationships really strong relati with over the past pa five years y ars and I am ye a proud of what what we have b enn able be abl b e to t achieve been t ge to geth t err.” th together.”

Penr nrriti e announced a Penrite itts departure depa part pa r u from its Erebus r us on January 4, Erebus

What Happened?

T REVEALED! ending a five-year relationship between the family-owned Australian oil company and the Holden squad.

There were no quotes in the Penrite release, but the company did promise it would be “making further announcements related to its exciting 2021 motorsport marketing program shortly”.

While AA has reported on the chances of Reynolds and Penrite continuing their partnership at Kelly Racing for some months, sources close to the process insist it all came together ether only recently.

It means there will only be one Supercar in Penrite colours on the 2021 grid, rather than the two that Erebus has run since mid-2018. AA understands there was a chance one Erebus Holden Commodore in Penrite ite colours for 2021, but that plan did not come to fruition.

Reynolds and Penrite rite aren’t the only Erebus refugees reuniting niting at Kelly Racing.

As previously reported rted by Auto Action, expect Supercars engineering guru Alistair stair McVean to be announced unced in a senior technical position osition at the Braeside team, ass well as calling the shots for Reynolds Reynol olds dss on race weekends.

And as also previously ussly covered by AA, former er Erebus Ere rebu buss crew chief Dennis Huijser uijser has joined join jo ined ed plitting with Erebus Ereb ebus us Kelly Racing after splitting son. during the 2020 season. esn’t stop there. AA But the reunion doesn’t oulden could soon understands Luke Youlden ynolds’ co-driver be announced as Reynolds’

www.autoaction.com.au

for the 2021 Bathurst 1000.

Reynolds and Youlden combined to win the 2017 Bathurst 1000 for Erebus, with McVean calling the shots from the garage. They would have almost certainly won again in 2018 if not for mysterious leg cramps that afflicted Reynolds late in the race.

In 2019 Youlden retired from Supercars racing after a poor endurance season, concerned the lack of racing miles he was getting was impacting his performances.

But as previously reported by AA he is raring to go again. He has a full program of Carrera Cup racing planned for 2021 and should also get selected GT outings.

So how soon will all this become public? AA understands it could be as soon as this Saturday (January 16).

AutoActionMagazine

Auto_Action

Contacted by AA, the various parties to the new deal were unwilling to comment. Even the usually chatty Reynolds wouldn’t offer much.

“I can’t tell you anything about my 2021 plans but you will know them soon enough,” he said.

“I am pleased and excited about what lies ahead.”

At the same time Kelly Racing is expected to reveal the livery of the NED Racing Mustang to be campaigned by Andre Heimgartner in 2021.

The confirmation of Reynolds at Kelly Racing will leave only the second seat at Team Sydney to be announced to confirm the 24 car grid.

NO MATTER what prism you view it through, the changes at Erebus Motorsport in the 2020-21 off-season have been seismic.

The reasons they have happened vary depending on who you talk to. Auto Action has approached all parties involved, but many have refused to speak at all, a few only on a background basis and virtually none on the record.

What is apparent is the perspectives of Erebus management – Klimenko and her CEO Barry Ryan – and many of those leaving are vastly different.

As AA reported and Klimenko made clear from her social media posts, she has absolute faith in Ryan and backs him 100 per cent to take the team into its next phase.

But it is clear that the relationship between Ryan and Reynolds declined throughout 2020 to the point where it was beyond maintenance. It is a split which has deeply impacted this business.

As much as public statements attempt to spin irretrievably negative news as positively as possible, the reality of the situation is such massive turnover of staff does not happen at a happy team.

For the record these are the changes at Erebus AA has had confirmed.

Drivers

LEFT: Anton De Pasquale – to Dick Johnson Racing David Reynolds – to Kelly Racing REPLACED BY: Will Brown - rookie Brodie Kostecki – rookie

Staff

LEFT: Alistair McVean (Head of Engineering, race engineer David Reynolds) – to Kelly Racing Mirko De Rosa (Race engineer Anton De Pasquale) – to Modena Engineering (Ricky Capo), S5000 program Dennis Huijser (Crew Chief) – to Kelly Racing REPLACED BY: George Commins (engineer) – Kelly Racing Tom Moore (race engineer) – promoted internally Brad Tremain (crew chief) – promoted internally

Commercial

LEFT: Penrite – to Kelly Racing REPLACED BY: TBA, but Boost Mobile is expected to back Kostecki.

6 AutoAction NEWS FEATURE LATEST

SUPERCHEAP AUTO DEFECTS TO TCR

STALWART SPONSOR Supercheap Auto has snubbed Supercars by signing a fiveyear naming rights deal with arch-rival TCR. Auto Action has learned that Supercheap’s defection will be announced within days.

It follows Supercars team backer Boost Mobile taking up title sponsorship of ARG’s Race Tasmania double-header at the end of this month.

Informed sources have also revealed that Supercheap Auto is staying in Supercars, but at a much-reduced level.

Supercheap will be a secondary sponsor of Triple Eight, claiming prominent signage on the front and rear bars of Shane van

Gisbergen’s and Jamie Whincup’s Red Bull Ampol Racing Commodores.

But after losing its long-running title sponsorship of the Bathurst 1000 to automotive parts retailing rival Repco, the disaffected after-market giant has switched its main support to ARG. Supercheap Auto has taken over from carsales.com.au as naming rights backer of the TCR Australia Series through 2025.

It will also provide support for the inaugural season of the S5000 Australian Drivers’ Championship, which will see the V8-powered open-wheeler series also racing for the coveted Motorsport Australia Gold Star award.

Supercheap Auto was publicly bitter

about losing out in a bidding war to Repco for the Bathurst 1000 naming rights, which it held from 2005-20.

The nationwide auto parts and accessories chain has withdrawn support from Tickford Racing after backing the Ford team’s primary entry since 2016.

Supercheap had been the title sponsor of several V8 teams since the late 1990s.

As well as subsidiary support of Triple Eight, it is also looking at minor sponsorship of other entries as part of an ‘ambush marketing’ offensive against Repco, which also took over Supercars series title sponsorship in addition to major backing of Shell V-Power Racing.

The Supercheap Auto TCR Australia

Series will take in six rounds, starting at Tasmania’s Symmons Plains Raceway on January 24-26. Every race will be televised live and free on the channels of the Seven Network.

Arguably Australia’s most recognised retailer of auto parts and accessories, Supercheap’s five-year deal with ARG and continued presence in Supercars will make it one of the most enduring sponsors in top-level Australian motor sport.

It has supported race teams and major events for close to 30 years.

Australian-owned, Supercheap Auto has more than 300 stores across the country and New Zealand. Mark Fogarty

TANDER TABBED FOR SUPERCARS TV Amid on-going Larko uproar, MARK FOGARTY reveals the multiple Bathurst winner is in line to be TV talker BATHURST CO-CHAMPION Garth Tander is set to join the heavily revamped Supercars TV commentary team.

As moves to reinstate popular pit lane pundit Mark Larkham continue, Auto Action revealed that Tander was in talks about a major role in the new-look race broadcasts as an expert commentator/analyst.

He will combine his new high-profile TV presence with defending his Bathurst 1000 win with Shane van Gisbergen at Triple Eight and the Australian GT championship with Audi.

While yet to be finalised, it is understood the 43-year-old Perth-born, Melbourne-based V8 legend has been offered a firm deal as a member of the commentary line-up on Fox Sports and Seven.

The Supercars race telecasts will be simulcast, with the combined coverage extending to shared commentators, presenters and reporters.

It is expected that Tander’s elevation to a full-time main game commentator/analyst will be confirmed later this month.

He was unavailable for comment because he is on holiday with his family.

Winner of four Bathurst 1000s and the 2007 Supercars crown, Tander has established himself as burgeoning broadcast talent since his enforced retirement from full-time Supercars competition at the beginning of 2019.

Dropped by GRM to accommodate Boost

6 AutoAction

Mobile-backed Richie Stanaway, he was quickly snapped up by Red Bull Holden Racing Team to partner van Gisbergen in the endurance races.

GT also starred as a pundit on Ten Network’s RPM show, revealing his sharp wit and forthright analysis.

Although a victim of Channel 10 cutbacks last year, he excelled as a guest commentator during the Supercars E-series and Super2 races on Fox Sports.

AA has been campaigning for Tander to join the main Supercars TV commentary team because he is an astute observer with credibility and candour. He also explains racing’s complexities simply without alienating knowledgeable fans.

Amid the fan furore over Larkham’s sacking as part of a wholesale replacement of ‘techy’ pit lane reporters, Supercars top management has recognised Tander combines authority with broad appeal.

Entertaining and frank, GT is seen by tech-averse senior Supercars executives as an acceptable compromise despite his embedded expertise.

It is still unclear whether he will join Neil Crompton and Mark Skaife in the race commentary booth or have a wider analysis role.

How Tander would fit in with Fox Sports favourite Craig Lowndes, who is pushing to return to the hosting desk as an expert analyst, is also a key question.

While Crompton is likely to renew as ‘The Voice Of V8s’, the rest of the commentary and presenting line-up is set to rotate throughout the season.

Fox Sports’ Jessica Yates is expected to

be the permanent broadcast anchor, with Seven’s Mark Beretta, Skaife, Tander and probably Lowndes sharing co-hosting duties throughout the season.

Tander could also alternate with Skaife as a commentator/analyst alongside Crompton as there is resistance to a three-headed race-calling team.

GT will not be part of Seven Network’s coverage of ARG events, despite being linked with a possible MPC Audi TCR drive.

AA understands he will rejoin MPC’s Australian GT assault in an Audi R8 LMS as his main effort to be race-fit for the Bathurst 1000, which again will be the only twodriver Supercars race.

Regular TCR appearances in an MPC Audi RS3 LMS, if any, are not on Tander’s agenda.

He will concentrate on his Supercars TV duties, augmented by limited racing to aid his preparation for Bathurst.

Triple Eight chief Roland Dane is keen for Tander to do as much racing as possible before renewing his top-ranked partnership with SVG. GT has an enviable record at Mount Panorama, co-winning the 2002 Bathurst 24 Hour in addition to his 2000/09/11/20 successes in the 1000. He has also finished on the podium a further three times.

He won the ’07 Supercars title with HSV Dealer Team in a down-to-the-wire battle with Jamie Whincup.

Seven Sunrise personality/sports presenter Beretta, a motor sport fan, is set to be a regular in pit lane when not co-hosting, joined by Andrew Jones and, occasionally, Paul Morris.

Former children’s TV presenter Charli

Robinson had been targeted for a general reporting role, but there are suggestions adverse fan reaction may have triggered a rethink on her involvement.

On-course/support race callers Chad Neylon and Matt Naulty are also understood to be in the main commentary mix.

Efforts to reinstate Larko have gone nowhere despite a back-flip by Supercars.

Supercars supremo Sean Seamer attempted to contact him before Christmas, but – sorely aggrieved by being dropped so callously – he is remaining incommunicado.

All non-Fox Sports and Seven personalities are being offered one-year deals, with their positions to be reviewed at the end of the season.

Supercars’ new $200 million broadcast deal is for five years, with Seven returning as the free TV partner.

Six of 2021’s scheduled 12 events, including the Bathurst 1000, will be shown live by Seven, with the rest aired in delayed highlights packages.

SANDOWN READY FOR SUPERCARS RETURN BUT HOW SAFE IS BATHURST OPENER? SUPERCARS IS set to return to Sandown in March as the postponement of the Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix appears inevitable.

But there is a threat to the season-opener at Bathurst if COVID border restrictions on the east coast continue well into next month.

A confirmed casualty is the February 13-14 pre-season test at Sydney Motorsport Park.

It will now be split between Winton for southern state teams and Queensland Raceway for northern squads.

Supercars’ season launch was scheduled for Sydney in league with the test at SMP, but a revised event is in the works.

Supercars has confirmed a contingency plan to switch the second round to Sandown in suburban Melbourne if the AGP at Albert Park doesn’t go ahead as scheduled from March 18-21.

That looks almost certain because the Victoria government has no plan to waive the two-week hotel quarantine requirement for F1.

Deemed impractical, it is now accepted that the AGP won’t go ahead as the F1 season-opener, with talk of a postponement until November.

Supercars is ready to take over the March slot to stage a replacement round at Sandown, which has been held in reserve because of uncertainties within the 12-event 2021 calendar.

Doubt about the AGP, where four Supercars support races are scheduled, was the main reason Sandown was booked as a back-up.

Supercars might also have to juggle its late-season roster if the F1 AGP is moved to November, which is the only viable alternative because of Melbourne’s weather.

F1 will also likely have to re-arrange the tail end of its proposed 23-race schedule to accommodate Australia.

Cancellation for the second year running is not out of the question.

A late November slot – to avoid being too close to the Melbourne Cup horse racing classic at the start of the month – would return the AGP to its original timing.

The Adelaide GP was run in November as F1’s popular season-ender all but once (late October in ’86) from 1985-95. It switched to March with the move to Melbourne in ’96, run in early April once to avoid a clash with the 2006 Commonwealth Games and being the opening race all but twice (’06/10) Supercars’ AGP support races have counted towards the championship since 2018.

The F1 AGP is in imminent danger because the state government appears set to maintain the 14-day hotel quarantine requirement for visiting F1 personnel, which would mean

arrival by March 4, when the pre-season test in Barcelona is scheduled.

Race organisers and F1 had hoped the sport’s COVID-safe regime would allow a hotel-to-track corridor and F1 ‘bubble’ at the Albert Park circuit during the event.

But recent coronavirus outbreaks, although limited, mean the government is determined to maintain its hard line on the two-week quarantine for overseas arrivals.

Formula 1, the Australian Grand Prix Corporation and Spring Street have not confirmed the postponement, but an announcement is expected by the end of this week.

Supercars insiders have also accepted that the AGP is not happening in March and will be replaced by Sandown on the same weekend.

Sandown missed out last year because of the long-running lockdown in Melbourne. The track has a multi-year deal with Supercars.

Meanwhile, although not in immediate danger, the Mount Panorama 500 seasonopener will depend on Victoria reopening its border to NSW. If it is still closed into next month, there could be a risk of the Melbourne teams being trapped in NSW. While they can travel into NSW, as can the southeast Queenslandbased squads, their return home may be barred for weeks if the latest COVID crisis doesn’t abate.

The Queensland teams could also be stuck if regional NSW is drawn into the current border ban.

With several weeks to go before the scheduled March 26-28 visit to Bathurst for twin 250 km races, Supercars remains optimistic that Victoria will reopen to NSW well before then.

But it is understood back-up plans are being made for a revised calendar just in case. Mark Fogarty

DJR RESTRUCTURES

RACE TASMANIA LOOKING GOOD AS AUTO Action closed for press the Race Tasmania double-header in late January was looking likely to proceed as planned.

The Tasmanian government had given in-principle verbal approval for essential traveller ‘category 4A’ permits to be granted to team personnel and officials from NSW COVID hot spots.

The co-promoters, Garry Rogers Motorsport and the Australian Racing Group (ARG), were waiting for a similar permit to be issued to attendees from the Brisbane area.

The permits are required because of travel bans and quarantine restrictions imposed by Tasmania on both regions in reaction to coronavirus lockdowns.

While there has been no indication people from any region such as the Sydney northern beaches would be excluded from event, there will be conditions imposed with the permits which had yet to be specified as AA closed for press.

But the expectation is some form of travel ‘bubble’ will be required, which could include dedicated flights, accommodation and transport for those coming from affected areas.

The conditions imposed by Tasmania’s health department would allow competitors and staff from the affected regions to fly into Tasmania without

www.autoaction.com.au

AutoActionMagazine

quarantining for 14 days.

“At this stage it’s looking good,” said ARG CEO Matt Braid. “We’ll see what the final conditions are, but either way it’s going to happen.”

The opening event of Race Tasmania is scheduled for Symmons Plains January 24-26, while part two is at Baskerville near Hobart on January 29-31.

The fallback position is Winton in Victoria would host the January 24-26 race if Symmons Plains could not happen.

That move would give the organisers more time to finalise logistics without the added complication of transporters having to cross Bass Straight by ferry to get to Tasmania.

Even if Symmons was ruled out, the second event at Baskerville would still go ahead.

Symmons Plains is scheduled to host the series openers for ARG categories TCR Australia, S5000, Trans Am and Touring Car Masters.

Baskerville will host non-championship races for TCR, Trans Am and S5000. That means competitors and teams operating under the permit system would depart Tasmania after Symmons Plains.

Teams from non-affected areas will put on the action at Baskerville. BN

Auto_Action

instagram.com/autoactionmag/

HIGH-PROFILE Supercars team owner Ryan Story will step back from day-to-day race meeting duties as part of a management and engineering restructure at reborn Dick Johnson Racing.

Currently managing director and team principal, Story has become chairman and CEO. Taking his place as DJR team principal will be team manager Ben Croak, prompting the promotion of Josh Silcock to that role from crew chief.

Story and Dick Johnson are now co-owners of DJR following Roger Penske’s withdrawal at the end of the 2020, when he also secured triple Supercars champ Scott McLaughlin for an IndyCar program.

Story confirmed his new role would mean he wouldn’t make it to all races, although he still intended to attend most of them.

“The changes have freed me up to have full control over the commercial and administrative side of the organisation and have oversight over the race team,” Story told Auto Action.

“But it does give the race team that little bit of autonomy and also gives them that leadership on the ground through Ben Croak in particular.”

Having spent four highly successful years with Mclaughlin, high-profile French boffin Ludo Lacroix will race engineer new signing Anton De Pasquale.

He will alco continue in his role as DJR’s competition director.

Alongside Lacroix in the DJR brains trust will be chief engineer Perry Kapper and Nick Hughes, who continues as technical director.

Richard Harris, who was Lacroix’s number two and also took over radio comms with McLaughlin from 2018, will race engineer returning driver Will Davison.

Mark Fenning, who race-engineered the departed Fabian Coulthard, will continue attending Supercars race meetings but will focus on Gen3 development during the week.

“This is all about putting our best foot forward as a team and ensuring that we have the right personnel in the right positions,” said Story.

“We are very fortunate that internally we have some great people, many of which are capable of taking greater responsibility and a greater role within the organisation.” BN

AutoAction

7

LATEST NEWS

TICKFORD RACING driver Cameron Waters suffered a frustrating Sprint Car debut in his hometown of Mildura. The Ford Mustang driver showed great speed and promise in practice, however, was involved in multiple incidents during the night and was unable to execute a trouble-free race. “It was a bit unfortunate, not the way we would have liked the first race (meeting) to go, but we had a fair bit of pace and just a little bit of bad luck,” Waters said. “Lots of positives to take out of the first weekend, I had a lot of fun, still have a lot to learn and a lot to take in, but we’ll keep working at it.” DM

ANDRE HEIMGARTNER will join the field of Kiwi motorsport stars taking part in this year’s New Zealand Grand Prix. The Kelly Racing Supercars driver joins the likes of Shane Van Gisbergen, Greg Murphy, Daniel Gaunt, Chris van der Drift and open-wheel racing icon Ken Smith in the 2021 Toyota Racing Series opener which is being billed as the ‘Race of Champions’. It will be Heimgartner’s first competitive outing in the Toyota-powered open-wheel series. RV

FOUR-TIME BATHURST 1000 winner Greg Murphy will race against his son Ronan Murphy in the Historic Touring Cars at the Skope Classic from February 5-7. Both drivers will be competing in the same class with Ronan set to race a 1996 Nissan Primera Super Tourer, a car from his father’s early racing career. In 2020 the younger Murphy contested the highly regarded US Formula 4 Championship. DM

TICKFORD CO-DRIVER EXODUS

Holdsworth to Walkinshaw, Caruso to Team 18

By BRUCE NEWTON

LEADING SUPERCARS co-driver Michael Caruso will join with Team 18’s Scott Pye for the next two Bathurst 1000s.

Caruso moves to Charlie Schwerkolt’s ambitious Holden squad after two years at Tickford Racing, partnering Cam Waters to an unlucky 20th in 2019 and Lee Holdsworth to seventh in 2020.

Holdsworth has also joined the exodus from Tickford, having knocked back the offer of a co-drive after losing his full-time seat for 2021 despite having a valid contract.

He is expected to soon be announced as Chaz Mostert’s co-driver at Walkinshaw Andretti United for Bathurst in 2021, forming one of the race’s strongest pairings.

Mostert’s 2020 co-pilot Warren Luff, who has an extraordinary record of six podiums in his last nine starts, will share with second-year driver Bryce Fullwood in the second WAU entry.

Caruso, who raced in the Supercars championship full-time for 11 years and has now shifted to TCR Australia, will make his 16th Bathurst 1000 start in 2021 and replaces West Australian Dean Fiore in the co-pilot role in the DeWalt Holden.

Caruso reunites with fellow ex-Garry Rogers Motorsport staffer Richard Hollway, who joins

Team 18 in 2021 as its head of engineering. The team has also confirmed James Golding will return for a second year in the Irwin ZB alongside Mark Winterbottom.

“When you come here and see how the team operates and the progress being made behind the scenes, it was an opportunity I couldn’t refuse,” said Caruso.

“Charlie’s very motivated about his motor racing, he’s been very successful in the past, he understands what it takes to achieve that success and you can see what he’s building with the guys and girls here in the team that they’re heading in the right direction.”

Added Schwerkolt: “It’s really exciting to bring Michael … onboard for Bathurst this year, he’s a seriously talented driver and a valuable addition to our co-driver line-up.

“He’s going to be a busy man between his TCR racing and completing our ride days and test days throughout the year, so his speed and race-craft will be sharp by the time we get to Bathurst.”

Holdsworth was also strongly pursed by Dick Johnson Racing. It has question marks over whether Scott McLaughlin will be able to return to Australia from the final IndyCar race of the season at Long Beach in late September.

If a mandatory 14 day quarantines is still inplace at that time then it won’t be doable.

AA understands DJR has even approached drivers to act as a Bathurst back-up, risking a non-start if McLaughlin does make it back in time to partner the returning Will Davison in #17. If he doesn’t make it, the back-up’s risk is rewarded with a start in one of the race favourites.

DJR is understood to have already renewed Tony D’Alberto to partner new signing Anton De

Pasquale in its other Shell-backed Ford Mustang.

Caruso and Holdsworth follow Davison out the door at Tickford. It leaves the Melbourne team with one announced signing in Thomas Randle for the only two-driver race of 2021.

Tickford will have three entries in the 1000; the Cam Waters Monster Mustang, Jack Le Brocq’s Truck Assist entry and the customer Boost Mobile Ford driven by James Courtney.

Tickford has confirmed Randle will race for the team on a multi-year deal, including a co-drive in the 2021 Bathurst 1000. James Moffat is also expected to continue with the squad.

Another three drivers are said to be possible to join the team for Bathurst. They include 2019 1000 winner Alex Premat, the American-domiciled Frenchman who missed debuting for the team in 2020 because of COVID. A prospect could be Rick Kelly, who stepped down from a full-time drive at his family-owned Ford team last October. He has been linked with a Castrol-supported co-driver seat at Tickford since then.

Teenager Broc Feeney shared Courtney’s entry in 2020 Bathurst 1000 but has shifted to Triple Eight’s Super2 program for 2021.

what I did in F3.”

Piastri is on track to follow his manager Mark Webber and his boyhood inspiration Daniel Ricciardo as the next Australian in F1.

“Getting into F1 is the goal and, obviously, the quicker I can get there the better. And I think with the momentum I’ve gained in the past couple of years, it’s only going to be to my advantage if I have another strong year.

“I’m not expecting it to be easy by any stretch of the imagination, but in saying that, I didn’t expect F3 to be easy at all and I wasn’t quite expecting to win (the F3 title in his first year).

“If I just set myself smaller goals and achieve them – which is pretty much what I did in F3 – it should bode well for a similar result, I hope.”

Other than regular simulator sessions at Alpine’s Enstone factory, near his Oxford base in the UK, Piastri is not looking at a possible regular F1 testing or reserve driver role until ’22 at the earliest.

After returning to Melbourne, he quarantined in a hotel until December 27, when he was able to join his family for a summer break.

COVID travel restrictions allowing, he plans to head back to Europe at the end of the month or early February to begin preparations for the F2 season.

Piastri qualifies for an international travel exemption to and from Australia as an elite athlete who competes overseas.

“I’m not expecting any issues,” he said.

His prospects for an F1 race seat in ’23 and beyond will depend on his performances in F2 and available drives, with superstar returnee Fernando Alonso and incumbent Esteban Ocon locked in for at least the next two years.

Apart from some sim work, there has been no mention of F1 tests with Alpine or even spending GP weekends with the team, as he did at last year’s Turkish GP. Piastri will be at many of the same events with his F2 program, but F1’s coronavirus ‘bubble’ bars access to the paddock unless he is a designated member of the Alpine team.

Oscar Piastri opens up on his F1 hopes in his first searching interview – see ‘Up Front With Foges’ on pages 20-24.

OSCAR NOT EXPECTING EASY F2 DEBUT

BY MARK FOGARTY

AUSTRALIAN RALLY Championship squad Activ Rallysport has placed an order for a brand-new Mitsubishi Mirage. This particular Mirage created

by Dytko Sport is the first to ever be made, however the car will not make its competitive debut this season. Activ Rallysport has elected to run the Mitsubishi from the start of the 2022 season. DM

HAYDEN PADDON has confirmed that he will enter the opening round of the Australian Rally Championship and could potentially go on to contest the full series. The former FIA World Rally Championship round winner will steer the Walkem Motorsport prepared Hyundai i20 R5, with technical assistance from his own squad Paddon Rallysport at March’s National Capital Rally in Canberra. DM

8 AutoAction

FORMULA 1 hopeful Oscar Piastri is not expecting first-up title success in F2 this year, rating it as a “very tough ask” compared with winning the F3 crown in his maiden attempt.

Piastri, at home in Melbourne after spending Christmas in quarantine, is prepared for two seasons in F2 before being ready to graduate to F1.

He is being groomed for F1 stardom by Renault, which is backing him as a future candidate for its new-look Alpine F1 team.

The 2020 FIA Formula 3 champion was promoted by Prema, effectively replacing F2 champion Mick Schumacher in the Italian team’s ‘finishing school’ for aspiring F1 drivers.

It took Schumacher two seasons to win the F2 title as a Ferrari protégé, earning his move up to F1 this year with Haas, and Piastri expects 2022 as a realistic target to win the F2 championship.

“A couple of years ago, I definitely wasn’t thinking about F2 this early, but it’s a nice thing to have going for me,” the 19-year-old said in an extended post-quarantine interview. “I think another really strong year could definitely open a lot of doors for me, but I think it’s going to be a very tough ask to have a similar season to

TEAM SYDNEY REBUILD UNDERWAY

KOSTECKI LEADS YOUTH BLITZ

BATHURST 1000 hard-charger Brodie Kostecki has led a burst of Supercars Championship young driver signings across the Christmas period.

Kotsecki, 23, will replace David Reynolds at Erebus Motorsport and drive alongside fellow rookie Will Brown.

Meanwhile, Brode’s cousin Jake Kostecki, 20, was officially confirmed as a full-time Matt Stone Racing driver in December, alongside fellow 2020 SuperLite driver Zane Goddard, 21.

Across at Brad Jones Racing, SCT Logistics driver Jack Smith, 21, was confirmed to return for a second season after finishing 22nd in the 2020 Supercars drivers’ championship.

Brodie Kostecki was on standby for the Erebus drive and was quickly named as joining the Holden Commodore ZB team once Reynolds’ exit negotiations completed.

Fellow Dunlop Super2 graduate Brown was signed 12 months ago on a multi-year deal. His ascension to the main game was confirmed when Anton De Pasquale departed for Dick Johnson Racing.

Kostecki co-drove with De Pasquale at Bathurst to ninth place and imprinted himself on the race story when category icon Jamie Whincup botched a pass and ended up in the wall at The Cutting.

Kostecki’s combative attitude on-track at Mount Panorama marked him out as a driver to watch in the future.

“Brodie is a hard-arse racer and exactly what we need in our team,” Erebus CEO Barry Ryan said.

“Brodie is more than ready and both he and Will are far beyond where we expect any

Coulthard, Slater bring experience to struggling squad

By BRUCE NEWTON

young driver to be.

“We are really excited to have two young but familiar faces pushing each other and if we can give them the car then they can certainly deliver the results.”

The rise of Goddard and Jake Kostecki to full-time drives at MSR was expected after they alternated in an MSR seat in 2020.

The downside of this was the departure of Garry Jacobson after just one year.

The Victorian is now one of a number of drivers linked with a drive alongside Fabian Coulthard at Team Sydney, which is expected to be decided within weeks.

Goddard will take over the Yellow Cover sponsorship Jacobson raced under in 2020, while Kostecki sticks with the Unit Holden Commodore ZB. “I am super grateful to everyone at Matt Stone Racing for allowing this opportunity, we’ve all been working for this for a long time and it is pretty cool to see it all come to fruition,” said Goddard.

Smith enters his second year of Supercars and sixth with Brad Jones Racing with the aim of “stepping it up a notch” in 2021 with the help of his long-term engineer Paul Forgie.

“I work really well with Forgs so we’ll be fine-tuning different aspects in the off season so we’re ready to go come February. I love racing at Bathurst so to kick off the season there is going to be a lot of fun,” he said.

All five drivers will benefit from additional rookie test days in 2021. Supercars changed its rules in 2020 to allow second as well as first year drivers to have an extra three days track time. Experienced drivers are limited to three test days. BN

THE REBUILD is underway!

That’s the message from Team Sydney boss Jonathon Webb, who has been buoyed in the offseason by the signing of Supercars race-winner Fabian Coulthard and the return of gun engineer Dr Geoff Slater for 2021.

Both Coulthard and Slater were confirmed in the days after the final Auto Action of 2020 was published.

Coulthard, 38, joins Team Sydney after five years at DJR Team Penske, while Slater rejoins after two years working on the RLL BMW IMSA GTLM program in the USA. “We are looking for reasonable speed on the track, we need reasonable qualifying speed and some refinement in the crew,” Webb told Auto Action.

“We just want to tick as many boxes as we can to be a successful race team and get back to where we were in the past. We have had some great success as a group and we just need to get back to where we were.”

Webb oversaw Team Sydney’s 2020 emergence from Tekno Autosports overcoming a series of impacts including the early withdrawal of James Courtney and Boost, and the COVID-19 crisis.

Alex Davison took over Courtney’s entry with backing from Tony Quinn’s Local Legends beef jerky brand, while Chris Pither raced the entire season in the team’s other Triple Eight Holden Commodore ZB with backing from soft drink giant Coca-Cola.

Pither, with a best finish of fifth in the opening race of Darwin 1, was 20th in the Supercars drivers’ championship. Davison, with a best finish of 12th with Webb in the season-ending Bathurst 1000, was 23rd.

The team finished 11th and second last in the Supercars teams’ championship.

Webb says Bathurst, where both cars finished running reliably (Pither and co-driver Steve Owen were classified 16th) was a good way to cap 2020 and bodes well for this season.

“We just want to keep building on the momentum we had at the back-end of last year,” Webb said. “We need to keep stepping forward, keep refining, keep getting faster.

“What we have got as far as equipment is as good as anyone up and down pitlane. We just have to refine what we are doing with it. With Penske and Triple Eight it’s that attention to detail and consistency across the

people and that’s exactly what we have to achieve.

“Having said that I don’t expect us to roll out at Bathurst [at the season-opening Mount Panorama 500] and dominate. But we want to put on a good, clean show and build that momentum going into Gen3 [in 2022].”

Webb nominated Coulthard’s experience as a key asset he brings to Team Sydney.

“He has been around a long time and he understands the sport,” said Webb. “He wants to win and he wants to try and perform, but at the same stage he has enough wealth of experience to know that doesn’t happen easily or overnight.

“He will work well in his relationships with the crew.

We are still a relatively small group and everyone has to work together.

“In his years with Penske he has also learned a lot as a driver, understanding the relationship with how they can be with the engineer and the group … He can bring that to the group.”

Slater also brings a wealth of Supercars experience.

His history in the category traces back to 2004 and was part of Tekno from 2011, including a highly successful period with Shane van Gisbergen and the 2016 Bathurst 1000 win with Will Davison and Webb.

Webb says Slater’s experience will also be crucial to the progress Team Sydney intends to make.

“He’ll manage and control that whole engineering department as well as be Fabian’s race engineer,” said Webb.

“He’s learned a lot over at BMW where he’s been in more of a management role and he’s grown a lot as a person with his experience around the world and he’ll be able to bring all that experience to the group.”

The team is also finalising the rest of its full-time crew after using a variety of part-timers through 2020.

Webb and wife Kobe will continue to manage the overall operation, while Webb says he has yet to decide if he will continue as a co-driver.

Team Sydney is currently based in temporary facilities at Sydney Motorsport Park, while its new full-time home within SMP’s Centre of Excellence has been delayed because of the coronavirus.

In the short term Webb is watching the coronavirus in case the team has to vacate.

“I think it’s even money. We are going to stick with Sydney with the hope COVID will go away. We want to base ourselves there for the season.

“Sydney is our home now and is so for the foreseeable future.”

With a rich heritage in motor racing dating back to 1970 VHT Australia are rightlyy proud to be series sponsor of the S5000 premier open wheel category.

www.autoaction.com.au

AutoActionMagazine

Auto_Action

instagram.com/autoactionmag/

AutoAction

9

LATEST NEWS

Image: LAT

LUKE KING is the latest Toyota 86 Race Series driver to take the step into TCR Australia, following the likes of Will Brown and Tim Brook. The New South Welshman will drive a Melbourne Performance Centre Audi RS3 LMS TCR featuring support from Chinese liquor brand Moutai. “In the 86s we competed toeto-toe with Will Brown (reigning series winner) and a few of the other guys in the category,” King said. “Once we get through the first half of the year, I feel there is a win we could snatch.

My focus is to be consistent and try to finish top five in the series. That would be a good result for us.” DM

EGGLESTON CONSIDERS SUPERCARS MAIN GAME

By BRUCE NEWTON

place Super2 teams in a squeeze.

“That’s exactly what it does,” said LEADING SUPERCARS development series Eggleston. “Knowing what we know about team Eggleston Motorsport is considering the market and how much the cars will stepping up to the main game after the cost, how much the VF cost when they Gen3 technical rules come into force. came down and how much the ZB and Scheduled for introduction in the Mustang will cost when they come down, Supercars championship in 2023, a at the end of the day they are going to be a cornerstone of Gen3 is making the cars lot more expensive and that’s not the way

By MARK FOGARTY “There’s no doubt the lack of seat time is an vastly cheaper to build, race and repair it’s meant to be. issue, although it’s not a major concern. Garth and than the current Gen2 Supercar.

“For us in Super2 to be buying cars that SEMI-RETIRED SUPERSTAR Craig Lowndes is I talked about it going to Bathurst this year, that we That has definitely been noted by are more expensive than what the main looking to do more racing here and overseas next were a little concerned. We weren’t worried, just a husband and wife team owners Ben and game has, plus the running costs will be year to stay sharp for his one-off Supercars co-drive little concerned about getting up to speed.”

Rachael Eggleston, who have carved out a more. It seems to be backward.” at Bathurst.

However, emphasisedofthat was happy with$100,000 business front-running Super2Daniel entrants, costsEggleston Super2 teams were DESPITE THE he cancellation itshe 2020 more as than Victorian premier became said ‘government contributions’, In the last year of his current deal with Triple Eight, Formula his speed in this year’s intotowhich as well as campaigning customer cars in butdiscussing with 1 event and not race, having pay ahe went Andrews, Australia’s highest-paid state leader. ultimately the potential favouredissues ‘government Lowndes will again be paired with Jamie Whincup. racecold, until Whincup’s embarrassing exit.Prix GT and the third-tier V8 Touring Car Series.

Supercars.

At this stage there is no official hosting fee, the Australian Grand The eight bonuses, totalling a minimum of investment’ term of original AGPC chairman, As well as domestic and overseas GT races, the Corporation “I was pleased with my pace in myatfirst stint – $240,000, Theamount arrival oftoGen3 is likely to mean for thewas introduction lost almost $40 million Albert at least 12 times the the timeline late Ronset Walker, adopted.Gen2 cars ASTON MARTIN has announced the end of its current Mustangwatches and Holden evergreen fan favourite has also expressed interest Parkunfortunately, to 2020 Super2. spentFord on Cartier that cost last year. we didn’t get to do the rest of the $20,000 The annual report shows ‘event successful nine-year run as a manufacturer Commodore ZBjob Gen2 become in some Super2 wildcard appearances to give him This day,” hedespite said. reporting a $16.8 million “Considering the amount to Christine Holgate her as cars chiefwill executive was management and staging costs’ofoninvestment last March’s team in thetime FIA World Championship eligiblePost. for Super2, representing a more seat beforeEndurance the Bathurst 1000, which will foreign Lowndes is involved withboasting Triple Eight’s Super2 of Australia do thatevent (transition to Gen2), and given what exchange gain and of the cancelled at $10.8 million compared with (WEC) GT Pro class. Having clinched both the significant in costs the be the only two-driver endurance race of 2021. junior team as coach/mentor everyone gone year it’sby A table on pagestep-up 72 of the latest for AGPC consulting services it providedtotoAngelo what Mouzouris, was almost $61.9has million onthrough the 2019this race won WEC GT Drivers’ crown and the Manufacturers’ category.

Lowndes has also put his hand up to continue as who will be joined next year by Broc Feeney. probably not something too many people annual report shows total remuneration to have been Vietnam’s first GP , which didn’t Mercedes driver Valtteri Bottas. title in 2020, Aston Martin confirmed that it had think it’s definitely something aachieved co-driverevery in thetarget newitGen3 2022, as well as happen “I’ve beenbecause helping Angelo season and my to seven“Iexecutives aredrop goingoftomore be wanting to million do too would soon,”be – described as ‘key(reduced The either of thethis Covid-19 than $50 set foreratheinnew 4-litre Gen3 costs) that makes it (the Supercars aV8test driver GTE. role with plan is to help again nextnever year,”eventuate. he said. “Having management Eggleston said. personnel’ – at $2.198 million, and now may largely from not having to pay a race hosting Vantage RV Triple Eight to help develop the pandemic Camaro.

Broc come into the fold2020 is going to beannual interesting. up 22.86 championship) more to a team fee to“But Supercars in ayear. position per cent from the appealing previous year’s The loss shown in the AGPC F1’sobviously owner Liberty Mediaarelast He hopes to revive his GT racing ambitions, which report“It’ll be great for Angelo haveend someone us,” Rachael told Auto where theyengineering’ change andcosts, that filters down to million, also forEggleston seven executives.

– made public at thetovery of lasthe can$1.789like ‘Recurrent which would were scuppered by the coronavirus pandemic. compare with.parliamentary Having a teammate will be a bonus On page Action.

Super2 the same We really 73 another table shows total year’s Victorian sittings, four include theatset-up and time. dismantling of hope the “We had plans this year to be doing other races months element his development.”

“Probably alsomanagement you would feel you are on circuit we find out a bit morepublic aboutroads, it soon.” remuneration to ‘key laterforthan the previous year’s report on Albert Park’s was in other categories,” Lowndes told Auto Action. also excited about Gen3 and wants personnel’ a more level playing field than what you little Eggleston has yet to finalise at $2.748 million – $550,000 – wasLowndes $39.722is million. changed atMotorsport $33.85 million.

“Unfortunately, with all the COVID problems, it shut Although a role into and beyond with the new-gen V8 more than would under (Gen2) its latest 2021 Super2 onbepage 72the andcurrent up 18.65 per rules. cent the’22event was cancelled The balancedriver sheetline-up, shows although an those doors, but we’re knocking on those doors before racers.

“We run our figure team as business,year. so Rachael Eggleston said interest was “pretty on the comparative thea previous F1 cars got on the track, bonuses accumulated surplus of $27.1 million again for next year to see, firstly, if the categories areamounting “I’d lovetotoatbeleast part $240,000 of the Gen3were program,” whatever wewas do has good”. with $9.2 million a year earlier. paid he to compared The annual report the to firstmake filed business since running, and then whether we can travel overseas eightdeclared.

“Whether that’s a testing program or a Paul Little, sense.

We head look at on its merits Soon “We arethe pretty open to how many cars AGPC executives. after cancellation of last year’s former of everything logistics giant is another element and whether teams are willing to The racing program, I don’t know. Butchief I’m definitely Toll Holdings, and it’ssucceeded definitely something we have given Melbourne we run and weVietnam’s do have four in total, event, debut in thebut F1 highest earner – obviously long-time sports have us. keen. Andrew Westacott – had a base some thought to. as AGPC chairman. world we championship wouldn’t necessarily want intoHanoi run that with a race also executive administrator John Harnden “So the plan is to have more seat time next year, remuneration “Testing has always$440,000 been a big part “WeAGPC’s will continue give itHarnden’s thought for wasmany. scrubbed because of the pandemic. between and of my While the lossestounder knowing that again we’re that onlyJari-Matti going to have Bathurst$459,999, approachbut anda something I’ve enjoyed, getting in thefour-year sure.”

“We area 10-year probablydeal goingattoa run at least two Despite reported total remuneration before chairmanship averaged about TOYOTA HAS announced as an endurance raceTommi here.”Mäkinen as Team car and reading and finding out what and it needs. So$56.7 million The bottom line for such $60 a venture isn’t annual and hosting probablyfee three next year.

Time will Latvala will succeed starting at US$60 million, superannuation of itbetween $500,000 and twice topped million, Principal of also the Toyota World of some$519,999, Lowndes didn’t GAZOO rule outRacing the possibility I’d definitely be keenatobonus keep talking to Roland about cut and dried had of course, as thethe Super2 tell.” was not included on F1’s 2021 Vietnam indicating of at least Little said Harnden “positioned Rally Team in 2021.

At the top level,his however, Super2 guest appearances to help transition back$40,000. being part of that program as well.” serieswell has for a much shorter and therefore calendar.

Jack APerkins Brodie drove as formerand mayor of Kostecki Hanoi viewed corporation its future endeavours”.

Latvala’s appointment as Team Principal is into the Red Bull Ampol Racing Holden Commodore wants to continue astotal analyst on the calendar two of the team’s Holden Commodores a principal supporter of the city’s planned GP LaterLowndes in the report Westacott’s In thecheaper early years of thethan GPSupercars. in Melbourne amongst host ofatchanges for the leading for its lastaouting Mount Panorama.

Supercars broadcasts, hoping to return to the mainthe AGPC’s But the transition of the mainingame to Super2 in 2020, but Eggleston wasinsentenced in December to five missed years’ remuneration package, including losses were described annual squad.

The WRC programme willcards, move inhouse “We could do a couple of wild from what superannuation, Fox Sports desk Skaife. cars whileappropriations’. the support category jail the season’s Bathurst for shortened stealing state documents andfinale three is alongside revealed Mark as being reportscheaper as ‘government next season with Toyota Gazoo Racing Europe I understand,” he said. “They definitely could be But he is still waiting on a new TV deal. inherits moredrawn expensive cars does seem to others because ofsentenced the pandemic. were to 18-month terms. between $540,000 and $559,999.

Later the amounts from the coffers taking it over from Tommi Makinen Racing who useful.

Top 10is–paid see about pages 46-47. of Victoria’s taxpayers to cover the GP Geoffrey Harris OnLowndesy’s that basis, 2020 Westacott helped develop the project. RV

$40M LOSS

LOWNDES EYES GT AND SUPER2 IN ’21

ON 2020 AGP NON-EVENT

Rac

$49.50 oer Sites fee thenne-off setup month $15.00 per or more bysave even $150.00 paying annuall (support y ed by ou partnersr advertising )

myRaceprofile is proud to announce the launch of its new racer-focused website building and hosting service – the he only he onl nly ly one one off acer ac er,, a te er team am its kind in Australia! Showcase your latest news and results! Spotlight your team and sponsors! Whether you’re a rracer, peci pe cial ci alis al ists is ts.. ts or a business, you’ll come out on top every time – on a website that has a racing look and feel, built by racing sspecialists.

• • •

Affordable – Easy – Professional Receive your own website within 60 seconds of signup, ready to add your pictures and race profile Three different platforms to suit all levels of racing and budget from beginner to professional. “Racer”,

10www.autoaction.com.au AutoAction

“Racer Pro”, “Racer Custom” sites available • Developed for Racers, by Racers. We have built a flexible interface to allow you to build a professional website your way • Super easy to upload information

AutoActionMagazine

Auto_Action

• •

using fully customised dashboard Responsive platform that works on any device Present your racing activities professionally

** No long-term contracts, subscriptions can be cancelled with 14 days’ notice**

instagram.com/autoactionmag/

AutoAction

9

www.autoaction.com.au

2021 SUPERCARS FORMATS ANNOUNCED

AutoActionMagazine

Super-soft Dunlop control tyre confirmed for two events

THE 2021 Repco Supercars Championship has been scheduled across 32 races over the course of its 12-event calendar.

The season will open with two 250km single driver races, albeit at Bathurst next year with the Mt Panorama 500 from 26-28 February, before finishing with the same format on the streets of the Gold Coast in December.

Seven events will use the three-race SuperSprint format introduced in 2020 without fuel stops.

Refuelling will return at three 500km events as well as the Repco Bathurst 1000 the only endurance event to feature co-drivers on the calendar.

The question mark that has risen since the format announcement is the fate of the 400km round at the Formula 1 Australia Grand Prix that was scheduled to consist of four races over three days.

That event may have been cancelled by the time you read this and replaced in the Supercars calendar by an event at Sandown on the same weekend.

The pre-season test scheduled for February 13-14 at Sydney Motorsport Park was also subject to some scrutiny because of the COVID flare-up.

Check out our separate story in these pages for more on the impact of COVID on the Supercars schedule.

Supercars has also confirmed the super-soft Dunlop tyre tested by Jamie Whincup and Will Davison at Ipswich late last year will be used in addition to the usual soft and hard control Dunlop

slick in 2021.

The super-soft will only be employed at Winton and Hidden Valley. No tyre formats have been announced beyond that.

The qualifying sessions at two of the 2021 championship’s shorter circuits, Tasmania and Perth, will be split into two groups, made up of alternate pitlane order – meaning one car per team.

There will be nine ARMOR ALL Top Ten Shootouts across the year, including two for both races of the season-opening Mt Panorama 500 and season closing Gold Coast 500.

In total, Supercars will conduct over 4300km of racing over the 12-event calendar.

2021 Supercars race formats 1 Mt Panorama 500** 2 x 250km 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

Melbourne 400 4 x 100km Tasmania SuperSprint 3 x 110km OTR SuperSprint 3 x 115km Winton SuperSprint 3 x 120km Darwin Triple Crown* 3 x 110km NTI Townsville 500** 2 x 250km Sydney SuperNight* 3 x 125km Perth SuperNight 3 x 110km Repco Bathurst 1000*^ 1 x 1000km ITM Auckland SuperSprint 3 x 115km Gold Coast 500** 2 x 250km

Race formats subject to change *Denotes event will include a Top Ten Shootout ** Denotes event will include two Top Ten Shootouts ^Denotes Endurance event featuring co-drivers

FOUR ROUNDS STILL TARGET FOR S5000

THE INAUGURAL S5000 Championship is set to be contested over four rounds, however the date of the third venue is still yet to be determined.

As previously reported by Auto Action the VHT S5000 Championship was set to be announced as a support for the Australian Grand Prix at Albert Park in March, however in recent weeks the event appears likely to be postponed until November or cancelled all together.

Neither of these options suit the Gold Star tagged championship as the open-wheel series plans to conclude at its first season at Sydney Motorsport Park on May 2.

Category founder and category manager Chris Lambden is determined to run four rounds as part of the first season and is on the lookout for a viable back up option.

“The Grand Prix is very volatile at the moment, but as things have gone on, I have asked the people within the Australian Racing Group (ARG) to look at a plan B for March, I do want to try and complete four rounds,” Lambden told Auto Action.

Lambden admitted that at this stage no venue or

www.autoaction.com.au

AutoActionMagazine

date has been decided upon, but he hopes to run a round when the Grand Prix was set to take place.

This may see a potential clash with the Supercars Championship round at Sandown Raceway pencilled in for that weekend as a GP replacement.

“It’s very fluid, but at the moment my view is to try and do something at the time the Grand Prix was going to be run, obviously that event is not looking to sharp at the moment,” he said.

“When we are in Tasmania, we can spend a bit more time working on it (a replacement).

The first of four rounds will take place later this month at the historic Symmons Plains Raceway in Tasmania from January 24-26, but Lambden says the series will grow for season two.

“We’ll be able to outline a full six or seven round championship from Sandown in September through into 2022 with several other events to be confirmed,” Lambden explained.

“It’s still a fairly volatile period, but I think we’re positioned to have a strong 2021/22 series.”

Dan McCarthy

Auto_Action

instagram.com/autoactionmag/

FEATURE AutoAction

11

th Luke West iith wit

AA’s columnist can’t wait for the sport to move beyond Red vs Blue I’M SO over the whole Holden versus Ford thing. I’m over it in Supercars, at Bathurst and in Australian motorsport generally.

It’s been great over the years, but it’s time for everyone to move on. The intense, sustained rivalry has provided a half century of incredible cars and moments, all with a unique Aussie flavour. It’s a rich history of which we should all be proud. I reckon its was best in the 1980s when other brands were also involved. I liked it less when these marques were shut out of competing for ATCC and Bathurst 1000 honours in the 1990s and noughties.

Or made to compete with one arm tied around their backs between 2013 and 2019. And this past season, 2020, the two-marque battle felt stale. Season 2021 will be worse.

The prospect of the eternal battle mildly reshaping into General Motors versus Ford from 2022, as Supercars needs to retain their fanbase, leaves me flat. It also means the premier category is vulnerable to irrelevancy.

We can only hope new marques join the fun soon. I’m not particularly confident that’s going to happen, despite Ryan Walkinshaw’s stated discussions with multiple manufacturers.

Even if a Supercars program made sense from a marketing and budget perspective for a new manufacturer, history suggests any new marque is on a hiding to nothing.

If – and it’s a bloody big if – there’s a senior car company executive considering entering their brand they should be asking Supercars supremo Sean Seamer some hard questions. For starters: “With Supercars negotiating to use GM’s IP to create a Camaro lookalike racer, is that an indication the category will ensure the Camaro is successful so Holden fans, who make up the bulk of the audience, aren’t disenfranchised?”

I’d also ask: “Nissan Australia invested in a Supercars program for six years yet left what’s meant to be a parity category having scored just three wins.

Is this an indication Supercars gave greater importance to Holden (and to a less extent) Ford winning? Will this be our company’s experience, too, merely making up the numbers?”

Having the Holdens perennially competitive has always made good shortterm business sense for Supercars over the years. More bums on seats and eyes staring at the idiot box. But with Holden now dead, Supercars has painted itself into a corner. And only has itself to blame.

This is a key reason why I’m not disappointed the red versus blue era will soon to be consigned to history. It’s always bothered me that the powersthat-be invariably reacted quickly to change the rules when the Commodores were uncompetitive. The first season of the five-litre touring cars rules, 1993, was a good example. Ford driver Glenn Seton won that year’s ATCC, then the Falcon’s front splitter was snipped handing the Commodores an advantage for Bathurst that year to square the ledger. In more recent times, in 2019, Supercars jumped to attention when the Mustang outshone the ZB Commodore.

In contrast, the sport has traditionally not reacted as quickly when the other marques were behind the eight ball. Like the era of the unloved AU Falcon, 1999-2002. As ever, Holden did a much better job politically than its major rival in the off-track parity war. Mark Skaife, with his high public profile on Channel TEN’s telecasts and shows like RPM and V8 Superstars (remember that) doubled as Holden’s spokesman, arguing Commodore teams were simply doing a better job. All strength to him, as Ford execs and Blue Oval star drivers weren’t up to the same standard in campaigning for change.

At other times, I’ve resented Broadmeadows for its lack of commitment to the sport, something from which Fishermans Bend never wavered. Kudos to Holden there.

This column will be very confronting for many. I recognise that plenty of fans – many good people – live to see their favourite brand emerge victorious over its bitter rival. It is a shame good-natured campfire and pub banter between supporters will dissipate. But I won’t miss more meaningful racing discussions always descending into the typical squabble between the two sides. I hate when our vibrant sport is dumbed down to Ford versus Holden, with the achievements of teams and drivers overlooked.

I know that there are as many general motorsport fans turned off by the traditional struggle as excited by it. It’s time for other marques to shine and be given the chance to win the grand prize, the Bathurst 1000.

I’m looking forward to seeing how the sport emerges from out of the shadow of the eternal battle. Blue versus red can live on in memory banks, books, DVDs, YouTube and historic racing. Now it’s time for professional motorsport in this country to move on.

The question is: can Supercars wean itself off Holden’s teat?

It’s 20 years since Luke West wrote his first column for Auto Action #896 in July 2000. ‘Reverential Ramblings’ evolved into ‘Revved Up’ and ran until 2010. Now, after a 10-year break, he’s back to survey motorsport’s changing landscape.

AutoAction

11

LATEST NEWS

FIA FORMULA 3 Champion and AA columnist Oscar Piastri has been named the Autosport 2020 Richard Mille Rookie of the Year. To win the prestigious award Piastri was first nominated by Autosport industry journalists and then won the fan vote. The Victorian beat World Rally Championship driver Kalle Rovanpera who finished fifth, recently signed AlphaTauri driver Yuki Tsunoda who finished third in Formula 2 and Paul di Resta who had great success in LMP2. DM

VALE: ROD STEVENS

FORMER AUSTRALIAN touring car privateer and sports sedan competitor Rod Stevens passed away on December 20 following a battle with cancer.

A very successful competitor in class machinery, Stevens started his career driving a Mini sports sedan and came back from a huge and spectacular crash at Sandown to return to the track in touring cars.

In the familiar Brian Wood Ford-sponsored Escort, Stevens scored the two-litre class victory in the Bathurst 1000 alongside Bill Evans in 1978, finishing in ninth position outright.

This followed a second in class with Tony Farrell the year before, which also resulted in ninth place outright. In all, Stevens made seven starts in the 1000.

Stevens’ success in the Australian Touring

Images: Autopics.com.au

Car Championship was highlighted by finishing third outright in 1978, when the system favoured class competitors.

Stevens also finished third in the 1975 Phillip Island 500 and won the under two-litre class of the McEwen 250 events at Calder.

Although Stevens enjoyed class success, he stepped up to a Ford Falcon in 1979.

As many Ford competitors experienced during this period, Stevens’ Ford was hampered by

VALE: BRIAN SHEAD AUSSIE AIDAN Read has signed up to contest the USA based IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup for BMW squad Turner Motorsport in the GTD class. It will be a new series for the young GT racer who continues his relationship with the German brand and it’s M6 GT3 machine.

Read will be joined in the car by the youngest ever IndyCar Series race winner Colton Herta, BMW factory driver Bill Auberlen and Robby Foley. DM

TOYOTA GAZOO Racing Series organisers have announced that no international drivers will take part in the forthcoming open-wheel championship, due to a lack of available spaces in New Zealand’s MIQ facilities. This means that for the first time TRS has had to distance itself from the international drivers that have made the series so popular in recent years. Former winners of the series include F1 drivers Lando Norris, Lance Stroll and reigning Super2 Series winner Tom Randle. DM

A PART of World Rally Championship history has hit the marketplace and is located right here in Australia. The car in question, a Prodrive-built Subaru Impreza WRX, is chassis #004 from 1993, the first year for the model in the WRC. This chassis is one of the few remaining in close-to-original condition from the era and kicked off a golden period for the Japanese marque. HM

12 AutoAction

LEGENDARY AUSTRALIAN race car designer and champion driver Brian Shead has passed after a long battle with illness.

Shead was best known for designing, engineering and constructing Cheetah Racing Cars.

Not only was he the constructor of championship winning race cars, Shead was also a highly regarded racer driving Cheetah cars to hundreds of race wins, culminating with victory in the Australian Formula 2 Championship in 1979.

The first Cheetah was built for Shead’s personal use in 1960, racing the Mk 1 in the Formula Junior category.

For close to 30 years, Shead built nearly 50 Cheetah cars, which were almost solely designed, engineered, and constructed in a small factory at the rear of his long-time home in the Melbourne bayside suburb of Mordialloc.

Cheetah Racing Cars emerged as the chassis to beat in Australian Formula 3 competition during the 1970s in the hands of Shead and long-time friend Brian Sampson. This success carried into Australian Formula 2, where it was the dominant manufacturer through the 1980s.

Sampson’s Motor Improvements business built and supplied many of the modified Toyota engines used to power race-winning Cheetah cars during the 1970s.

From May 1970 to February 1980, Shead competed in close to 300 events scoring more than 100 wins, 200 podium places, 85 fastest laps and 30 lap records.

The highlight of his racing career came in 1979 when he won a hotly contested Australian Formula 2 Championship driving one of his own Cheetah Mk6s.

From 1979 to 1988, Cheetah took six Australian Formula 2 titles starting with Shead in 1979, Peter Glover in 1984 and 1985, Jon Crooke in 1986 and Arthur Abrahams in 1987.

In 1988, Cheetah continued this success with the development of the Mk8-VW as Rohan Onslow took the title and the coveted Australian Gold Star in what was Shead’s first ground effects design.

A variety of other drivers enjoyed great success racing Shead’s Cheetah designs including Peter Macrow, Bob Prendergast, Peter Beehag and Derek Pingel.

The advent of Formula Holden followed in 1989, leading to Shead designing and building the Cheetah Mk9 for the new category where it was driven by Glover, multiple Supercars champion Craig Lowndes and Brian Sampson.

This was the last new Cheetah to be built

by Shead.

Cheetah’s other interests expanded into the Sport 1300 racing category where Motor Improvements driver Peter Jones raced the Clubman to 113 race wins out of 135 events, winning three Australian, five Victorian and three New South Wales titles.

Shead was not just a championship winning constructor and driver, he was a wonderful servant of the sport, highlighted as one of the driving forces behind the establishment of Australian Formula 2 Championship and Formula Holden.

He was actively involved in senior CAMS officials roles and was the chairman of the National Track Safety Committee on behalf of the Confederation of Australian Motor Sport (CAMS, now Motorsport Australia) for several years. This led to him aiding in developing the Adelaide and Albert Park street circuits into Formula 1 venues.

Shead was recognised for his services to Australian motor sport by being awarded CAMS Life Membership in 1994.

Instituted in 1982, the Life Membership is awarded for long-term distinguished service to motor sport. A nominee must have given long-term and distinguished service to Australian motor sport by the application of extraordinary expertise, dedication and for being a positive influence within the sport. That was certainly Brian Shead.Until his illness prevented him from working, Brian was still active building replacement components for dozens of Cheetah race cars being restored or competing in historic race meetings.

Auto Action passes its condolences to Brian’s family, his friends and associates.

BW

reliability problems and he took a step back in 1980 as the touring car regulations changed.

He returned to class competition for two more Bathurst 1000s before making one last trip to contest the second Bathurst 12 Hour, driving a Honda CRX alongside John Pollard and Ed Aitken.

The car retired after just four laps.

Away from the track, he ran Rod Stevens Rollbars in Ferntree Gully, which led the way in developing alloy roll cages in Australia.

Stevens continued to compete regularly for some time, winning the Phillip Island Racing Club’s Clubsport Competitor of the Year in 2006.

Auto Action passes on its condolences to the Stevens family.

VALE- JOHN HOGAN AUSTRALIAN JOHN Hogan has died in London after succumbing to COVID-19. He was 79.

As the marketing boss of cigarette brand Marlboro in Europe, he had a profound effect on motor sport by directing hundreds of millions of dollars of sponsorship into F1 from the mid-1970s into the early 2000s.

Hogan’s influence extended worldwide, with Marlboro and other Phillip Morris products sponsoring race teams throughout Europe, USA and the Asia-Pacific region.

In Australia, Marlboro backed the Holden Dealer Team and Peter Brock for more than a decade, then PM brand Peter Jackson backed Nissan Motorsport, Glenn Seton Racing and Alan Jones’ Stone Bros-run touring car team until tobacco advertising was outlawed in 1995.

Hogan’s Marlboro World Championship Team of sponsored drivers in the ’80s was the template for support across multiple categories in Australia.

Team Penske was backed

by Marlboro in CART and IndyCar in the 1990s until the late 2000s.

Through Hogan, Marlboro’s motor racing largesse extended to bankrolling future F1 stars in F3 and F3000, most notably Ayrton Senna and Mika Hakkinen.

Hogan moved to the UK in the mid-’60s, holding marketing positions with Nestle and Coca-Cola before gaining a senior sponsorship role with Phillip Morris in the ’70s.

An early backer of future world champion James Hunt, he identified motor racing as the vehicle to promote Marlboro worldwide through F1.

He switched Marlboro sponsorship from BRM to McLaren in 1974, winning the world title with Emerson Fittipaldi and then Hunt in ’76.

Hogan brokered the ‘shotgun marriage’ of McLaren and Ron Dennis in 1980, creating the Marlboro McLaren juggernaut that dominated F1 in the ’80s and early ’90s with Alain Prost and Senna.

In the mid-’90s, Hogan switched Marlboro’s backing – by then amounting to $100 million a year – to Ferrari.

He rose to vice-president of marketing of Phillip Morris Europe before retiring in the early 2000s.

He then had a brief spell in 2003 as the sporting and commercial director of the ill-fated Jaguar F1 team.

Hogan was a power player and a kingmaker, but never an ingratiator.

He played the politics of power his financial clout afforded him, among drivers and teams, not F1 itself.

He was a pioneer in global sports sponsorship, leveraging the appeal of F1 to reinforce Marlboro as a household name.

Along with the famed ‘Marlboro Man’ in TV ads, F1 was the cigarette brand’s most famous – and most influential – promotion.

Many in motor sport owe him so much. MF

FIVE-ROUNDS FOR TOYOTA 86 BATHURST WILL act as the finale for the 2021 Toyota Gazoo Racing Australia 86 Series, completing a five-round schedule encompassing three states.

After Toyota extended its support of the series by two years in May, the developmental proving ground is entering its sixth season as support to the Supercars Championship.

Kicking off at the Mount Panorama 500 in February, the series then travels to Winton Motor Raceway in May and Townsville in July, before the penultimate round as support to the SuperNight event at Sydney Motorsport Park in August.

A second trip to Bathurst in what has become a traditional event for the Toyota Gazoo Racing Australia 86 Series as part of the 1000 weekend concludes the title fight.

The series failed to get on-track in 2020 bar a special support event at the Bathurst 1000, but the reveal of the

2021 calendar is exciting for Toyota, competitors and teams according to Toyota Australia chief marketing officer John Pappas.

“The TGRA 86 Series is a core part of our GR brand that has motorsport at its heart and we’re really excited to kick off the 2021 season at Bathurst next year,” said Pappas.

“We know our 86 racing community is keen to be racing in a full championship season again and provide the same sort of close, thrilling action that the series has delivered over the past five years.”

Toyota’s continued support also extends to the prizemoney, which again totals $150,000 with the top three podium finishers in the series taking home $50,000, $30,000 and $15,000.

The prestigious Kaizen Award will be implemented again for the 2021 season and Dunlop Tyres will again support the series. HM

SMITH CLOCKS UP 50 KIWI MOTOR racing legend Ken Smith will reach an incredible milestone when he competes in his 50th New Zealand Grand Prix on January 22-24 at Hampton Downs.

At 79-years-old, Smith will compete in what is being billed as the ‘Race of Champions’ with some of New Zealand’s best drivers of the current era entered for the latest edition.

Smith will line-up alongside Supercars stars Shane van Gisbergen and Andre Heimgartner, international driver Chris van der Drift, Daniel Gaunt and multiple Bathurst 1000 winner Greg Murphy.

Debuting in 1965, Smith has won three NZGPs, the first of which was at the height of Formula 5000’s popularity in the 1970s. A further two wins occurred in 1990 in Formula Pacific machinery and 2004 driving a Formula Ford.

Driving the latest Tatuus Toyota Racing Series chassis, Smith will suit up again purely for the excitement racing brings.

“Everyone on the grid, they’re all real drivers, all there for the same reason – to do their best in what is a very challenging and competitive sport,” Smith said. “I don’t do it these days for the records – the excitement of it never goes away.”

Smith keeps sharp by racing his Lola F5000 in the Tasman Revival Series and raced in the Grand Prix last year.

Fellow Kiwi open-wheel champion Graeme Lawrence was full of praise for his compatriot.

“Kenny is a driver who is still driven – driven to compete and to win, and driven to defy anything that gets in his way – ill health, age, other drivers, cars that don’t perform,” said Lawrence. “Kenny is a fine example of how to take hold of life, get in the driver’s seat and live life to the full.”

The 66th running of the NZGP begins the 17th season of the Toyota Racing Series, which will consist of only three rounds due to the lack of international drivers entered. HM

AS THIS issue of Auto Action went to press, Australian Toby Price trailed Jose Ignacio Cornejo by 1s after the marathon 846km Stage 7. In the Car Class, multiple winner Stephane Peterhansel led the way for Mini, leading by more than seven minutes ahead of Toyota’s Nasser Al-Attiyah. Kamaz held the ascendency in the Trucks. Image: Red Bull Content Pool.

The Best Value in Auto Racing Safety

RaceQuip brand has built a reputation for manufacturing and distributing high quality auto racing safety equipment at affordable prices and continues to build on that reputation.

SFI rated auto racing Snell SA rated helmets, fire retardant suits, shoes, nomex gloves and SFI & FIA seat belts & harness sets.

www.autoaction.com.au

AutoActionMagazine

Auto_Action

instagram.com/autoactionmag/

AutoAction

13

S W NE RA CHANNEL 7 COMMITS EXT

TO SERIOUS COVERAGE

NETWORK’S BIG PLANS FOR RETURN TO SUPERCARS Seven Sport boss Lewis Martin explains exclusively to MARK FOGARTY how the broadcasting heavyweight is reclaiming its heritage as the free TV home of touring car racing SINCE 1969, Channel 7 has been the most consistent broadcaster of toplevel tin-top racing in the country. Not continuously, but Seven Network’s dominance in the 1970s through to the mid-’90s established an enduring legacy of how local racing is covered on TV. Anchored by the then ATN-7 in Sydney, what became the national Seven Network innovated with its coverage of the Bathurst 500/1000, ATCC and Amaroo Park. In the early ’70s, there were also live telecasts of rallycross at Katoomba’s Catalina Park, augmented by HSV-7 Melbourne’s coverage of rallycross and racing at Calder.

Seven has shown the annual Mount Panorama classic nearly twice as often as Channel 10, returning this year as the free-to-air partner in the new $200 million five-year broadcast deal.

Technically and in presentation, including commentary, Seven set the format of modern coverage. The difference this time is that Seven is back not as the primary broadcast rights-holder, but as the minor partner, paying only a fraction of the $40 million a year fee underwritten by Foxtel.

Fox Sports and Supercars Media produce the broadcasts that decide the look and sound of the race telecasts, which will be simulcast on Seven, using the same hosts, commentators and reporters.

This is important to understand in the context of the uproar over popular pit lane pundit Mark Larkham’s axing and Supercars’ move to make the telecasts a lot less technical. The backlash to Larko’s

exit and the threat to Neil ‘The Voice Of V8s’ Crompton is still playing out, but while Seven has a say because of the sheer size of its audience, it can’t veto commentary changes.

After decades of Sydney direction, Seven Sport is now run out of Melbourne by longtime local station boss Lewis Martin, who as Head Of Sport oversees the network’s signature AFL, cricket, horse racing and Olympics FTA broadcast deals.

While he admits he is not a motor sport aficionado, Martin professes to be enthused by the potential of Supercars’ return to Seven. The network will also show ARG events – headlined by TCR and S5000 – to consolidate its comeback as the free TV home of major Australian motor racing.

Seven has multiple digital FTA channels on which to air Supercars and ARG events, as well as the 7Plus streaming service – all for free.

Martin is keen, says the right things and swears the Supercars coverage, at least, will be treated as seriously as the AFL and cricket. We’ll believe it when we see it.

His naivety and lack of knowledge are revealed by him referring to V8 Supercars – a branding lesson to the sport’s administrators in itself – and expressing epiphany like awe at the scale and visceral excitement, plus what he perceives as an abundance of colourful characters.

He is being guided by the network’s newly appointed Executive Producer Of Motorsport Anna Stone, the daughter of

After decades of Sydney direction, Seven Sport is run out of Melbourne by local station boss Lewis Martin.

14 AutoAction

Supercars Hall Of Fame former team owner Ross Stone and an established TV sports producer.

Seven is due to begin its new era in motor sport at ARG’s Race Tasmania at the end of the month, followed by the scheduled Supercars season-opening Mount Panorama 500 at the end of February.

Here are the edited highlights of an extended conversation with Martin about how ‘The Screens Of Seven’ will showcase local motor sport with coverage that can be accessed for free by all fans: On the Larko decision Look, Larkham is an issue for Supercars at this point in time. Seven’s strategy

is that, very clearly, we’re going to be respecting the core audience and we’re going to be looking forward to reengaging with the lapsed viewers, and then we’re going to be looking forward to enticing the new. Now, we’re going to respect the outcome that Supercars come to with Mark because we’re stepping through that process [of deciding the commentary line-up]. We’re not down to that point yet, so my view at this point in time is that Supercars will sort out that situation with Larkham and we will respect that outcome.

The broadcast itself, I think, is a pretty good broadcast. We’re not coming in bull-at-gate. We see the opportunities for Supercars and Seven – not only the broadcast, but outside the broadcast.

That’s our preoccupation at the moment.

Given the Larko outrage, shouldn’t regular viewers be listened to?

Definitely. Viewers should always be listened to and I believe that Supercars are probably doing that right now. So, again, part of our plan as we shared with Supercars is to respect the core audience and there’s been an outcome – and from my limited understanding, Supercars are responding to the reaction of the core fans. And we’ll be taking a very similar approach. My perspective right now is that Supercars are dealing with the situation with Larkham and I think that they’re going to have an outcome which I think will be good for all.

Do you agree that Neil Crompton has to be a foundation of the commentary

are warriors on that track. I’m not your typical motor sport fan, but I have to tell you, these guys go to an edge. I’m excited by this product because it’s a beautiful product. My commitment and Anna Stone’s commitment and the commitment from Seven is we’re going to share this sport and all its colour and all its drama and all its passion with as many people as we can. Because I know when people get to see and feel it, they’re really going to enjoy it. No doubt in my mind.

On the benefit of combined overage of Supercars and ARG That’s very important for motor sport. A rising tide lifts all boats. There are some tremendous characters in the TCR as well. What I like is that motor sport will be spread across the year and then will be given an opportunity to be talked about on a more regular basis. I just want motor sport to be talked about as often as possible. Other sports have been able to understand the importance of constantly being in the presence of viewers or listeners or readers, so our view will be to make sure that rarely will there be a week that goes by where’s there’s not a story about motor sport, good bad or indifferent, to be honest with you. And that’s really important for the sport. It’s has to become common place and it has to be part of the Australian sporting landscape. We’re really confident that done right, done well and done truthfully, then the motor sport economy will all rise to the benefit of the sport and the participants.

Seven will also show ARG events – headlined by TCR and S5000 – to consolidate its comeback as the free TV home of major Australian motor racing. team?

Yes, definitely. And I think that, again, we’re not coming in to dismantle the heritage or the pillars of V8 Supercars.

Quite the opposite. We don’t want huge amounts of change by any means.

What I don’t want is the people from the Supercars community changing. We just want them to share their passion, their intensity and their desire with more people. I have to tell you, I’ve been around this caper (sports broadcasting) a long time and I am so energised by the passion and enthusiasm in Supercars. I’m only a brief way through meeting with each of the teams, but everybody I meet in Supercars – even the outcry regarding Larkham – to me that’s what I want to talk about. It’s that passion of the Supercars fan because that passion is matched by the drivers, by the owners, by the pit crews and by the broadcasters, and V8 Supercars in my view has been under a bushel for a little while in terms of broad story telling. To be honest with you, when I saw the response to the Larkham situation, I thought ‘Wow! We’ve got ourselves a really passionate group of people’. Now, I don’t want to deal with boring, benign people that don’t care.

I want to deal with a fan base that really

www.autoaction.com.au

cares and I want to deal with a participant group that really care. And then you have the fans and they’ve demonstrated their passion and their love for their sport recently, and myself and Anna Stone will be very aware of that and all we’re looking to do is to make sure that as many people as possible get to see and understand or get to experience that passion. So, to me, if you want my commentary on the Larkham outcome, I loved the response, I loved the passion. The decision is with Supercars, I respect that, but I have to say to you that I love the passion. And that’s what we need.

Our role at Seven is to grow Supercars.

We’re committed to growing the audience and bringing that audience back, and equally though, we’re also committed to contributing to the economy of Supercars and motor sport in this country.

So you’re going to take Supercars seriously – it won’t just be program filler?

You’re talking to the wrong bloke. I’m not about program filler, I can tell you right now. This sport is so intense. We will be revealing this. We really want to showcase that genuine respect for the drivers, who

AutoActionMagazine

Auto_Action

Like AFL and cricket, Supercars race broadcasts will be simulcast with Fox Sports We have a very strong working relationship across AFL and cricket and we’ll be playing a very complimentary role.

We’ll be giving a Seven flavour to our race days, but equally, too, we’re aligned with Fox Sports in growing the sport, which is in both our interests. We’ve already had several discussions and we’ve played that role collectively with our AFL seasons and we’ve played that role collectively through cricket, and we’re going to be applying that to Supercars. We’re a free-to-air network and we’ll be appealing to that broader audience as much as possible and looking to bring the lapsed viewers back as well as enticing a new audience.

What success will look like to me is when the core fan’s knowledge is being sought by their peers. That’s when we know we’re starting to really roll again.

How many live Supercars telecasts will there be on the main Seven channel in addition to Bathurst?

We haven’t got that far down the track, but I would say in most cases they will be on the Seven main channel where we can in various states. I’m a little bit channel agnostic these days, given that all of AFL, for example, is on 7mate in Perth. We have a lot of flexibility these days in terms of our channel selection. For me, it will be about, again, the promotion outside. You mentioned Bathurst. Well, I can say to you that in front of four million people on AFL Grand Final Day, there will be a big opportunity for us to promote our Bathurst telecast. Bathurst is obviously a big one, but it’s not our sole focus. We will certainly build to Bathurst, no doubt, but our main focus is motor sport overall. You’ll be hearing a lot more from us.

instagram.com/autoactionmag/

The new broadcast deal is a chance to freshen the coverage, so are changes inevitable?

Of course, you always take that opportunity, but you don’t throw the baby out with the bath water. We want to see how we work in with the audience early on, how our broader promotional strategies work. As I said, we’re not charging in like bulls at a gate here. The actual broadcast product itself is in pretty good shape.

We have enormous respect for Nathan Prendergast at Supercars, so our view at the moment is going to be we have a really solid, really compelling product and we’ll be looking to promote and showcase the elements of that – and TCR, equally – to as many people as we possibly can.

We’re coming in, we will sit with Fox Sports and we will sit with Supercars, and like with any broadcast, be it AFL or cricket or Supercars, we’ll look at it and review new opportunities about how you may or may not decide to change things. We have a very collaborative approach at the moment, but we are leaders in what we do and, again, everything we will be talking to V8 Supercars about – and the teams and Fox Sports – will be about growth. And with that comes a frame of opportunity in my view.

On rotating presenters/commentators I think you’re going to see some changes, definitely, and that’ll all be revealed in the new year. But you won’t see dramatic change. Our sports philosophy is to keep things moving, keep it at a fast pace. The sport itself is king, so you don’t necessarily want the entire day dominated by who’s commentating. The great commentators simply make the sport itself compelling viewing. We’re looking to extract those stories. But don’t anticipate a dramatic shift by any means. We’ve been doing a lot of work in the background, but for all intents and purposes, we’ve been doing a lot of talking. Come February 26, we’ll start to do our walking, but we also have the TCRs early on, too, so we need to start doing a bit of walking. But we’re really confident about what we’re going to bring to motor sport. From where motor sport’s been to where we intend and where we believe it can go, we’re very confident.

On additional motor sport programs on Seven like AFL comment shows When we talk about growing the motor sport economy, well then, that economy will generate ancillary programming concepts. We already have a number of ideas on paper at the moment. My view will be that as we build and increase the economy of Supercars and grow the interest, then you’ll start to see those programs come on and complement our coverage because there’s a lot to be said off-track. There’s definitely an abundance of content that surrounds motor sport and it certainly would support our strategies to build ancillary programming. But, again, that comes with the economy and we’re really confident that we will be not only appealing to viewers, but equally we’ll be appealing to the sponsorship side. We’re a commercial organisation, so we will be looking to maximise the eyeballs in order to then drive and maximise the investment in those eyeballs. It’s a pretty simple equation and we have a product in motor sport which we believe is going to be able to do that.”

AutoAction

15

LATEST NEWS

AUSTRALIAN GP POSTPONED FORMULA 1 has announced this evening that for the second year in succession the Australian Grand Prix will not kick off its season.

An updated calendar has been revealed and has Australia provisionally down as the third from last race of the season, pencilling in November 21 a date for Melbourne to host the race.

This rescheduled date is however ever subject to official World Motor Sport Council approval.

It is still a possibility that the Australian Grand Prix may not be run for the second year in succession, pending the COVID-19 Pandemic situation internationally as well as our international traveller quarantine laws later this year.

The 2021 Formula 1 season will instead begin in Bahrain, it will be the first time the venue in Sakhir has hosted the opening round since 2010 when they ran on the lengthened 6.29km layout.

The season will now start a week later with Bahrain hosting the first race on March 28.

Due to ongoing travel restrictions, the 2021 Chinese Grand Prix has also been postponed, but unlike the Australian Grand Prix it has not been given a revised date.

Discussions with the promoter and authorities in China are ongoing, with the potential to reschedule the race later for later in the season if possible.

Imola returns to the schedule in place of China, the popular Italian venue will host its

second grand prix in two years.

The TBC race scheduled as the third round will be announced in due course and will take place on the new date of May 2.

Twenty-three races remain on the calendar, however a China return may would make it 24.

Dan McCarthy

Updated 2021 F1 Calendar: 28 March – Bahrain (Sakhir) 18 April – Italy (Imola*) 2 May – TBC 9 May – Spain (Barcelona) 23 May – Monaco (Monaco) 6 June – Azerbaijan (Baku) 13 June – Canada (Montreal) 27 June – France (Le Castellet)

4 July – Austria (Spielberg) 18 July – United Kingdom (Silverstone) 1 August – Hungary (Budapest) 29 August – Belgium (Spa) 5 September – Netherlands (Zandvoort) 12 September – Italy (Monza) 26 September – Russia (Sochi) 3 October – Singapore (Singapore) 10 October – Japan (Suzuka) 24 October – USA (Austin) 31 October – Mexico (Mexico City) 7 November – Brazil (Sao Paulo) 21 November – Australia (Melbourne*) 5 December – Saudi Arabia (Jeddah**) 12 December – Abu Dhabi (Yas Island) *Revisions to calendar are subject to World Motor Sport Council approval **Subject to circuit homologation

NEW 2021 DATE HIGHLIGHTS AUS GP IMPORTANCE AFTER MONTHS of speculation, it was confirmed last night that the Australian Grand Prix has been postponed until November, with all parties adamant that the event will go ahead as the third to last round of the F1 season.

It has been announced that in the coming weeks work on the Albert Park Street Circuit will commence ahead of the scheduled November 18-21 event date.

Since the announcement of the postponement, the Supercars Championship has confirmed that it will run its second round just down the road at Sandown Raceway on the original March dates 19-21.

Motorsport Australia CEO Eugene Arocca is delighted that organisers were able to find a new date and highlights the importance of the event down under.

“While Melbourne could not open the season in March, having a new date confirmed is a terrific outcome for all parties involved,”

Arocca said.

“The decision to keep Australia on the calendar underlines how important our race is to the Formula 1 Championship.

“While fans are used to seeing the cars on track on the streets of Albert Park in March of each year, we now have the honour of hosting an event at the business end of the season where the Championship fight could well and truly be decided.

“Congratulations to the Australian Grand Prix Corporation and the Victorian Government for working so hard to ensure that Formula 1 comes to Australia in 2021.

“November is also a vibrant and busy time in Melbourne and this event will certainly add to a busy motorsport and events calendar here in Victoria and across Australia.

“There is so much to look forward to later this year and to have two world-class Grands Prix running within a month of each other is a very

exciting prospect for Australian motorsport fans.”

Formula 1’s new CEO Stefano Domenicali is thrilled to keep Australia in the revised schedule and is confident that every round will take place.

As reported by Auto Action Bahrain is the new season opener, with Imola drafted in as a replacement for China.

“The global pandemic has not yet allowed life to return to normal, but we showed in 2020 that we can race safely as the first international sport to return and we have the experience and plans in place to deliver on our season,” Domenicali explained.

“It is great news that we have already been able to agree a rescheduled date for the Australian Grand Prix in November and we are very excited that Imola will return for the 2021 season.

“Obviously, the virus situation remains fluid,

but we have the experience from last season with all our partners and promoters to adapt accordingly and safely in 2021.

“We know our fans will be looking forward to the revised season opener in Bahrain.”

The date change means that there will only be a four-week gap separating the MotoGP Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix weekend at Phillip Island from October 22-24 and the Formula 1 race in the same state.

Australian Grand Prix Corporation Chairman Paul Little is grateful for the support the event continues to have in these difficult times.

“We’d like to thank our loyal motorsport fans and employees for their understanding in these challenging times,” Little said.

“As the third-last race of the season, this provides the opportunity to safely host what could be the championship-decider in Melbourne in the lead-in to summer.”

Dan McCarthy

ABITEBOUL DEPARTS RENAULT AMID THE team’s rebrand as Alpine ahead of this year’s Formula 1 World Championship, long-time Renault employee and team principal Cyril Abiteboul is leaving the team.

Abiteboul has been in sole charge of the Formula 1 team since 2017, but leaves the company altogether after a major shake-up by new Renault CEO Luca de Meo, formerly of SEAT. Replacing Abiteboul is Laurent Rossi, director of strategy and business development of Groupe Renault, who takes over as CEO of Alpine. Rossi therefore assumes control of the Formula 1 team and will report to de Meo. Speculation was rife last week that recently departed Suzuki MotoGP team manager Davide Brivio was linked to the role.

It was expected Abiteboul would shift to a less-Formula 1 focused role concentrating on Renault’s performance brand Alpine and its planned growth in 2021, which aligned with the renaming of the Renault F1 Team.

However, he will leave the Renault Groupe altogether after 20-years’ service.

“I would like to thank the Groupe Renault for having trusted me for many years, particularly with the relaunch and reconstruction of the team since 2016,” said Abiteboul.

“The solid foundations of the racing team and the entities in France and England built over these years, the strategic evolution of the sport towards a more economically

MOSTERT TO RACE TCR

sustainable model, and more recently the Alpine project which provides a renewed sense of meaning and dynamism, all point to a very fine trajectory.

“I would like to thank Luca de Meo for involving me in the construction of the Alpine Business Unit and I wish the new structure every success.”

Starting as business development manager within the Formula 1 team in 2007, Abiteboul rose through the ranks to be installed as team principal when Renault returned as a works team in 2016.

De Meo thanked Abiteboul for transitioning the team from backmarkers to podium winners in the space of five seasons.

“I would like to warmly thank Cyril for his tireless involvement, which notably led the Renault F1 Team from the penultimate place in 2016 to the podiums last season,” said de Meo.

“His remarkable work in F1 since 2007 allows us to look to the future, with a strong team and the new Alpine F1 Team identity to conquer the podiums this year.”

It’s a fresh start for Renault in 2021, with the familiar yellow and black livery replaced by the blue, red and white of its performance brand Alpine.

Abiteboul is the second management departure to leave the team after Jerome Stoll’s resignation as head of Renault Sport Racing late-last year.

Former lead driver, Australian Daniel Ricciardo announced his move to McLaren in May last year allowing Fernando Alonso to return to the Grand Prix scene.

The French marque finished fifth in the Manufacturers’ Championship, scoring three podiums with Ricciardo and new-for-2020 signee Esteban Ocon.

Heath McAlpine

MOUNT PANORAMA 500 THREAT LIFTED VICTORIA’S RELAXATION of the border closure to NSW is good news for Supercars, which has scheduled the season-opener at Bathurst at the end of next month.

There were concerns that Melbourne teams could be stuck in NSW if re-entry to Victoria remained barred because of the renewed Sydney coronavirus threat.

In recent days Victoria was re-opened to travellers from regional NSW under the new ‘traffic light’ permit system.

With Sydney still a hot spot, though, the pre-season test and season launch are likely to be relocated.

Entry is still barred from the Greater Sydney area, declared the red zone, while most of regional NSW, including Bathurst, designated as orange, need a permit, a COVID-19 test on arrival and self-isolation until receiving a negative result. But avoid a full 14-day quarantine.

If the relaxation of the border remains, the Melbourne-based Supercars teams will be able to return from the February 26-28

Mount Panorama 500 with minimal disruption.

The change removes a major risk to the event because the six Melbourne-based teams are unlikely to agree to travel to Bathurst without a guarantee of being able to return.

They spent more than 100 days on the road to complete last year’s COVID-compacted season and don’t want to put their staff and families through a similar ordeal.

There is still a minor risk to the squads based in southeast Queensland if coronavirus cases

continue in Brisbane.

For now, though, it appears all the teams will be able to travel to Bathurst and return home without major inconvenience.

Border bans also effect the viability of Supercars events by limiting the movement of competitors in support race categories, which provide valuable revenue and fill big chunks of the Fox Sports broadcasts.

Supercars has already faced adversity to the original 12-event 2021 calendar with the postponement of the F1

Australian Grand Prix forcing the relocation of the second round to Sandown.

Meanwhile, the pre-season test planned for February 13-14 at Sydney Motorsport Park, which is in the red zone, set to be split between Winton Motor Raceway for southern teams and Queensland Raceway for northern squads.

Supercars was also planning a season launch for media in Sydney linked with the SMP test, but that will be rescheduled and relocated.

Mark Fogarty

WALKINSHAW ANDRETTI United’s Chaz Mostert will make his TCR Australia debut at Symmons Plains, the opening leg of the Boost Mobile Race Tasmania doubleheader.

Mostert will join more than 20 TCR entries for season-opening event racing an Audi RS3 TCR prepared by Melbourne Performance Centre. He will sample the model for the first time at Phillip Island today as part of an official pre-season test.

Joining Mostert will be his long-term engineer Adam DeBorre, who will oversee the Supercars star’s maiden campaign in the category.

TCR is not an unknown quantity to Mostert as he tested one of HMO Customer Racing’s i30N TCRs at Sydney Motorsport Park’s season launch in 2018, before being barred from racing in the new class by his then Supercars team Tickford Racing.

Since moving to WAU at the beginning of 2020, Mostert finished fifth in the Supercars title and is eager to start the motor racing season in Tasmania.

“It’s great to get back into a race seat and start the season nice and early down at Symmons Plains,” said Mostert.

“Melbourne Performance Centre have put this deal together for me, and it’s great that I will have the chance to get some early miles for 2021.

“TCR is a pretty cool series. Racing door-to-door is what all drivers want to be involved in. I’m excited to drive the Audi.

“At this stage, I’m locked in for the test at Phillip Island and the first round at Symmons Plains.

We’ll see how the year pans out, but as a driver, you want to be in the car, so excited to come down and get some laps and kick off the new year driving a new race car.”

Adhesive manufacturer Bostik is the naming rights sponsor of Mostert’s entry and has a previous association with MPC through the team’s Bathurst 12 Hour program.

Mostert will drive the RS3 LMS TCR driven by Garth and Leanne Tander during selected rounds of last year’s series, while further MPC entries are expected to be confirmed ahead of Symmons Plains.

“I’m looking forward to TCR this year. After sitting on the sidelines for most of 2020, it will be great to get back to the track,” said MPC director Troy Russell.

“It’s great to have Chaz on board with us. He is obviously a great driver and an excellent person to have around the team. It’s going to be a lot of fun.

“And of course, Chaz presents an excellent opportunity to get some strong results. We saw in 2019 with Garth (Tander) that the Audi is capable to running at front, so we’re looking forward to see what Chaz can do in the pack.

“It’s also great to have Bostik on board for the test today and the opening TCR round too. Bostik has supported our Audi GT3 program and they are a strong partner to have.”

The Boost Mobile Race Tasmania doubleheader starts at Symmons Plains where TCR Australia is joined by the S5000 Australian Drivers’ Championship, the National Trans Am Series and Touring Car Masters on January 24-26.

For further information regarding Boost Mobile Race Tasmania, a 12-page program and TV guide features in the latest Auto Action.

Heath McAlpine

LATEST NEWS

LMTC+ JOINS MOFFAT GARRY ROGERS Motorsport driver James Moffat will feature a new livery for this year’s TCR Australia Series featuring automotive marketplace LMCT+ as title sponsor.

A major backer of GRM’s Supercars return at Bathurst last year, LMCT+ started three years ago connecting more than 125,000 members with Australian merchants offering discounted parts, services and other related goods.

The partnership originally came about through a mutual contact in the industry where a friendly chat turned into sponsorship of GRM’s Wildcard entry and has now extended to Moffat’s updated Renault Megane R.S. TCR Evo. “We were happy to jump in on the Wildcard at Bathurst and now onto the TCR cars, so it’s exciting,” said Adrian Portelli of LMCT+.

LMCT+ works with brands such as Burson Auto Parts, Penrite and Ultratune provide discounts to members, who in turn can enter promotions to win vehicles built

by LMCT+ partners exhibiting their work.

After experienced significant growth in 2020, LMCT+ donated more than $500,000 to charity and has also devised its own called Little Legends.

“It allows us to get hands on and be a

A BRUTAL ninth stage of Dakar 2021 around Neom has claimed a number of victims including Australian Toby Price.

The leading KTM rider broke his collarbone after crashing heavily at the 155km mark of the day’s stage while in second place overall. Price was airlifted out of the stage and will take no further part in this year’s event, just the second time he has failed to finish the Dakar in six attempts.

Price wasn’t the only leading contender to bow out during the 465km special as Husqvarna’s Luciano Benavides also crashed, while Yamaha’s Ross Branch suffered an engine failure.

Honda’s José Ignacio Cornejo took full advantage of Price’s crash to extend his margin over the rest of the field to 11-minutes with the third-fastest time of the day.

Fellow factory Honda rider Kevin Benavides took the stage win to move up to second overall.

Sam Sunderland (KTM) and Ricky Brabec (Honda) sit third and fourth overall after stopping to assist the injured Price. Both riders received time back at the end of the day.

“Today we had Toby go down and hit the dirt.” said Brabec after the stage.

“He’s a little bit injured, I think it’s his left shoulder and left arm. He hit pretty hard on the left and didn’t really know where he was.

“He asked me probably seven times where he was and who I was. I came across him and just hung out with him until the helicopter got there.

“What we do is dangerous, so it’s unfortunate that he is out. We hope he’s okay. It’s something we have to think about every time we put the gear on each morning. It could be any of us.

“This day last year we lost a really good friend

bit more involved with the charity,” Portelli explained.

Moffat is excited to get back behind the wheel of his Renault, which was limited to purely testing last year.

“My Renault looks pretty racey. I’m really looking forward to getting back in,” said Moffat.

“It’s great to have the support of LMCT+.

They have supported GRM in the past and its terrific that they have jumped on board my Renault for this year.

“And like all of us, LMCT+ is just looking

forward to going racing again. 2020 was tough one, especially for the ARG categories who simply weren’t able to get on track.

“We just want to get racing, and to have the LMCT support is a great way to kick off 2021.

“The pleasing part of TCR for this year is the entry list. It looks really strong. Close to 20 cars for Symmons Plains which is exciting, and the nature off the circuit should lend itself to good racing. The slip stream will come into effect, and the idea of racing

on the Australia Day holiday is definitely something new. I’m looking forward to it.

“The effort behind the scenes to make the Boost Mobile Race Tasmania event a success is unbelievable. With all that is happening in the world, it would have been easy for the organisers to pull the pin, but they’ve done everything they can to get it going and put on a really good show for everyone.”

Moffat and Dylan O’Keeffe spearhead GRM’s Renault Megane R.S. TCR attack for this year’s TCR Australia Series. HM

PRICE CRASHES OUT OF DAKAR

in Paulo and today Toby crashed and went out of the rally, but he’s going to be ok. For sure, going on for the rest of the day was really difficult.”

“The guys sent me on right behind Joan and Daniel Sanders, so I was stuck in the dust and I was really angry because I wasn’t in the dust before I came across Toby.

“There was a three-minute gap and we were just doing our own thing. I got stuck in the dust for a while and it kind of made me angry, so I just pushed and got around it.

“Then I kind of opened the stage with Joan the rest of the way. Me and Joan took turns opening

and it was really fun. But things are shaking up, we’ve all got smoked tyres.

“There’s three days left and stage 11 is going to be the longest one. Hopefully we’ve finished okay today.”

Rookie Daniel Sanders, now the lead Australian in the field moved up to sixth overall, 38-minutes off the pace of the leaders.

The battle of attrition also allowed other Australians Michael Burgess (30th) and Andrew Houlihan (53rd) to move up the order.

In the car class, X-Raid Mini’s Stephane Peterhansel made his intentions clear taking the

stage win by more than 12-minutes to extend his overall lead to 17-minutes clear of Toyota’s Nasser Al-Attiyah after he was hampered by three punctures during the stage.

Carlos Sainz struck more problems today with his X-Raid Mini, brake failure dropped the Spaniard a further 30-minutes behind the leaders.

Despite this, Sainz managed to maintain third position overall with Jakub Przygonski (Orlen Team Overdrive) and Nani Roma (Bahrain Raid Extreme) another hour behind.

Rhys Vandersyde

PERONI HEADS TO THE US LEADING AUSTRALIAN FIA Formula 3 driver Alex Peroni has confirmed he will make the switch to American open-wheel racing competing in the Indy Lights series for 2021.

The Tasmanian joins 2016 Indy Lights winners Carlin, which returns to the second-tier series after two-years away developing its IndyCar squad. It will join forces with IndyCar driver Jay Howard and serve as the top rung in his Driver Development team, based out of Delray Beach Florida, alongside Carlin’s IndyCar program.

Peroni transfers over to Indy lights after previously winning races in Formula Renault Eurocup, including at Monaco, before competing the last two seasons in Formula 3. He experienced a lengthy time in rehab after a severe crash at Monza ended his 2019 season early, but came back to score three podiums on the way to 10th in the title and received the Peter Brock Medal for his efforts from Motorsport Australia.

An excited Peroni is excited to take on a new challenge in joining a team, which holds a strong tie to the IndyCar Series.

“I’m seriously pumped to be joining the 2021 Indy Lights field and to be doing it with a team such as Carlin who I know have been successful in the series before

and of course I know well from Europe”, said Peroni.

“I’m so thankful to Blundstone and the state of Tasmania for their continued support and for allowing me to follow my dream.

“No doubt there will be a lot to learn in terms of both the car and the different circuits, but I am absolutely ready for the challenge and know I will have a great team behind me to bring me up to speed.”

Team owner Trevor Carlin explained the time was right to rejoin the top feeder category and is confident Peroni will adapt quickly to the demands of American racing.

“We’re really excited to be back in Indy Lights having been so successful in the series in the past. It’s a fantastic series to prepare drivers for the NTT INDYCAR SERIES and it was always our aim to return to the junior formula once we had become more settled in IndyCar. “We’re very proud that Alex and his sponsors have chosen Carlin as the team to take his first steps into US racing. We know having raced against him in the immensely competitive FIA Formula 3 Championship what he is capable of and I can’t wait to see his potential evolve in the Indy Lights field.”

Heath McAlpine

ADELAIDE FURTHER SIGNALS WRC INTENTIONS CONFIRMATION THE Adelaide Hills Rally will form part of the Asia-Pacific Rally Championship this year has heightened speculation the city is aiming to host a World Rally Championship event in 2022.

As previously reported by Auto Action, Adelaide has quickly emerged as the likely candidate to host the Australian round of the WRC, replacing Coffs Harbour.

The holiday destination in New South Wales has hosted the previous seven Rally Australia events but has proved unpopular with teams due to its remote location from a capital city.

The Adelaide Hills are located close to the CBD and as well as to the popular Barossa Valley Wine region, alleviating the concerns expressed by the WRC teams.

It is expected the Adelaide Hills Rally will be a candidate event ahead of being evaluated by the FIA to upgrade to WRC status in 2022.

Adelaide is scheduled to be the third round of the Pacific leg of the Asia-Pacific championship taking place from October 15-17, so long as the stages pass the homologation checks.

A WRC event in Adelaide would draw the city’s biggest international motorsport TV audience since it lost the Formula 1 Grand Prix to Melbourne at the end of 1995.

It has been reported that a multi-page

document created by Motorsport Australia has been viewed in the South Australian Parliament House, proposing Rally Australia move to Adelaide in 2022.

When AA approached Motorsport Australia about the subject, it declined to comment.

It is understood the SA based WRC event would be a three-year deal.

In 2021 the Asia-Pacific Cup will be split

with a Pacific Cup to be contested across New Zealand and Australia.

Rally Otago in New Zealand opens the season from April 16-18, followed a month later by the Rally of Whangarei from May 16-18.

A lengthy break occurs before the third round, the Adelaide Hills Rally from October 15-17, before the series concludes with the finale at Coffs Harbour

from November 20-21.

The Coffs Harbour event will host both Asia and Pacific Cup competitors to decide the combined Asia-Pacific champion.

The last Rally Australia event to take place was in 2018, last year the round was cancelled due to the threatening bushfires and in 2020 did not go ahead because of the global COVID-19 pandemic.

Dan McCarthy

LATEST NEWS

M-SPORT ADMIT TO COVID CHALLENGES LEADING WORLD Rally Championship team M-Sport have revealed the effects the COVID-19 pandemic has had on its business whilst announcing its 2021 driving roster.

Inexperienced Englishman Gus Greensmith will lead the squad’s 2021 campaign and will contest his first fullseason in rallying’s top-tier after a partial program last year.

Greensmith is joined by three-time podium finisher Teemu Suninen and rookie Adrien Fourmaux, who will share the second Ford Fiesta WRC machine.

This means as previously reported by AA popular Finnish youngster Esapekka Lappi will not be driving full-time in 2021.

M-Sport admits the COVID-19 pandemic has taken its toll on the team, but the British squad is confident the situation will improve as the year progresses.

“We will continue to work hard to see if we can increase Teemu’s programme and bring additional top-level drivers into the squad, but we also have to be honest and say that the Covid situation has made things extremely difficult for us,” said team principal Richard Millener.

“That said, we hope there is light at the end of the tunnel, and I know that every

single member of the team will continue to give their best as we push for the best possible results in 2021.”

Greensmith and co-driver Elliott Edmondson scored a career-best fifth place in Rally Turkey last year and Millener expects the pair will maintain the progress going into 2021.

“We’re delighted to offer Greensmith his first full season with the top-specification Fiesta, and want to see him and Elliott take maximum experience from a full rally and test programme – learning not only the rallies, but the intricacies of set-up, engineering and everything that goes into

becoming a world-class driver,” he said.

In 2021 Suninen will have a new codriver, however the Finnish youngster has not yet confirmed, who will replace the experienced Jarmo Lehtinen.

“We all know that Teemu has the speed.

It’s something we saw on his very first outing with the Ford Fiesta WRC and we felt it important to find a way for him to continue with us this year,” Millener explained.

“We’ve managed to create a partial WRC programme for him and will target specific events where he and the Fiesta can be competitive.”

Frenchman Fourmaux will step up to drive in select WRC rounds this year along with a full-time WRC2 campaign with M-Sport.

“We want to ensure he gets to experience as many rallies as possible, continuing to showcase the performance of the Fiesta Rally2 but also starting to pit himself against the world’s best,” Millener said.

Suninen and Fourmaux’s WRC events are yet to be finalised, however M-Sport confirmed that for the season opening event in Monte Carlo, Greensmith will be joined by Suninen. Dan McCarthy

SA OPPOSITION TO REVIVE ADELAIDE MOTORSPORT FESTIVAL SOUTH AUSTRALIAN opposition leader Peter Malinauskas has announced the popular Adelaide Motorsport Festival will be revived if he is elected as state premier.

This announcement was made exactly two months after the South Australian Premier Steven Marshall axed the Adelaide 500.

Like the Adelaide 500, the Adelaide Motorsport Festival will return should the Malinauskas Labor government be elected in March of 2022.

The Adelaide Motorsport Festival was run successfully from 2014-2018 by a small team of motorsport enthusiasts, before state funding was cut, and forced the sudden cancellation of

the event.

Organisers had hoped to bring the event back to life in 2020, but this did not come to fruition.

Labor has vowed to reinstate the funding to work with sporting car clubs and other associations to deliver a larger event than ever before.

“The Adelaide Motorsport Festival was first held in 2014 and in its inaugural year was named 2014 CAMS SA/NT State Event of the Year,” Malinauskas said.

“The event grew from humble beginnings where about 1800 people attended to more than 50,000 people being engaged in all elements of the event during its last year.

“While the Marshall Liberal Government is focused on cancelling events, Labor is focused on reinstating our title as the Festival State.

“Events like the Adelaide Motorsport Festival and Adelaide 500 attract interstate and overseas visitors and support jobs in our tourism, hospitality and retail industries.”

The sprint ran around a shortened section of the Adelaide Parklands Circuit, which utilised Victoria Park and Wakefield Road.

The event was known for its diverse fields of classic racing cars, from V8 Supercars to Group A Touring Cars, sports cars, motorbikes and classic road cars.

It also drew in a large array of motorsport legends including Craig Lowndes, former F1 driver Ivan Capelli, Le Mans winner David Brabham and seven-time Bathurst winner Jim Richards, who all participated in the event.

The sprint at Victoria Park was not the only part of the festival, the Adelaide Classic Rally took place in the Adelaide Hills, as well as the event-opening Gouger Street Party.

The Malinauskas Labor party explained the Adelaide Motorsport Festival was one of Australia’s premier motorsport events and a real contributor to South Australia’s tourism economy, delivering more than $3.5 million in economic benefits to the state. Dan McCarthy

MOTOGP CANCELS SEPANG TESTS MotoGP has cancelled their scheduled preseason testing that was due to be held 19-21 February at Sepang.

By RHYS VANDERSYDE THE MALAYSIAN venue had been set to take its traditional place as the venue for not only the preseason test, but also the shakedown of the new for 2021 bikes in the week prior.

However, overnight the Malaysian government has declared a state of emergency in the country due to a surge in local COVID-19 cases.“The FIM, IRTA and Dorna Sports regret to

announce the cancellation of both the Shakedown Test and the Official Sepang Test.” read a statement from MotoGP organisers.

“The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting lockdowns and complications have obliged the cancellation of both events, which were set to take place at Sepang International Circuit in Malaysia in February. ” “The Qatar Test, currently set to take

place at Losail International Circuit from the 10th to the 12th of March, continues to be confirmed and any further updates or changes will be provided as soon as available.”

As it stands currently, the 2021

MotoGP season is still scheduled to get underway in Qatar March 26-28, two weeks after the test at the same venue.

The news follows changes to the Formula 1 calendar for 2021, also due to COVID-19 related restrictions.

CHAZ MOSTERT PHILIP ISLAND TCR HIT OUT Walkinshaw Andretti United Supercars driver Chaz Mostert is relishing the new challenge provided by a TCR touring car after completing his first full-test in the Audi RS3 LMS TCR he will race at Symmons Plains.

CONFIRMED TO be joining more than 20 TCR Australia entries for its opening round at Symmons Plains, the first leg of the Boost Mobile Race Tasmania doubleheader, Mostert tested the Audi for the first time today as part of an Australian Racing Group test at Phillip Island.

Noted as one of Australia’s most versatile drivers, the former Bathurst winner is a frontwheel-drive rookie besides a 10-lap exhibition run when TCR launched in the country two years ago where he drove an HMO Customer Racing Hyundai i30N TCR.Reflecting on his first real hit out in a front-wheel-drive race, Mostert said he was enjoying his time developing a new driving style to suit the different configuration.

“It’s been pretty good,” Mostert summarised.

“It’s good fun, it’s a car that doesn’t drive the way other race cars drive, or anything like a Supercar or anything like a GT car.

“I really like the challenge of trying to extract speed out of something that you have try and break your old habits to try and find speed in the car.”

Mostert completed a trouble-free day, which included taking Network Seven commentator and former test cricketer Brad Hodge for a hot lap, admitting it was very much a learning experience.

Mostert is also set to line-up in the newly re-titled GT World Challenge Australia Series alongside Tony Bates in a similar liveried Bostik Audi R8 GT3 LMS also run out of the Melbourne Performance Centre stable.

“That’s the plan for the moment, but things always change,” Mostert said. “Just try and do as much racing as I can this year, that’s the plan.”Mostert is no stranger to GT3 machinery having been a previous winner of the Allan Simonsen Pole Position Trophy at the Bathurst 12 Hour where he has been a regular driver for BMW. He has also been part of the German marque’s American sports car program in the IMSA Weathertech Sportscar Championship.

Mostert is keen to continue racing in TCR past the opening Tasmanian round, but it is a wait and see proposition.“I am trying to do as many as I can, we’ll just see how we go,” Mostert said. “Start with one, see if we can get into two and build from there.

“A couple of years ago I drove the Hyundai and it’s all about trying to piece a full deal together. I’ve always been interested to drive GT3 cars and it’s been tricky the last year or so with the circumstances so what better way to do it if you can do it here in Australia.

“That’s why everything has lined up the way it has.”

Dylan O’Keeffe topped the TCR Australia timesheets after six sessions on track and James Golding led the way in S5000. Herne and Kyle Gurton were the only two National Trans Am entrants participating in the test, while John Bowe was the sole representative for Touring Car Masters. DM

with Dan Knutson

AFTER MONTHS of speculation, it has been officially announced that Red Bull junior driver Yuki Tsunoda will race for AlphaTauri, replacing Russian Daniil Kvyat. In 2020 Tsunoda finished third in the FIA Formula 2 Championship with Carlin and earnt his seat alongside Pierre Gasly in F1. Dropped Red Bull Racing driver Alex Albon will compete in selected German DTM events. DK

RED BULL’S WINNING MOMENTUM WILLIAMS GRAND Prix Engineering has named its new chief executive officer and ongoing team principal from next year. The legendary British team has appointed former McLaren boss Jost Capito as CEO of the team with interim team principal Simon Roberts given the role on a permanent basis. The Grove-based outfit has also strengthened its ties with Mercedes, from 2022. DK

INEOS HAS bought a one-third share in the Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team.

Daimler and Toto Wolff now each own one-third shares in the team as well. INEOS, a British multinational chemicals company, is one of the largest chemical companies in the world by revenue. The team will remain the works F1 team of Mercedes-Benz. DK

HAAS HAS committed to Nikita Mazepin for the 2021 Formula 1 season following an internal investigation into his recent conduct.

Questions were raised over Mazepin’s future after a video was briefly posted on his Instagram account allegedly showing him inappropriately touching a woman in the back of a car. RV

FORMULA 1 World Champion Lewis Hamilton received a knighthood as part of the Queen’s 2021 New Year Honours list, with the honour comes the title of Sir. The 2020 season was a historic year for the Englishman, equaling Michael Schumacher’s record of seven world championships and breaking the German’s record of 91 Grand Prix victories. DM

16 AutoAction

MAX VERSTAPPEN’S victory in the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, the final race of 2020, gives Red Bull Honda momentum through the off-season and into the 2021 season.

“In Abu Dhabi we were the first team to beat Mercedes in a straight fight at that circuit since winning it ourselves in 2013,” said Red Bull team principal Christian Horner. “It was a great achievement and gives the whole team a huge amount of energy as we head into what will be a very short winter.

Because the technical regulations for 2021 are similar to 2020, the welldeveloped Red Bull from last season will be basically the same car that the team will have at the start of this season.

“It’s not a start from scratch again because a lot of the car does carry over,” Horner said. “When we start again in Barcelona in pre-season testing in a couple of months’ time, it is going to be pretty much where we were in Abu Dhabi with one or two upgrades on it. It’s the first time in our history that we will call the new car 16B as opposed to 17, because so much, about 60 per cent of the car, is carried over.”

“There are significant amounts of carryover in terms of gearbox, chassis, elements of the suspension,” Horner added. “A large element of the car’s performance is aerodynamic and that can be altered for 2021. Our philosophy has

been whatever we learned in 2020 can be carried into 2021 anyway.

“Mercedes are a very strong team; they have great strength and depth and we’ve seen that they have been bringing some components to the car, and of course we expect them to be very strong in 2021.

But if we can build on this momentum, hopefully we can give them a harder time.”

While 60 per cent of the car remains the same, Adrian Newey and his team of designers and engineers are working hard on the other 40 per cent with the goal of giving the R16B more consistent downforce than the R16, thus making it a more stable and predictable car to drive.

THE PÉREZ PERSPECTIVE

BY SIGNING Sergio ‘Checo’ Pérez for the 2021 season, Red Bull will have a twopronged attack in the races for the first time since Aussie Daniel Ricciardo and Max Verstappen were teammates at the squad in 2018.

While Ricciardo’s replacements Pierre Gasly and Alex Albon occasionally had strong races, most of the time Verstappen was on his own in the fight for podiums and wins. This severely handicapped Red Bull because it could not split its race strategies.

Mercedes, meanwhile, had the luxury of being able to cover Verstappen with one of its drivers while then being able to put its other driver on a different strategy.

“I have been in the position where Max is, when I was at McLaren when I was the lead car and the second car wasn’t in the fight,” Lewis Hamilton said. “When we were fighting against Ferrari, they could play, they could move around with the strategy and make it a lot harder for us. Naturally, this makes Red Bull stronger, particularly with the way Sergio is performing.

“It’s going to be an exciting battle to watch him up against Max. That’s going to make it much harder for us as a team.

We’re going to have to really step up our game, because that’s going to be a battle we haven’t seen for some time, having the two drivers there fighting against us.”

It remains to be seen how Pérez stacks up

against the extremely quick Verstappen, but Pérez should be in the mix more often.

“I hope that Checo will push the team forward but also to keep me on my toes, which is always nice, to have a teammate pushing you,” Verstappen said. “Checo’s a good guy, he’s good on his tyres, he’s a good racer, he’s intelligent. That’s what’s going to make the difference.”

Pérez has not joined Red Bull to play the wingman support role. Since making his F1 debut in the 2011 Australian Grand Prix, he competed in 189 grands prix before finally winning. His victory in the Sakhir Grand Prix

plus his competitive showings throughout the 2020 season helped to convince Red Bull to sign him.

“I definitely didn’t come to Formula 1 to win a race only,” he said. “I arrived here with the hope of being a world champion, but very early on you realise that being a world champion is not fully down to you.

You have to be in the right car, in the right year.”

Pérez has driven for Sauber, McLaren, Force India and Racing Point, so from his perspective, he now finally will have a car capable of winning.

F1 TEAMS REVENUE REDUCED

MANY OF the F1 teams will receive reduced payouts in 2021 from the revenue that Formula 1’s commercial owners Liberty Media generates from the sport and business.

According to a report in the Financial Times, Formula 1 reported operating losses of US$363 million in the first nine months of 2020.

That income – or lack of it in 2020 – is derived from a number of sources including: what the TV networks pay for the rights to televise the races; on track advertising; luxury hospitality suites at the track; and what the circuits pay to host the races.

Most tracks rely at least partially on spectator ticket sales to help them pay anywhere from US$20 million to over US$50 million to host a grand prix. But with most circuits having no,

or just a few, fans at their races last year, Liberty had to waive those fees and let the tracks have the races for free.

More income was lost because there were no VIP hospitality suites at the tracks.

However, Liberty is not going to be as generous and as charitable this year. Outgoing Formula 1 CEO Chase Carey has warned that F1 expects its partners to do their share in 2021. In other words, the tracks won’t get the races for free.

Carey has also sought to increase revenues by signing a deal with Amazon’s digital streaming services.

The money earned in 2020 will be paid out to the teams in 10 equal installments in 2021. The payouts are based on the teams’ results from last year, so first-placed Mercedes will rake in a lot more than Williams that finished last in the constructors’ championship.

According to Auto Motor und Sport, Mercedes will be paid US$126 million in prize money in 2021 compared to the US$177 million it earned in 2019 and was then paid in 2020.

The financial stress on the teams will be eased somewhat by the new budget cap this year. Originally the teams had agreed on an annual budget cap of US$175 million starting in 2021.

But, because of COVID-19, the teams consented in May to reduce that to US$145 million.

However, the teams will have to spend plenty of money this year – first to develop their 2021 cars, which are based on the 2020 models, and second, to design their 2022 cars with the radical new technical rules.

In addition, there is no doubt the pandemic will continue to affect Formula 1’s income flow in 2021.

WILLIAMS CAN DEFEAT HAAS GEORGE RUSSELL is convinced Williams can defeat the Haas team in 2021.

Williams finished 10th and last in the 2020 World Constructors’ Championship. The team scored no points, although Russell and teammate Nicolas Latifi came close by finishing 11th on a total of four occasions.

Haas finished ninth in the standings with three points thanks to Kevin Magnussen finishing 10th in Hungary and Romain Grosjean finishing ninth in Germany.

Russell nearly won the Sakhir Grand Prix, but a deflating tyre meant that he ended up in ninth place. But, of course, he was driving the Mercedes and subbing for Lewis Hamilton who was self-isolating after he tested positive for COVID-19.

“I’m confident we can beat Haas,” Russell said. “I think we’ll be on a par with Alfa Romeo, but I’d like to think we can jump them as well if you look at the progress we’ve been making.”

Alfa Romeo finished eighth in the constructors’ championship with Kimi Räikkönen and Antonio Giovinazzi earning a total of eight points.

“We want to be scoring points,” Russell said of 2021, which will be his third season in F1. “We’re not suddenly going to be in the midfield fight because of

the regulation stability. But definitely we have to be aiming to beat Haas and Alfa Romeo.”

The midfield fight in 2020 consisted of McLaren, Racing Point, Renault, Ferrari and AlphaTauri, which finished the constructors’ championship in that order.

A good reason for Russell to be optimistic is because the team now has much better financing after the New Yorkbased investment firm Dorilton Capital bought it from the Williams family in August.

Looking further ahead, Williams will

expand its technical collaboration with Mercedes to include the supply of certain transferable components – including gearboxes and related hydraulic components – starting in 2022. Williams has run Mercedes-Benz power units since the hybrid era began in 2014.

AutoAction 17

F1 INSIDER

Publisher Bruce Williams bruce@autoaction.com.au 0418 349 555 Editorial Director

Bruce Williams

Editor-At-Large Deputy Editor

Mark Fogarty Heath McAlpine

Production

Jason Crowe

Special Contributor

Bruce Newton

Staff Journalist

Dan McCarthy

National Editor Online Editor

with Dan Knutson

Garry O’Brien Rhys Vandersyde

Contributing Writers Australia Garry O’Brien, Mark Fogarty, Bruce Newton, David Hassall, Bob Watson, Bruce Moxon, Garry Hill, Craig O’Brien, Mick Oliver, Martin Agatyn.

Formula 1 US Correspondent

Dan Knutson Mike Brudenell

Photographers Australia Ross Gibb, Rebecca Hind, Mick Oliver, David Batchelor, Randall Kilner, Rhys Vandersyde, Richard Hathaway, MTR Images, Bruce Moxon International LAT Images Advertising Manager Bruce Williams All Advertising inquiries Bruce@autoaction.com.au (0418) 349 555 Editorial contributions may be sent to Auto Action. No responsibility will be accepted for their safety. If you require the return of any sent item or items, please attach a separate, stamped and fully addressed envelope

Auto Action is published by Action Media Partners ABN number 62976094459 Suite 4/156 Drummond Street Oakleigh Victoria 3166 Phone: 03 9563 2107 The trademark Auto Action is the sole property of Action Media Partners The website www.autoaction.com.au and associated social media platforms are wholly owned by Action Media Partners All rights reserved No part of this magazine’s content may be reproduced, retransmitted or rebroadcast without the express written permission of the Publisher and Action Media Partners.

Printed by Australian Community Media Distributed by Ovato Retail Distribution Australia

Cover images: Main Nick Moss Design/LAT/Renault Sport/S5000

18 AutoAction

Image: LAT

FORZA FERRARI 2021

FERRARI REALISED back in February that its 2020 car was not going to be competitive, but a trying year has made the team more robust.

“I guess in Barcelona (pre-season testing) we quickly realised that we had serious concerns about some aspects of the performance of the car,” said Ferrari’s sporting director Laurent Mekies.

“It’s very difficult to see what it means in terms of how you’re going to be compared to the other teams, but you know when things are not going the way it should. So we knew it was going to be very difficult. We didn’t know yet at that time how long it was going to be for us to understand fully and even less to fix them. Then we had the crazy situation with COVID-19 and couldn’t touch or run the car for a few months. There were indications the season would be extremely difficult as it turned out to be.”

Ferrari did not win a

single race in 2020, and the team finished a distant sixth in the constructors’ championship. But even in bad times there are positives. The last time Ferrari placed sixth or lower in the standings was way back in 1980 when it ended up 10th. And since 1982 it had never finished lower than fourth.

“You learn in time of crisis, and it is in these situations you learn the most,” Mekies said. “It is the way the team has been able to stay united during these times, to still push as hard as we could despite the disappointing results. There were a lot of small but very significant achievements during the year that were unnoticed because we were at the back.

“But it is something that will hopefully make us stronger and carry into 2021. In a nutshell, in such a hard season, in globally hard conditions, the way we have tried and pushed our limits is what we will take from all that. When

you are at the back there you are bound to take more risks, the drivers are taking more risks, the team takes more risks, with strategy; that’s what you have to do to get a good result. That’s getting out of the comfort zone. It will make us stronger this season.”

There have been six winless seasons since 1980, specifically 1986, 1991, 1992, 1993, 2014 and now 2020.

The question now is: can Ferrari win in 2021? The team has a lot of ground to make up, and of course its rivals won’t be standing still when it comes to developing their cars.

Ferrari is confident that it has made major improvements to its power unit – a major weak point last year. Carlos Sainz will add some fresh air and impetus to the team. And Mattia Binotto, the team principal, has targeted at least third place in this year’s constructors’ championship.

It seemed like the

WHAT’S IN THE NEXT ISSUE ON SALE Jan 24th

relationship between Vettel and Ferrari had grown stale, but the German – now with Aston Martin – hopes his former team will bounce back this season.

“I’m sad to leave the team but obviously that’s a decision that’s been taken some time ago,” he said. “I take it as a man so there’s no problems with that. I deeply care about this team, that they will get back to grips, and Charles will get the car he deserves.

I hope for the people in the garage, who are passionate, that things will come together.

“But I’m excited for what comes next for me.

Obviously it is a new chapter, a big start. I’ve learned that despite the poor results (last) year I’ve learned a lot about myself and my future on track and off track.”

I also hope Ferrari can win in 2021 because it would be nice to see a red car out front for a change instead of a black Mercedes.

Dan Gurney’s Ballarat Gold - Winning the Victorian Trophy 1961. Aussie Scott Andrews IMSA adventure.

Cost of Racing Nissan Pulsar. State by State Champions. Living Legend - Tim Schenken

with Mark Fogarty

THE FOGES FILE AA’s impressed pundit applauds ARG’s initiative to make Race Tasmania happen amid renewed COVID constraints FOR A brief period, this issue looked like being a collectors’ edition. There were concerns ARG’s Race Tasmania doubleheader wouldn’t happen because of the Sydney coronavirus outbreak, which would also disrupt the mag because it contains the official program.

Print production deadlines being what they are, we needed to know by late last week if the Apple Isle season start was going ahead. If it weren’t, we’d have to scramble to fill 12 pages at the last minute. Any later, we were committed regardless.

Had Race Tasmania been called off in the interim, this issue would’ve become prized by collectors because it was also the official guide to major race meetings that were cancelled. Luckily, the Apple Isle’s festival of fast is going ahead because of a mighty effort by the Tasmania government, ARG, Motorsport Australia and competitors.

So this edition remains a handy guide to all the TCR, S5000, TCM and TA action at Symmons Plains and Baskerville, much of which will be shown live and free on 7mate and 7Plus. The meetings will mark Seven’s return to regular broadcasts of racing, covering ARG and Supercars events across the year.

With so many COVID-related uncertainties about the season ahead, it was great to see the Tassie government step in to facilitate the Rogers’ initiative. Allowing NSW competitors in under strict – but workable – ‘bubble’ conditions showed what enlightened governments can do. The authorities also opened the way for transit through Victoria from NSW to the Spirit Of Tasmania ferry and back for transporters and equipment.

ARG also never gave up, with management brokering the deal with the

www.autoaction.com.au

Tasmania government and laying on charter flights for competitors and crew, plus isolated accommodation, with the backing of Barry and Garry Rogers.

The whole exercise is a lesson in sensible compromise between risk-averse state governments and motor sport sanctioning groups. A similar approach by the Victoria government could’ve saved the Australian Grand Prix and the Tassie approach could be a model for Supercars avoiding regular disruption.

As recent events have shown, COVID-19 is not going away in a hurry. The New Year has not granted immunity. Until a viable vaccine is delivered and proven among the majority of the population, coronavirus flare-ups will periodically disrupt life in Sydney, Melbourne and the southeast Queensland conurbation, if not the other major capitals.

It will be a better, more normal year in the main, but things won’t be the same as they were before late March last year.

Unrestricted life as we knew it may not return for several years.

But F1, Supercars and other major motor sports have proved racing can be conducted safely for participants and without risk to the general populace.

Motorsport Australia has been particularly robust, exceeding the standards of the AFL, NRL, cricket and soccer, as well as informing the FIA’s global criteria.

AutoActionMagazine

Auto_Action

If Race Tasmania goes off without a health hitch, as the protocols should ensure, then state governments should acknowledge motor sport’s responsible approach and allow exemptions with strict controls.

Hopefully, meaningful crowds will be allowed at Supercars events, not to mention their facilitation amid COVID concerns. The scheduled V8 season-opener at Bathurst is threatened if current, renewed border closures or restrictions are not eased by the middle of next month.

In the current environment, it should be no surprise that the F1 season will not begin in Melbourne in March. It was never going to happen as long as Victoria didn’t exempt visiting international athletes from two weeks of hotel quarantine.

The requirement wasn’t lifted for the jewelin-the-crown Australian Open – apart from letting the players out for five hours a day for practice at Melbourne Park – and it was never on the cards to allow F1 personnel in and out of Melbourne for the duration of the AGP. AUTO ACTION had alluded to the threat to the Albert Park F1 season-opener before the reports of its postponement from Europe confirmed that fear.

The AGPC, F1 and FIA were hoping the sport’s well-established health protocols would allow a more relaxed – but still confining – approach for the AGP. They had been negotiating a fly in, fly out

approach with isolation from landing to departure over six days.

F1 personnel would be limited to controlled corridors between the airport, hotels and the track, where the F1 paddock and pits would be in a ‘bubble’ separated from the rest of the track precinct.

Not going to happen. Forcing F1 personnel to isolate in Melbourne for two weeks beforehand is impractical and, more to the point, unacceptable to the teams. Now we’re just awaiting confirmation.

And it may turn out to be a good thing. If it is rescheduled to November, we’ll find out if the Melbourne GP can recapture some of the ‘end of term’ appeal that made the Adelaide GP so popular.

In the meantime, enjoy Race Tasmania – either in person or at home – as a positive start to the year for motor sport followers.

And then, fingers crossed, look forward to Supercars’ Mount Panorama 500 at the end of February, followed by a return to Sandown on what should have been the AGP weekend in March.

Two classic tracks steeped in touring car racing history, plus great weather. Hard to imagine a better way to begin the Supercars season.

It won’t be a normal season by any stretch of the imagination, but there’s good reason to hope it will be better. The prospect of a lot more free TV coverage alone is encouraging.

AutoAction

19

20 AutoAction

Our next Formula 1 hope is cautiously optimistic that he will continue his climb to the top as he prepares for the final step on the junior ladder JUST AS Daniel Ricciardo was starting his rise to Formula 1 around the time Mark Webber was at his peak, Oscar Piastri is making his mark as Ricciardo approaches the height of his career.

Like the ebullient West Australian, Piastri has a pedigree of success in junior racing that has put him on the fast track to F1. Ricciardo was groomed for F1 stardom by Red Bull, while the 19-year-old from bayside Melbourne is a star student of the Renault Sport Academy, which is linked to the now Alpine F1 team.

Ricciardo won the British F3 title in 2009 – the last year of its long run as the main F1 nursery series – and last year Piastri captured the modern equivalent, the FIA Formula 3 Championship. Again like his GP winning compatriot, Oscar won a Renault junior series in Europe the season before his F3 crown.

The other similarity is that they are both of Italian descent, although third-generation Aussie Piastri only speaks English – much to the disappointment of his Italian Prema team.

Piastri was rewarded for winning the F3 title at his first attempt with an F1 test in a two-year-old Renault at the Bahrain International Circuit at the end of October and then promotion to F2 this year, staying with the crack Prema squad as 2020 champion Mick Schumacher’s replacement.

UK-based Oscar returned to Australia for a summer break

last month, spending two weeks in hotel quarantine before joining his family at their holiday home on the Murray River on the Victoria side of the border just after Christmas.

He plans to return to Europe at the end of this month to begin preparing for the scheduled start of the FIA Formula 2 Championship in Bahrain at the end of March. Managed

by Webber, Piastri will embark on an Alpine-backed likely two-year program in F2, aiming to graduate to F1 in 2023.

Apart from some simulator work at Alpine’s F1 facility at Enstone in Oxfordshire, not far from where he lives, and a possible junior driver test, regular F1 work does not appear to be in the offing until next year.

Even with success this year or next in F2, his F1 prospects will be tied to an opening at Alpine in 2023.

An interim test/reserve driver role may be his entrée to F1 unless he were loaned to a back-of-the-field team for experience, just as Ricciardo was blooded with HRT in the second half of 2011.

While their junior records are similar, Ricciardo and Piastri have very different personalities. Oscar is as reserved and unemotional as Daniel is outgoing and demonstrative.

Piastri’s equanimity, maturity and calculating approach were key to him winning the F3 title in pressure-cooker circumstances in the very last race at Mugello. Webber rates his young charge’s unflustered, surgical style as reminiscent of French F1 legend Alain Prost.

Apart from the unusual circumstances of the season, did you exceed your expectations by winning the F3 title at your first attempt?

in the championship. So I think I was probably expecting to do another year of F3, to be honest, and try to win it in the second year. I thought it was possible, but a bit of a longshot.

If you had’ve said to me at the start of the season that I was going to win the championship, I would’ve said I thought it was possible, but it might be a tough ask. I think given that Prema were still quite strong again, my main aim was to beat my teammates – and I did that – and I thought if I did that, I was going to be in a good spot

Winning it at your first attempt clearly puts you on a fast track potentially to the top, doesn’t it?

Yeah. That’s two championships in two years now and straight into F2 now. A couple of years ago, I definitely wasn’t thinking about F2 this early, but it’s a nice thing to have going for me and I think another really strong year could ano definitely open a lot of doors defi me. So, yeah, hopefully, this for m season in F2 is a strong one, sea but again I think it’s going to be a very tough ask to have a similar season to what I did in sim F3. So kind of just keeping the F3 expectations as well. ex Is it difficult to contain your expectations and be realistic ex about your ambitions? You ab want to get as far as you w can, go as fast as you can. c Getting into F1 is the goal G and, obviously, the quicker I a c can get there the better. And I think with the momentum I’ve gained in the past couple of years, it’s only going to be to my advantage if I

have another strong year. I’m not expecting it to be easy by any stretch of the imagination, but in saying that, I didn’t expect F3 to be easy at all and I wasn’t quite expecting to win. So I think I have to see where the team’s at this year and I’ll have a good comparison in my teammate Robert Schwartzman, to learn from and hopefully beat. If I can be beating him, then I’m definitely going to be somewhere near the front. If I just set myself smaller goals and achieve them – which is pretty much what I did in F3 – it should bode well for a similar result, I hope.

Realistically, though, you’re looking at two seasons in F2?

Yeah, planning for two and then, hopefully, for just one, which was the plan we had for F3.

Apart from the sheer competition in the field, how difficult was it to win the F3 title in a very strange year?

It definitely wasn’t easy. I think I was in a very good spot – being with Prema was obviously the best seat to be in for the year, so I was very happy with that. But I think it also comes with a very high level of expectation and I had some very strong teammates as well in Logan (Sargeant) and Frederick Vesti, who I raced in pretty much my whole career and knew how good he is.

AutoAction

21

Piastri hopes to follow his fellow Australians into Formula 1 - just don’t call him the new Daniel Ricciardo (left) or Mark Webber (below left).

Fred was basically the direct comparison to me because I was Eurocup champion and he was regional champion in what’s effectively the same car. So I knew it wasn’t going to be easy and then, to be honest, I think the delay to the season worked in my favour.

It just gave me a bit more time to bond with the team, prepare myself physically. I spent that two-to-three months at home in Melbourne as well and I think spending all that time with my family in pretty warm weather definitely helped. When I went back, my first weekend showed that I’d prepared very well.

h some advice that’s relevant. has He always gives me advice with a H word of caution. He’s been where w I’v I’ve been and he’s made it into F1 a and had a successful career, so he ha has advice on all kinds of different things. th hin He’d be particularly useful in H He teaching you how to survive the te ea shark-infested waters of F1. sha Yeah, exactly. Still got to get to the Yea shark-infested waters of F1 first, but sha it’s already getting pretty choppy out there. ou

It all went down to the final race.

How harrowing was that?

I would’ve preferred it hadn’t gone to the final race, but to be honest, at that point I’d kind of accepted that there was a good chance that I wasn’t going to win the championship because Logan was starting that final race in fifth, Pourchaire was still an outside shot starting from eighth and I was starting 11th, so I knew I had to find d at least six spots, if Logan stayed where he was, to win. And obviously ly that all got turned on its head at the e second corner (when Sargeant was pushed off the track and out of the race), so from then on it was some emotional management and keeping my excitement and nervousness in check for the next 20-odd laps. So I kind of went into that race pretty calm, to be honest. OK, I was still leading the championship on even points, but I was not in an ideal situation to win that championship.

I think I did a pretty good job of keeping myself calm, but it definitely gave a lot of people in the team a few heart attacks.

Mark Webber told me that one of your greatest strengths is that you’re very calm and level-headed, and don’t get emotional. Do you agree with that assessment?

22 AutoAction

And An through your ties with Renault, have you had much to R do d with Daniel Ricciardo?

Yeah, I would. I think we had a lot of different things go wrong over the course of the year.

We had various issues for over half the season and then some pretty major electrical issues at Silverstone which, fortunately, didn’t affect my championship too much. Then a few crashes and stewards’ decisions, so there was a lot of stuff thrown our way. I’m not saying there wasn’t stuff thrown other people’s way, but it did feel like at times that I was getting the brunt of it. Trying to find the positives kept me going, as did venting on Twitter in a humorous way.

I think it showed people how I was dealing with it and not letting it drag me down. So, yeah, I definitely think keeping a lid on things is one of my stronger traits.

Speaking of Webber, how important has his guidance been and as you progress, how vital is he going to be in helping you get to where you want to go?

He’s done a lot of great work for me already. He came on board at the beginning of the year and that certainly helped me get the Prema drive in 2020. Obviously, there a lot of hard work behind the scenes. Mark’s contacts and knowledge within the paddock is crucial to finding me good seats. Obviously, I still have to deliver on the track, but to have someone who can do all the important talking for you off the track certainly helps and I think it’s pretty hard to find anyone better than Mark for that.

But he’s also been through what I’m going through as a driver, so he still

I didn’t have that much to do with Daniel, to be honest. I met him a D couple of times before the season, c but b then during the season it was impossible to go and see him i and a talk with him. I had a few messages with him and he sent me some messages towards the end of the season and after I’d won the championship, which was wo really cool. But with all the bubbles and stuff like that, it was impossible to go and talk to him at the events.

I did get to speak with him quite a lot when I went to the Turkish Grand Prix with Renault. I had a few good chats with him and his trainer Michael Italiano, so that was very cool. He’s exactly the same as he comes across on TV, which was very nice to see and very entertaining.

It would’ve been nice to have a bit more interaction with him, but any interaction is good for me. He’s genuinely a great bloke.

There are no guarantees, but is the clear intention of the Renault Sport Academy to take you to F1 if you’re good enough? Is that the stated aim?

Piastri was rewarded for winning the F3 title at his first attempt with an F1 test in a two-year-old Renault at the Bahrain International Circuit at the end of October and promotion to F2 this year, staying with the crack Prema squad.

Yeah, 100 per cent. It’s pretty pointless setting up an academy if you don’t want people to get into F1. I have my Superlicence now, but that still doesn’t mean that I’ll definitely be in F1. My results on track are going to do more talking and prove to both the Academy and the F1 team whether I’m ready or not.

So with a Superlicence, you can do F1 testing or practice sessions this year, but it’s probably not going to happen until 2022, is it?

I haven’t heard anything of that, so I don’t know. I would’ve thought if that’s going to happen, I probably would’ve known about it by now (for this year). I’m qualified to race an F1 car if I’m needed, so it’s a nice thing to have.

I was suggesting that if it were to happen, it’d be more likely next year.

It was pretty important, I’d say.

A lot of things you learn in karting definitely carry forward into race cars. I think the main thing is racecraft aft and just the confidence of being ing able to manhandle a car a bit more and have it moving around under you. If you can deal with that in cars, it’s definitely beneficial and you learn that in karts. I think it’s generally a good omen if you’re winning stuff in karts, but there are also a lot of things in karting that can dictate results more than your driving ability. In that winnertakes-all format of a final (in the CIK world championship), it’s very easy to get taken out of that deciding race. There are definitely a lot of things you can take from it, but for me, I think making sure that I was enjoying karting and taking all the lessons from it rather than winning stuff was actually the most important thing I took from karting.

Yes. It was only four years ago that you were in karts. How important was karting to get you to where you are now?

You got to test a two-year-old Renault F1 car in Bahrain, so how was that? Obviously, a thrill and exciting, but what’s it really like to drive an F1 car for the first time?

Just a bigger version of what I’ve driven so far, really.

I think the biggest light-bulb moment was when I was doing the seat fitting. That was the first time I sat in the car and even sitting in an F1 car for the first time is a pretty surreal experience. So that was the really big moment of realisation because, to be honest, the test day all happens so quickly you don’t have time to think about it. I just jumped in the car, did up the belts and away I went. I didn’t actually have that much time to think about being strapped into an F1 car and about to drive it. But looking back on it now, it was pretty special even being in the pit lane for the first time, that’s for sure.

I imagine the sheer speed of the thing wouldn’t daunt you, but it must be a lot to get your head around because it’s not just about going fast, there’s so much complication in the car that you have to adapt to, isn’t there?

Yeah, I think that was one of the big takeaways from the day. Yes, you have to be very, very fast, and that’s super-important, but there’s no point in being fast if you can’t manage everything else.

There are so many things you have to change on the fly, so many things you have to manage. So being the quickest guy out there is definitely still what you need in qualy, but you have to be able to look after the thing as well. I think that’s the same in all motor sport, but when things are going wrong in an F1 car, you have a lot more tools available to be able to try to get the car somewhere near where you want it. Knowing how to use all those tools and get the car back to how you want to drive it is a massively important part of F1, which is something that we don’t have in the junior ranks.

You’ve dedicated yourself to openwheelers, but as an Aussie who grew up in the height of Supercars,

AutoAction

23

FEATURE AutoAction AutoAction FEATURE

53 57

Total Seal® now offers a unique piston Tim Nic ring designImforage:racers desiring gas-ported ol performance without gas-ported pistons...

s...

Total Seal Piston Ring

RENCE. E F IF D G IN N IN W E C A R E H T GAS-PORTED FEATURE BENIFITS:

- Gas-ported performance without gas-ported pistons.

- Strategically sized and placed horizontal slots in the ring allowing combustion gas to enter through the groove and behind the ring to gas-load the ring providing greatly improved ring sealing.

- Extensively tested in virtually every form of race engine with the same increases in ring sealing time after time.

- Applications are available in both steel and ductile iron for top ring placements. When ordering simply ask for Gas-Ported on your top ring sets.

Piastri with motorsport legend and three-time World Formula 1 Champion Sir Jackie Stewart. The Australian has come a long way in a short period of time after commencing his career in karts. do you follow the V8s and are you interested in having a go in them?

Not from an Italian heritage point of view, no.

I definitely follow it. I don’t get to watch that many of the races because it’s hard to find them and they’re usually on at stupid hours of the morning in Europe.

But as a kid, I started watching Supercars before I started following F1, to be honest.

I’m definitely 100 per cent focused on trying to get to F1 at the moment, but I think if I want to return home to Australia and keep racing, then Supercars is definitely a great choice. Regardless of what I’m racing, I want to try to race in the pinnacle of wherever it is. Obviously, if it’s in Europe and the rest of the world, then it’s F1, but in Australia, it’s Supercars. It has a massive following and it’s definitely the pinnacle of Australian motor sport. So, yes, love to have a go, but who knows?

Looking ahead to this year in F2, do you expect any pressure because you are, in effect, replacing Mick Schumacher at Prema?

In your mind, are you the next Mark Webber or next Daniel Ricciardo?

I’m the next Oscar Piastri.

I knew you were going to say that.

Authorised Distributor: Performance Wholesale Australia

Contact Performance Wholesale Australia for either off the shelf, or custom piston ring requirements for your application.

6 Cronulla Crt Slacks Creek QLD 4127 Performance Wholesale (07) 3808 1986 W | performancewholesale.com.au E | sales@pwa-au.com

[Laughs] I mean, I’d like to be like them in the fact that I can be the next Australian F1 driver, but I don’t think there are many people in the whole world that are similar to Daniel and even Mark, to be honest.

I’m not trying to turn into Daniel or turn into Mark. I’m just trying to carve my own path. Obviously, I have Mark with me every step of the way now and Daniel’s still there (in F1), but I’m trying to create my own name.

Obviously, you’re of Italian heritage.

How Italian are you?

Not very. No one in my family can speak Italian and I don’t think the generation before that could, either. It’s very much just a last name only job, which disappointed a lot of people at Prema that I couldn’t speak Italian.

But does Ferrari mean something special to you?

24 AutoAction

I guess, but the way I look at it, he’s about to start his rookie F1 season and is no different to any of the other rookies in F1. The only difference is he has the Schumacher last name. Jumping into his F2 car, if you want to call it that, doesn’t change anything for me.

Obviously, the stakes are higher, but is F2 more competitive than F3?

Most of the people in there are going to be the same people I’ve been racing against for the last few years. I think we’ve all collectively got better as our careers go on, naturally, and I think there are going to be a lot more second-year drivers in F2 this year than rookies. So it’s certainly not going to be an easy championship at all. I think once the grid is announced, it’s going to be rated very strongly. There are going to be a lot of F1 junior drivers, I believe. F2 is the last stepping stone into F1 and I think it’s going to be tougher than F3, which I think is just natural.

How much of a step up is the F2 car?

It’s quite different to drive. It’s a lot heavier and in race trim, because the races are longer, you have the added weight of extra fuel. In race trim, they’re very, very difficult to drive and you have to drive pretty slowly, to be honest, to be able to manage the tyres. I think the introduction of the 18-inch (diameter) rims has changed the characteristics of the car quite a lot.

From what I heard from when they switch from the 13-inch to the 18-inch wheels, it made the car much more unforgiving and sort of snappy to drive. But it’s definitely a step up. You can feel the speed difference, especially in qualy, but the race trim requires a pretty different driving style to anything I’ve raced before.

TASMANIA CHOOSE YOUR HORSEPOWER OFFICIAL PROGRAM AND TV GUIDE

S5000 Gold Star Championship TCR Australia Series Touring Car Masters National Trans Am

SYMMONS PLAINS RACEWAY January 24-26

PLUS YOUR FAVOURITE LOCALS! HQ Holdens Improved Production Cars Hyundai Excels

BASKERVILLE RACEWAY January 29-31

THE LOCAL HEROES THERE WILL be at least five local heroes competing in the two-action packed Tasmanian events, from young up and comers to established stars.

The Tassie contingent includes two-time Bathurst winner John Bowe, joined by former V8 Supercar regular Owen Kelly, former Commodore Cup series winner Tim Shaw, TCM race winner Adam Garwood and former Super2 driver Sam Walter.

Garwood and Bowe will be on the Touring Car Masters grid, while Kelly, Shaw and Walter will be contesting the growing Trans Am Series.

Veteran Bowe is a multiple-time TCM Series winner and at Symmons Plains will be on the hunt for his 100th race victory in the category. He was asked what this win would mean to him.

“I can’t say it won’t mean anything because obviously it will, it is a lot of races,” he told Auto Action. “Stats are nice to look back on, I’d love to do it, but I’d rather look forward to be honest.”

The TCM season begins at Symmons Plains and although the retro category will not be visiting Baskerville, Bowe admitted the venue holds a special place in his heart.

“My very first race meeting was at Baskerville when I was 15 in a Formula Vee. I can still remember we drove in on the Saturday morning with it on the back of my dad’s ute, I felt so nauseous. This is a long time ago mate,” he laughed.

“It’s a fantastic little track, it’s like a mini-Bathurst, it’s got ups and downs and blind corners, it’s a really good circuit.”

Garwood aged just 22, will be racing the eyecatching yellow #85 1970 Chevrolet Camaro RS. The youngster has already taken multiple wins in TCM and is feeling optimistic about a title challenge in 2021.

Tassie TCM drivers John Bowe and Adam Garwood will be fighting up the front of the field (top). Former NASCAR Xfinity driver Owen Kelly will be engineered by two-time Supercars champion Marcus Ambrose (above left and below). Trans Am regular Tim Shaw brings strong form to his home events, where the Tasmanian Ten Thousand is on offer (bottom). Images: Ross Gibb/Pace Images-AMRS/LAT

“Hopefully we can pick up where we left off with the pace we had,” Garwood said.

“I think that we have the speed to win the championship, we’ve made a few more improvements to the car. I’m hoping to get a win down here in the home state and continue it on for the rest of the year.”

Garwood is expecting the new Falcons and Commodores to be a much more competitive package after 11 months of development but is hopeful his Whiteline Racing Camaro will still be competitive.

“Hopefully we can keep up with them all, you never know what can happen, we’ll go out have some fun,” he said.

Former Sandown 500 podium finisher

26 AutoAction

Owen Kelly has more recently made sporadic appearances in the NASCAR Xfinity Series in the ’States.

The Trans Am rounds will be the first time that Kelly has raced in Tasmania since the 2007 V8 Supercar round and has never raced a Trans Am machine.

“I like the cars, they’re very NASCAR like, it’s just a really sensible category,” Kelly said.

“At this stage I’m only committed to do these two events, but I thought it was a good opportunity to see what they’re like and just go from there.”

During the Symmons Plains round and Baskerville invitational event, Kelly will be joined by fellow Tasmanian and two-time V8 Supercar champion Marcus Ambrose.

“He (Ambrose) jumped at it straight away, we are just treating it as a handful of mates going to have a good time,” he explained.

“There are a couple of fast young blokes like Aaron Seton and Nathan Herne, they seem to go good, we’ll just see where we are, but we’ll certainly be trying to win the thing.”

Tim Shaw, a Trans Am regular, believes that with money on the line at for the Baskerville invitational, competitors will be taking it as seriously as ever.

“Whether it’s for championship points or not, I don’t know anyone that drives a race car that says, ‘I won’t try if I don’t get points.’ None of us will leave anything on the table, 30 grand is up for grabs in our Trans Am event,” Shaw highlighted.

Sam Walter makes his competitive racing return in the National Trans Am Series at Symmons Plains.

Dan McCarthy

A MESSAGE FROM GARRY WELCOME TO the inaugural Boost Mobile Race Tasmania events at Symmons Plains and Baskerville.

My dad was born in Ulverstone and I spent a lot of my early years on a farm in Sulphur Creek. This is just a wonderful place, Tasmanians are dinki di good folks and are so enthusiastic about sport of any kind, but in particular motor sport. I probably relate to motor sport more than any other discipline because it was here on the farm in Sulphur Creek that I learnt to drive a car and a tractor.

Without the support of the Tasmanian Government and Premier Peter Gutwein, Motorsport Tasmania through Chairman Peter Killick and General Manager Donald Potter, as well as the Australian Racing Group, this event would not have taken the place.

Motorsport Tasmania has been an eager supporter of the concept devised many years ago now, particularly Peter and Donald, who have both worked tirelessly with my son Barry to formulate the two Boost Mobile Race Tasmania events.

Donald and Peter were instrumental in talking to us about this some time ago, without those people, as well as the on-theground members of Motorsport Tasmania; from the flag marshals to the volunteers on the gate, the crowd control and all those things, they’ve just been so co-operative, so enthusiastic about what’s going to happen for their state. The same goes to the local support categories, which will travel with us across the two events.

When you decide to take on such an

event it is vital to have everyone wanting to be supportive of you and the support and encouragement that we have gained from the Tasmanian people in general, but also to have the Tasmanian Government behind you, helps to make an event like this become a reality.

The personnel at the Australian Racing Group are motor sport people, they understand how it goes on. They try to avoid the red tape and the things that can slow

you down, they try to get things done, whilst others always look for a reason it can not be done, rather than the reason it should happen.

The Tasmanian Government has invested considerable money in updating the facilities at Symmons Plains to a high standard and we are delighted to kick off the Australian motor sport season at the venue.

And then there’s Baskerville.

A hidden gem, it is one of the best circuits

for spectators in Australia. It’s built in an amphitheatre, allowing full viewing of the circuit from the enclosing hills.

Any driver that hasn’t driven at Baskerville will go there in the next few weeks and will be absolutely astounded by what a firstclass circuit it is to drive on. It really is so exciting; it’s fast, it’s got all sorts of dips and curves, there’s corners that turn back on themselves. It requires an enormous amount of skill to get the best out of the car around there.

When discussions began to create these events, it wasn’t just about the racing, but promoting the goodness that Tasmania has to offer. It is the gateway to some of Australia’s natural highlights and it features many of this country’s top food and beverage producers. The idea was so people could experience what Tasmania can offer whilst coming to events and then spending some time touring the state.

Whether they come to the racing or for tourism, the fact of the matter is there is a lot to be seen and enjoyed here.

Combining the best of Tasmania with a number of Australia’s top motor sport classes is just the perfect mix, right?

I know Tasmanian fans of all ages will enjoy the debut of TCR Australia, the VHT S5000 Australian Drivers’ Championship and the National Trans Am Series to the state, while welcome back the Gulf Western Oils Touring Car Masters after a two-year break.

I wish you a fun time in Tasmania and make the most of it, Garry Rogers

SYMMONS PLAINS and Baskerville Raceway will come alive for the Boost Mobile Race Tasmania, and this year will be full of action-packed racing as drivers fight to claim an early advantage”.

“It’s a fortnight of racing that excites Tasmanian locals and visitors alike, with thousands of fans expected to attend these world-class racing events this year.

“The Tasmanian Liberal Government is proud to support these events that are being conducted this year in a COVIDsafe way. Our investment has helped Symmons Plains become a truly topclass venue and a jewel in Tasmania’s motorsports crown and Baskerville always provides fantastic bumper-tobumper action.

“To everyone attending, enjoy the adrenaline-pumping action, remember to stay COVID safe, and importantly, get out and about before and after the events and support our local businesses.”

The Hon Peter Gutwein MP - Premier of Tasmania Image: Hobart Sporting Car Club

AutoAction

27

SYMMONS PLAINS EVENT PROGRAM -TV GUIDE The Australian motor racing season kicks off at Symmons Plains as the first leg of the inaugural Boost Mobile Race Tasmania doubleheader. This will be the first time in nearly two years that a national level series will race on the Apple Isle with TCR Australia, S5000 and National Trans Am debuting at the circuit.

SUNDAY JANUARY 24

9:00 Hyundai Excel Practice 1 9:25 Improved Production Practice 1 9:50 HQ Holdens Practice 1 10:15 Trans Am Practice 1 10:40 TCM Practice 1 11:05 TCR Practice 1 11:40 S5000 Practice 1 12:10 Hyundai Excel Practice 2 12:35 Improved Production Practice 2 13:00 HQ Holdens Practice 2 13:25 TCR Practice 2 14:00 S5000 Practice 2 14:30 Trans Am Practice 2 14:55 TCM Qualifying

MONDAY JANUARY 25

10:00 Improved Production Qualifying 10:30 Hyundai Excel Qualifying 11:00 HQ Holdens Qualifying 11:30 Improved Production Race 1 12:15 Trans Am Qualifying 12:45 TCM Trophy Race 13:15 S5000 Qualifying

13:45 Hyundai Excel Race 1 14:15 TCR Qualifying 14:50 Trans Am Race 1 15:40 TCM Race 1 16:10 S5000 Race 1 16:55 TCR Race 1 17:35 HQ Holdens Race 1

TUESDAY JANUARY 26

9:00 HQ Holdens Race 2 9:40 Hyundai Excel Race 2 10:20 Improved Production Race 2 11:10 TCR Race 2 11:50 Trans Am Race 2 12:20 TCM Race 2 12:55 S5000 Race 2 13:30 Trans Am Race 3 14:10 TCM Race 3 14:45 S5000 Race 3 15:25 TCR Race 3 16:05 Hyundai Excel Race 3 16:35 HQ Holdens Race 3 17:05 Improved Production Race 3

TELEVISION COVERGE

Monday, January 25 LIVE ON 7mate - 3:30pm-5:30pm AEDT • TCR Race 1 • S5000 Race 1 • TCM Race 1 EXTENDED COVERAGE ON 7plus 12:00pm-6:00pm AEDT Includes Qualifying Sessions, TCM Trophy Race, Trans Am Race 1 & Tasmanian Support Categories Tuesday, January 26 LIVE ON 7mate - 11:00am-4:00pm AEDT • TCR Races 2 & 3 • S5000 Races 2 & 3 • Trans Am Races 2 & 3 • TCM Races 2 & 3 EXTENDED COVERAGE ON 7plus 11:00am-5:00pm AEDT Includes Tasmanian Support Categories races after the final TCR race

TCR AUSTRALIA - THE SEASON IS WIDE OPEN DELAYED DUE to the circumstances of 2020, the second season of TCR Australia belatedly kicks off at Symmons Plains, returning national level motor sport to the Apple Isle.

If travelling to a new circuit straight off the bat appears a challenge, add into the equation the changes that have occurred during the hiatus, which promises an open contest for the second TCR Australia Series.

Out is Supercars-bound reigning series winner Will Brown, however there is an influx of quality drivers featuring enviable resumes.

Supercars race winner Michael Caruso bolsters the already impressive six-strong Garry Rogers Motorsport line-up, partnering internet star Jordan Cox as part of the squad’s Alfa Romeo Giulietta Veloce TCR attack.

New signee Lee Holdsworth will also contest the upcoming season in an Alfa Romeo, joining Ashley Seward Motorsport.

Bathurst winner Jason Bargwanna spearheads the team’s Peugeot trio, backed up by rookie son Ben, who graduates from Hyundai Excels and Formula Ford, while impressive young gun Aaron Cameron completes the line-up.

James Moffat is joined by standout TCR Australia performer Dylan O’Keeffe at Renault Sport GRM. The factory-assisted team will have the vastly upgraded Renault Megane R.S. Evo at its disposable, which contested the entire WTCR title with homologation agent Vukovic Motorsport. O’Keeffe sampled the new Evo as part of his wildcard WTCR campaign at Zolder, impressing amongst a high-quality field.

Tony D’Alberto finished runner up to Brown in the inaugural TCR Australia

HMO Customer Racing was the class of the field in 2019, but will this form continue without inaugural TCR Australia Series winner Will Brown (above)? Variety is the spice of life in TCR racing as each manufacturer is evenly matched (left). Jay Hanson will make his debut (below).

Series for Honda and returns in his Wall Racing Civic Type R TCR to go one better in last year’s most successful TCR model. Re-joining the Victorian is the experienced John Martin, a race winner during the 2019 season.

HMO Customer Racing moved workshop last year during the hiatus and has up to four Hyundai i30 N

TCR AUSTRALIA ENTRY LIST Car # 2 5 7 9 10 11 15 17 18 24 30 33 34 50 71 110 333

SPONSOR Moutai/Fastrack Communications Garry Rogers Motorsport Valvoline Racing GRM Ashley Seward Motorsport/AWC Ashley Seward Motorsport HMO Customer Racing Michael Clemente Motorsport Burson Auto Parts Racing Team Valvoline GRM Wall Racing HMO Customer Racing Garry Rogers Motorsport Renault Sport GRM Wall Racing Burson Auto Parts Racing Team Soutar Motorsport Tilton Racing

DRIVER Luke King Jordan Cox Michael Caruso Jay Hanson Lee Holdsworth Nathan Morcom Michael Clemente Jason Bargwanna Aaron Cameron John Martin TBC Dylan O’Keeffe James Moffat Tony D’Alberto Ben Bargwanna Zac Soutar Brad Shiels

TCRs at its disposal. With Brown leaving, team manager Nathan Morcom assumes the lead driver role.

He finished fourth in the 2019 title, a maiden season where the Hyundais proved the class of the field at most venues.

Melbourne Performance Centre will have series debutant and former Toyota 86 Race Series runner up

STATE NSW NSW NSW VIC TBC NSW VIC VIC VIC NSW TBC VIC VIC VIC VIC VIC NSW

VEHICLE Audi Alfa Romeo Alfa Romeo Alfa Romeo Alfa Romeo Hyundai Honda Peugeot Peugeot Honda Hyundai Renault Renault Honda Peugeot Honda Hyundai

RS3 LMS Giulietta Veloce Giulietta Veloce Giulietta Veloce Giulietta Veloce i30N Civic Type R 308 TCR 308 TCR Civic Type R i30N Megane R.S. Megane R.S. Civic Type R 308 TCR Civic Type R i30N

Luke King as its sole contender, but this will be an entry to watch.

It is expected competitors eligible for the Michelin Rookie Cup will also be a thorn in the side of the perennial frontrunners.

Ashley Seward Motorsport’s Jay Hanson replaces O’Keeffe in the team’s lead Alfa Romeo Giulietta Veloce TCR, but has accumulated plenty of testing miles ahead of his maiden season.

Another to complete a limited testing schedule is Excel graduate Michael Clemente, entered in an ex-Wall Racing Honda Civic Type R TCR and is sure to be a challenger to Hanson.

Brad Shiels has the model of choice – the Hyundai i30 N TCR – at his disposal and is vastly experienced.

He joins the new Tilton Racing squad, which is known for its triumphs in World Time Attack.

Rounding out the rookies is former Formula Ford frontrunner Zac Soutar with his family-run Honda Civic Type R. The Panta Cup for semi-professional or amateur drivers will add further spice to the contest.

Just like its inaugural season, TCR Australia promises plenty of action, surprises and unpredictability in 2021. Heath McAlpine

AutoAction

29

THE GOLD STAR THE INAUGURAL THE INAU IN AUGU GURA RALL VHT VHT S5000 S50 5000 00 Championship Champiionshi hip is is expected expe cttedd ttoo bbee a ffiercely iercely l ffought ought ht cont contest testt ffeaturing eatturing i an array off ddrivers rivers i ffrom rom va various rious i di disci disciplines iplilines comp competing etiting for the prestigious Motorsport Australia Gold Star.

Plans for the V8-powered wings and slicks category can be traced back four years, resulting in S5000’s non-championship debut at Sandown in 2019.

This was followed by a similar affair at The Bend Motorsport Park ahead of the planned reinstatement of the Gold Star and Australian Drivers’ Championship for 2020. Due to the global pandemic, this failed to happen, however for 2021 the pursuit of these prizes will begin at Symmons Plains.

Developer of the S5000 package, Garry Rogers Motorsport, will not only provide support to the field but will enter three young drivers to spearhead its campaign.

James Golding won first time out in S5000 and aims to continue this momentum in pursuit of the Gold Star.

Entering as a hot favourite, Golding is joined by former Red Bull Junior Luis Leeds and rising star Nathan Herne.

Leeds enters S5000 with a strong open-wheel heritage having raced in British F4 and Formula Renault Eurocup before returning home to dominate the 2019 Australian Formula 4 Championship.

Herne on the other hand is inexperienced when it comes to open-wheelers having only completed a few tests in an S5000 following a campaign in the 2018 Australian Formula Ford Series.

Doing double-duty in Tasmania where he will race Trans Am alongside S5000, the versatile Herne will be a driver to keep an eye on.

As revealed by Auto Action, overseas sports car export and Formula 3 driver, Ricky Capo will enter S5000 with his family-run Modena Engineering team, led by father Frank and new addition, former Erebus Motorsport engineer Mirko De Rosa.

Tim Macrow was another to confirm his continuation in the series after being the S5000 development driver during the category’s infancy.

The 36-year-old former Gold Star winner will drive for his own team, Tim Macrow Racing after successfully taking the category’s maiden race victory at Sandown.

Notable national open-wheel squad, Team BRM will field two machines this season including one for reigning Super2 winner Tom Randle.

Before he was a rising tin top star, Randle was a successful open-wheel driver winning the Toyota Racing Series and competed in Europe for many seasons.

S5000 provided Randle with a return to his roots where at The Bend Motorsport Park he took a race win and a second. He firms as another favourite for the Gold Star.

Randle will be partnered by Asian ex-pat Tommy Smith, who at 18 years old will be one of the youngest drivers on the grid.

Smith is hoping S5000 provides a boost to his chances in Europe later this year.

Second-generation racer Braydan Willmington will return to race for his family-run S5000 squad after competing at The Bend and the Australian Grand Prix meeting.

Last year, Excel ace Cooper Webster was announced as the sole driver of Albert Callegher’s 88 Racing and has completed several tests.

Former Australian Formula 4 competitor and second generation racer Antonio Astuti steps up to race in S5000 driving for the Astuti Motorsport team after entering the cancelled Australian Grand Prix meeting last March. Dan McCarthy

30 AutoAction

Supercars co-driver James Golding will return to the S5000 Championship with GRM (top).

S5000 development driver Tim Macrow goes into the season as a title contender (above left). Trans Am racer Nathan Herne will make his debut in the series for GRM (left)

Former Australian open-wheel ace Ricky Capo will be looking to take the first S5000 Championship (left), while reigning Super2 Series winner Thomas Randle returns to his open-wheel roots (right).

VHT S5000 AUSTRALIAN DRIVERS’ CHAMPIONSHIP

Car # 16 23 29 31 39 49 88 89 92 96

SPONSOR Team BRM UCS Group TMR Team Valvoline GRM Team Valvoline GRM Astuti Motorsport Team BRM/Alabar/Form700 ACMFinance.com Braydan Willmington Motorsports Modena Engineering Garry Rogers Motorsport

DRIVER Tommy Smith Tim Macrow Nathan Herne James Golding Antonio Astuti Thomas Randle Cooper Webster Braydan Willmington Ricky Capo Luis Leeds

STATE VIC VIC NSW VIC VIC VIC VIC NSW VIC VIC

VEHICLE S5000 S5000 S5000 S5000 S5000 S5000 S5000 S5000 S5000 S5000

CC 5200 5200 5200 5200 5200 5200 5200 5200 5200 5200

COLOUR Black Orange/Black White/Blue/Red Blue Yellow Black/gold Blue/Pink Green White/Red Yellow

FIGHT

THE MCCORMACK CUP LAST YEAR, category management devised a plan to commemorate past legends of Formula 5000 by naming each round in honour of a driver from that particular state.

S5000’s first event at the Australian Grand Prix last year was named in honour of Grand Prix hero Alan Jones, however this event was cut short prematurely.

For this year’s opening round, legendary Tasmanian driver John McCormack will be given this distinction.

McCormack was a star during the 1970s contesting races in the familiar orange livery of Ansett and Elfin. He guided the Elfin brand to two Gold Star success in 1973 and 1975, forming a close working relationship with company founder Garrie Cooper.

His final Gold Star title came in 1977 when hen driving a Leyland V8-powered McLaren M23, which hich brought backing from Unipart.

Aside from his successes in F5000, McCormack cCormack raced the legendary Harry Aust-built Chrysler rysler Charger Repco V8 in Sports Sedans, which hich included winning the 1974 Toby Lee Series.

After re-focusing on F5000 after he sold d the Charger to Tasmanian patron Don Elliott, lliott, McCormack had just began returning to the Sports Sedan class racing an Jaguar XJS before re a road accident ended his racing career.

McCormack occasionally attends historic ric racing events and will be at Symmons Plains.

Dan McCarthy

AAutoAction utoAction

3311

RETRO MUSCLE RETURNS A RECENT influx of new models has spiced up the interest in Touring Car Masters, headlined by the one-meeting old ‘Tru-Blu’ Ford XD Falcon of multiple series winner Steve Johnson.

Johnson returns to the fray, continuing to develop the XD Falcon into a potential race winner, however Holden too will have new VB Commodores to spice up the battle.

Gerard McLeod and Claud Taranto will both uphold the Lion’s honour despite the Holden brand being discontinued at the end of 2020.

Replicating its popularity in the late1970s, the Holden Torana A9X’s five entries in Tasmania is spearheaded by the Peters Motorsport prepared example of Ryan Hansford. Former V8 Ute competitors Danny Buzadzic and Peter Burnitt bolster the attack, so too Jim Pollicina.

John Bowe and Steve Johnson will renew hostilities (above). Flying Ryan Hansford has proven pace in his Torana and will be right in amoungst the action in Tasmania as will Mark King in the Whiteline Chevy Camaro. (below)

Veteran John Bowe continues his affinity with the series, driving the Bendigo Retro Muscle Cars Torana SL/R 5000 as he targets win number 100 in the class and another TCM title.

Johnson is not the only XD, Marcus Zukanovic will field his well sorted example as he and his father’s Action Racing squad is building a new ‘Fox Body’ Mustang for the series.

Jesus Racing’s Andrew Fisher upholds the mighty GT-HO’s honour as the nameplate’s sole representative.

TOURING CAR MASTERS ENTRY LIST

Car # 3 6 7 9 12 17 18 25 50 54 58 71 85 88 95 TBC

SPONSOR Greater Western Body Works Multispares Racing MOCOMM Motorsport Communications Jesus Racing The Lighthouse Hotel - Burnett Heads Kubota / Full Throttle Custom Garage Paynter Dixon Vawdrey Trailers Motorsport Parts Australia Taranto Motorsports EFS 4X4 Accessories Centec Security Industries Whiteline Racing/Giraffe Civil Contracting TIFS Warehousing & Distribution Whiteline Racing/King Springs Dunn Botany

32 AutoAction

DRIVER Danny Buzadzic Ryan Hansford Jim Pollicina Andrew Fisher Peter Burnitt Steve Johnson John Bowe Paul Freestone Gerard McLeod Claud Taranto Ryal Harris Marcus Zukanovic Adam Garwood Tony Karanfilovski Mark King Ben Dunn

YEAR 1978 1974 1974 1971 1974 1980 1974 1968 1980 1980 1969 1980 1970 1970 1969 1974

Tony Karanfilovski provides the lone Mustang challenge.

Holdens aren’t the sole General Motors representative, the Chevrolet Camaro have been a mainstay of the class since its inception more than a decade ago and this continues to this day.

Whiteline Racing confirmed that Tasmanian rising star Adam Garwood will continue in the team’s 1970 Camaro RS. Mark King returns to the South Australian team as he takes over

MAKE Holden Holden Holden Ford Holden Ford Holden Chevrolet Holden Holden Chevrolet Ford Chevrolet Ford Chevrolet Chevrolet

MODEL Torana A9X Torana A9X Torana A9X Falcon XY GT HO Torana A9X XD Falcon Torana SL/R 5000 Camaro SS VB Commodore VB Commodore Camaro SS Falcon XD Camaro RS Mustang Trans Am Camaro SS Monza 2+2

the 1969 Camaro SS previously driven

by Adam Bressington.

Ryal Harris established himself as a title contender in 2019 and retains the same 1969 Chevrolet Camaro SS in 2021 with Paul Freestone also rejoining TCM in his similar machine.

Another Chevrolet product, which makes a welcome return is Ben Dunn’s Monza.

John Bowe and Steve Johnson split the wins when TCM last visited Symmons Plains, but the level of competition in the class has considerably lifted since the category last raced at the venue.

Picking a winner is near on impossible. Heath McAlpine Local Adam Garwood will be one to watch in his Whiteline Racing Chevrolet Camaro (below).

READY TO RUMBLE THE TRANS AM National Series kicked off successfully at last year’s Adelaide 500, bringing the spectacular Trans Am muscle cars to a major event for the first time.

The growth of Trans Am is quite amazing since it landed in this country four-years ago where Dodge Challengers, Ford Mustangs and Chevrolet Camaros battle for supremacy.

Although the 2020 series kicked off on the streets of Adeliade the COVID situatuion prevented the series completion. In 2021, the Australian Racing Group’s Trans Am National Series will contest rounds on the Shannons Motorsport Australia Championships for the first time.

A previous series winner in the TA2 series returns for 2021. Ford Mustang driver Aaron Seton headlines a very strong list of competitors ready to tackle the Boost Mobile Race Tasmania doubleheader, culminating in the prestigious Tasmania Ten Thousand.

Previous Toyota 86 Race Series winner Tim Brook joins the Trans Am battle, representing Wall Racing’s single Ford Mustang entry. Brook is vastly experienced, beginning in Formula Vee before joining the 86s and dabbling in TCR Australia during the 2019 season. He will be a strong contender to dethrone Seton.

Another is New South Welshman Nathan Herne, who will complete double duty for the majority of the season after it was confirmed he will pilot an S5000 alongside his Dodge Challenger.

Nic Carroll impressed on debut in the class during the inaugural 2020 Trans Am National Series round in Adelaide, so expect the former Super3 driver to be a frontrunner racing Melbourne Performance Centre’s Chevrolet Camaro.

Garry Rogers Motorsport’s sole Trans Am entry is none other than former leading Supercars co-driver and NASCAR racer Owen Kelly.

Kelly will have two-time Supercars

champion Marcos Ambrose calling the shots from the pit lane.

Kelly’s fellow Tasmanian, Tim Shaw is another driver committed to the series, entering two Chevrolet Camaros for himself and a previous frontrunner in Commodore Cup, Brett Holdsworth.

Another local driver, previous Super2 driver, Sam Walter also joins the field.

Trans Am has added plenty of young drivers to its roster in the form of Motorsport Australia Young Driver of the Year, Edan Thornburrow, Formula Ford driver Kyle Gurton, production car and Toyota 86 competitor Zach Loscialpo and SuperUte race winner Cameron Crick.

Hugh McAllister and Matthew MacKelden are both stalwarts of the category, forming a twin Ford Mustang attack.

A major event forming part of the Boost Mobile Race Tasmania at Symmons Plains and Baskerville is

TRANS AM ENTRY LIST

Car # 1 2 4 5 6 8 14 21 24 25 29 38 48 66 73 75 93 99 116 555 777

the Tasmanian Ten Thousand.

This event was traditionally a season-ending celebration for Sports Sedan competitors, first held in 1975. Previous winners include Garry Rogers, Allan Moffat, Jim Richards, Bob Jane and John McCormack in Sports Sedans heyday as a category.

SPONSOR Harris Racing Morris Finance/Garage 1 Crutcher Developments Kubota Racing Kubota Racing Harris Racing Crick Motorsport/Plus Fitness Racing Tempest Solutions/Excelerate Motorsports Sawscope Racing Vawdrey Trailers/Castrol Dream Racing Australia Wall Racing Melbourne Performance Centre Shaw Motorsport Garry Rogers Motorsport Melbourne Performance Centre Waltec Motorsport Shaw Motorsport Sydney Property Care Dream Racing Australia Dream Racing Australia

DRIVER Aaron Seton Kyle Gurton Mark Crutcher Matthew MacKelden Hugh McAlister Hadrian Morrall TBC Zach Loscialpo Sam Walter Paul Freestone Nathan Herne Tim Brook Nic Carroll Tim Shaw Owen Kelly TBC Aaron Tebb Brett Holdsworth Edan Thornburrow TBA Craig Scutella

For Trans Am competitors, $10,000 is up for grabs to the winner, while $20,000 will be split between second and 10th.

After a year of waiting, the Trans Am National Series will be a highlight of the Boost Mobile Race Tasmania events.

Heath McAlpine

STATE QLD QLD NSW QLD NSW QLD TBC NSW TAS VIC QLD NSW VIC TAS TAS TBC NSW VIC NSW SA VIC

MAKE Ford Ford Dodge Ford Ford Ford Dodge Chevrolet Chevrolet Ford Dodge Ford Chevrolet Chevrolet Ford Ford Chevrolet Chevrolet Ford Chevrolet Chevrolet

MODEL Mustang Mustang Challenger Mustang Mustang Mustang Challenger Camaro Camaro Mustang Challenger Mustang Camaro Camaro Mustang Mustang Camaro Camaro Mustang Camaro Camaro

AutoAction 33

Baskerville returns to national prominence after a storied history amid the return of the Tasmanian Ten Thousand event as part of Boost Mobile Race Tasmania.

FRIDAY, JANUARY 29 9:00 Hyundai Excel Practice 1 9:20 Improved Production Practice 1 9:40 HQ Holden Practice 1 10:00 Hobart TCR Cup Practice 1 10:35 Trans Am Practice 1 11:00 S5000 Demonstration Laps 11:25 Hyundai Excel Practice 2 11:45 Improved Production Practice 2 12:05 HQ Holden Practice 2 12:25 Demonstration 12:40 Hobart TCR Cup Practice 2 13:15 Trans Am Practice 2 13:40 S5000 Demonstration Laps 14:05 Hyundai Excel Practice 3 14:25 Improved Production Practice 3 14:45 HQ Holden Practice 3 15:05 Hobart TCR Cup Practice 3 15:40 Trans Am Practice 3 16:05 S5000 Demonstration Laps 16:30 Hyundai Excel Practice 4 16:50 Improved Production Practice 4 17:10 HQ Holden Practice 4 SATURDAY, JANUARY 30 9:00 Hyundai Excel Qualifying 9:20 Improved Production Qualifying 9:40 HQ Holden Qualifying 10:00 S5000 Demonstration Laps 10:25 Trans Am Qualifying 10:50 Hobart TCR Cup Qualifying 11:25 Demonstration 11:45 Hyundai Excel Race 1 12:05 Improved Production Race 1

12:25 HQ Holden Race 1 12:45 Demonstration 13:05 S5000 Demonstration Laps 13:30 Trans Am Roadways Tasmanian Ten Thousand - Race 1 13:55 Hobart TCR Cup - Race 1 14:30 Hyundai Excel - Race 2 14:50 Improved Production - Race 2 15:10 HQ Holden - Race 2 15:30 Demonstration 15:50 S5000 Demonstration Laps 16:15 Trans Am Roadways Tasmanian Ten Thousand - Race 2 16:40 Hobart TCR Cup - Race 2 SUNDAY, JANUARY 31 9:00 Hyundai Excel - Race 3 9:20 Improved Production - Race 3 9:40 HQ Holden Qualifying 10:00 S5000 Demonstration Laps 10:25 Trans Am Roadways Tasmanian Ten Thousand - Race 3 10:50 Hobart TCR Cup - Race 3 11:25 Demonstration 11:45 Hyundai Excel - Race 4 12:05 Improved Production - Race 4 12:25 HQ Holden - Race 4 12:45 S5000 Demonstration Laps 13:30 Trans Am Roadways Tasmanian Ten Thousand - Race 4 13:55 Hobart TCR Cup - Race 3 14:30 Hyundai Excel - Race 5 14:50 Improved Production - Race 5 15:10 HQ Holden - Race 5

RACE TASMANIA LOCAL SUPPORTS HYUNDAI EXCELS

JUST LIKE on the Australian mainland, the entry level Hyundai Excel category is gaining momentum in Tasmania where grids are approaching the 20-car mark. Last year’s series winner was young rising star Josh Webster, who clean-swept the final round of the Tasmanian Circuit Racing Championships at Symmons Plains last year, celebrating the circuit’s 60th anniversary.

Others to look out for in the class include Jeremy Bennett, Peter Kingston and Callum Mitchell in what will be an exciting support class.

HQ HOLDENS

MORE THAN 30 years ago, the original cheap entry class category, Holden HQs were formulated in Tasmania. A success during the 1990s and 2000s, HQs continues to be a popular category to this day. A strong field of contenders including a handful from interstate will challenge the hometown heroes led by reigning champion Phil

34 AutoAction

Ashlin. Ashlin was another to dominate the final round, however Andrew Toth, Otis Cordwell, Joe Rattray and Andrew Bird will aim to end this during the Boost Mobile Race Tasmania events.

IMPROVED PRODUCTION

ALTHOUGH A small state in comparison to others in Australia, Tasmania’s pedigree in Improved Production is by far the best. A category based around limited modifications, Improved Production is hotly contested in each state and the Northern Territory, while a Nationals event is traditionally held each year, the last being at Baskerville in 2019. Roger Hurd and Ray Hislop are multiple National winners representing Tasmania, while the class continues to be strong in the state. Current contenders are led by the Nissan 200SX driven by Matthew Grace, loyal Toyota Celica competitor Lee Forest, Jared House in his Holden Torana A9X and the Toyota Corolla of Ayrton Richardson.

Images: Angryman Photography

THE LATEST AND GREATEST THE THUNDERING S5000 Championship is set for its inaugural season after several set backs and hurdles, and category founder and manager Chris Lambden is chomping at the bit to get the series underway.

In 2019 the S5000 beasts raced around Sandown Raceway and The Bend Motorsport Park for two exhibition events, which was the birth of Australia’s popular new open-wheel series.

After COVID-19 forced the 2020 season to be abandoned, the ultra-fast cars return from hibernation and are set to draw attention of the crowds.

“They are the fastest open-wheel

THE 7SPORT TV TEAM A MIXTURE of youth, experience, expert analysis and pundits will spearhead Network Seven’s coverage of the Australian Racing Group portfolio of categories all-season.

A familiar face returns to lead the coverage in the form of Sunrise sports reporter and self-confessed petrolhead Mark Beretta. Having hosted Seven’s coverage of the Procar Champ Series and the two Bathurst 24 Hour races of the early 2000s, Beretta was pit reporter for the Network’s Supercars coverage during 2007-2014. Beretta has most recently hosted 7Mate’s annual live coverage of the Bathurst 12 Hour.

7SPORT presenter Abbey Gelmi will share hosting duties with Beretta, adding motor sport to her resume, which also includes AFL, cricket and horse racing, plus the heading up

cars, and in fact fastest cars full stop in Australia,” Lambden told Auto Action.

“Spectators like the concept of a formula they can relate to, and with S5000 they can relate to the sound and the speed.

“That’s what I believe was required to create something that was both of interest to the race fans but also a challenge to the drivers and I guess the proof will be in the pudding as they say.

“There hasn’t been an open wheel formula that seemed to grab the public imagination for some time, and I guess that’s why I did it initially.

“You’ve got to have something that

attracts the imagination of the public and if you look back across the years here and in New Zealand, the last time that really happened was in the ’70s with Formula 5000. I’m hoping that what we’ve got will create the kind of excitement.”

Lambden has created the cars and made them a real challenge for drivers, something that they really must manhandle.

“The cars will be a challenge for the drivers, they move around a lot,” he said. “They will be driven by some very good young drivers which will potentially help lead them to something

overseas.”

The grid is made up of drivers from a vast array of disciplines from around the nation and will make for a fascinating first season.

“Young Bieber (former Supercars driver James Golding) with GRM, even the likes of Cooper Webster, very young but I believe is very talented in an openwheeler a sense,” Lambden said.

“Definitely some strong young guys, Tom Randle, Nathan Herne and Luis Leeds, a real strong quality grid for these first four rounds, but I’m even more optimistic about the future beyond that.” Dan McCarthy

Taylor, Supercars part-team owner Jess Dane, Jack Perkins and current Supercars driver David Reynolds.

Andrew Janson, as ARG’s executive producer of broadcast and Anna Stone, executive producer of Seven Mark Beretta (above) returns to present motor sport for the Seven Network, hosting ARG’s coverage alongside Abbey Motorsport, will Gelmi (above right). After commentating the inaugural season of TCR Australia, Greg Rust returns (below). lead the coverage behind the scenes. reality program House Rules.

For the Symmons Plains opener, a Cameron van den Dungen.

Former Australia cricket star turned combined 12 hours of live coverage will Pit lane will be covered by news breaker commentator Brad Hodge will support be shown on 7Plus and 6 hours on 7Mate.

Chris Stubbs, previous Australian Rally the two hosts having taken up motor These times can be found on P28. champion and SAS Australia star Molly sport recently, racing a Hyundai Excel.

Greg Rust spearheads the commentary team, which consists of Matt Naulty, Richard Craill and

ARG category season calendar S5000 2020 GOLD STAR

2 Phillip Island February TBA 3 Venue TBA, March TBA 4 Sydney Motorsport Park, April 30-May 2

TCR AUSTRALIA

2. Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit, February TBA 3. Mount Panorama, Bathurst, April 2-4 4. Sydney Motorsport Park, April 30-May 2 5. Morgan Park Raceway, June 25-27 6. Sandown Raceway, September 10-12 Bathurst International, TBA

TOURING CAR MASTERS 2. TBA March TBA 3. Sydney Motorsport Park April 30-May 2 4. Morgan Park July 2-4 5. Sandown September 10-12 6. Bathurst International TBA NATIONAL TRANS AM SERIES 2. Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit, February TBA 3. Mount Panorama, Bathurst, April 2-4 4. Sydney Motorsport Park, April 30-May 2 5. Morgan Park Raceway, June 25-27 6. Sandown Raceway, September 10-12 Bathurst International, TBA

AutoAction

35

300 $

300

12 month expiry SIM on Australia’s biggest mobile network

BOOS T

25GB for $25 p/m, paid upfront.

MOBIL proud E ly sup portin Race g Tasm ania 2 021

Unlimited International Stnd. Calls & Text to 30 selected countries

BYO Number BOOST MOBILE proudly supporting the 2012 Race of Tasmainia

Stay Connected at boost.com.au BOOST OFFERS 3G AND 4G SERVICES ON THE TELSTRA MOBILE NETWORK. 12 month expiry. All for use in Aus. 300GB includes 240GB + 60GB bonus on first recharge. Eligible for new customers who activate on Anytime Ultra from 24 Nov to 1 Feb. First recharge 1 February 2021.

UNDER THE SKIN RENAULT MEGANE R.S. TCR

THE FRENCH CONNECTION Competing against factory developed rivals is a tough proposition in any discipline of motor sport, but Vukovic Motorsport took up the challenge by constructing the Renault Megane R.S. TCR. A collaboration with Australian-based Garry Rogers Motorsport has resulted in the updated Evo specification as HEATH McALPINE details.

Images: TCR Australia/AA Staff THE RENAULT Megane R.S. TCR is a rarity in today’s motor sport, a private entity tackling the might of manufacturer backed rivals.

But, that’s what Vukovic Motorsport did at the end of 2017. The Swiss-based team led by enthusiastic former racer Milenko Vukovic with the blessing of Renault developed its Megane hatch into a TCR touring car contender.

In its original configuration, the Megane R.S. TCR featured a Clio engine bored out to 1.8-litres, developing an estimated 350bhp through the front-wheels.

French gearbox manufacturer 3MO provided the drivetrain, KW Suspension the shock absorbers, the electronics were supplied by Bosch, while an AP brake system completed the package. ”I have put all my energy and resources in this project with which we want to demonstrate the benefits of our systematic and high quality approach to ultimate performances within the given rules,” said Vukovic when launching the new model.

”We wanted the Megane TCR to have all the ingredients it takes to have a sound and performing car out of the box. Our goal is to optimise the performance, starting from the highest available standards.”

Vukovic Motorsport contested a limited schedule of events in 2018, before developing an updated package ahead of the next season with the aim of increasing the Renault’s competitiveness and enhancing its customer racing program.

“The car has been redesigned in many parts during the past six months,” said Vukovic in 2018. “The front and rear suspension have been fine-tuned, just like the transmission, the aerodynamics has been radically revised and we also have a new engine that has been developed in the mapping, fuel injection and cooling system.”

In conjunction with launching the update, Vukovic also confirmed an association with Renault Sport.

“Under this agreement the 2019 car has been now renamed Renault Mégane RS TCR,” Vukovic acknowledged. “We are very optimistic today and we are also excited

about working together with Renault Sport.

“I think we have the potential to fight for the front positions in every TCR series.”

This is when Garry Rogers Motorsport entered the frame.

An experienced team in Supercars, GRM had already confirmed its participation in the inaugural TCR Australia Series by entering two Alfa Romeo Giulietta Veloce TCRs, but expanded this program to add a pair of Renaults.

“We had a look at what vehicles were available and see what would suit us.

We purchased two Alfas and we’ve now purchased two Renault Mégane as well,” Garry Rogers explained when confirming the acquisitions.

“We see this category as the growth phase of motorsport in Australia. We love our V8s, we love what we do, but there’s certainly room for this category in the motorsport landscape.

“There’s no doubt that these TCR Series cars suit the modern audience and the demographic.

“For us, the Renault Mégane is a great

vehicle of choice. It’s a trendy car, and the results that we’ve seen so far in testing is that it is fast and it is very competitive.

“Now, we need to make sure that we have the right drivers and the right people preparing them to get the best results."

GRM’s workshop was packed already as the TCR program joined its two-car Supercars entry, whilst the development of the S5000 open-wheelers occurred in the background.

This replicated what the team had done previously in the late-1990s, GRM combined its Supercars program with Super Touring before a spell in Nations Cup during the mid2000s.

The Renault TCR program demonstrated great promise as James Moffat took four podiums on his way to sixth in the title and Chris Pither scored the team’s best result with second in the final race of the year at The Bend Motorsport Park.

Moffat also scored pole position when TCR Australia first went to The Bend Motorsport Park for Round 3.

The early success of the campaign cleared

AutoAction

37

UNDER THE SKIN RENAULT MEGANE R.S. TCR

TCR cars feature no driver aids and live telemetry is banned, meaning drivers need to keep a close eye on the Bosch dash for any irregularities. An off-the-shelf Tilton pedal box, Atech carbon seat and Vukovic steering wheel complete the interior package. the way for Renault Australia to support GRM’s program, gradually increasing its support during the season.

Unlike many other TCR Australia teams, GRM is heavily involved in developing the Megane R.S. TCR alongside homologation agent Vukovic, who visited Australia a number of times during the 2019 season.

This new partnership spawned the next update for the Megane R.S. TCR, the Evo. A near-complete overhaul of the Renault was undertaken, which included a new engine, suspension package and aero kit.

Due to the global pandemic, which halted racing last year, the Megane R.S. Evo was limited to running in one title last year, albeit it was the top-tier World Touring Car Championship (WTCR).

In fact, newly signed Renault Sport GRM driver Dylan O’Keeffe formed part of Vukovic Motorsport’s two-car entry at one round of the WTCR, entering as a Wildcard at Zolder in Belgium where he scored solid results.

Former Peugeot Sport factory competitor Aurelien Comte was installed as driver ahead of Round 3 at the Automotodrom Slovakia Ring and equalled O’Keeffe’s best result of 12th on a number of occasions as he completed the season with Vukovic Motorsport.

GRM’s vastly experienced workforce has played an integral role in the Megane R.S. TCR Evo’s development, none more so than former lead engineer Richard Hollway.

A familiar face in the Supercars pit lane, Hollway will return to the category next year on a full-time basis with Team18, but has led the GRM-side of the Megane R.S. Evo’s development. Hollway and GRM director Barry Rogers travelled to Vukovic Motorsport’s base and viewed the Megane R.S. TCR before confirming a deal.

“We liked the way Milenko went about it and he seemed a similar sort of person passionate about racing,” Hollway recalled.

“We thought that would be a great fit for

The updated Evo specification features a new engine for this model in TCR racing, the 1.8-litre Renault Sport TCe powerplant used by the road-going Megane R.S. It is expected to be a more reliable unit than the previous Clio derived 1.6-litre, which was bored out. Standard components are used within the engine, in fact many of the critical components are straight out of the road variant. A Mitsubishi turbo is used and is different compared to the rest of the TCR models on offer, which use an AMG component.

GRM and that’s how it came about. At that stage, he was a lot smaller, hadn’t sold a lot of cars, didn’t have a lot of cars out there and was certainly open to input from us.

“That was another thing we thought would be good, why not be a part of it rather than ringing up and ordering parts. It was attractive for us to have input and have a guy who listens to what you say.

“Milenko is very respectful of our input.

In the early days, we had a lot of problems engine-wise with turbos and we’ve obviously got used to those, conditions are different to over there, which caught us out.”

After engineering Supercars for nearly 30-years, Hollway explained the method in which TCR models are built is similar to how touring cars were built in Australia back in the early-1990s when bodyshells were production-based.

“In some respects, the TCR car is going back a long way,” Hollway explained.

“In terms of chassis side of things, it’s going back to when I first started, effectively.

The way a TCR chassis is built is very similar

to the end of Group A into the start of the Supercar-era, a lot more production based than what it is now.

“It is a production car, which has some strengths in terms of the DNA and the type of car, people can see it’s a Renault, but in other terms it’s not.

“The Supercar is way ahead in terms of repairability.”

As forementioned, the Evo specification heralded the arrival of a new engine in the form of the 1.8-litre Renault Sport TCe unit found in the road-going version of the Megane R.S. This replaced the 1.6-litre Clio powerplant, which proved quick, but unreliable during the 2019 TCR Australia season.

Although the chassis development might be backward compared to that of a Supercar, it’s the opposite under the bonnet.

“Engine-wise, I’d say it’s the other way round,” said Hollway.

“You’re looking at effectively a two-litre pumping out 350hp, which basically is a Renault engine taken off the assembly line

with a big turbo strapped onto it. If you times that by two for a Supercar, you’d say a four-litre twin-turbo should be making 650hp easily.

“To me, that’s a far more economical way of making 650hp than what they’ve got so to me the engine is a strength of it, probably the chassis part is not as good as a Supercar in that respect.”

The engine is largely stock apart from the addition of a Mitsubishi-sourced turbo (many other TCR models feature a turbo from an AMG Mercedes) and a few internal components to turn the road-car into TCR racer.

Already through testing, GRM has experienced the benefits that come with the new powerplant.

“As an OE package; piston design and the whole engine design, the combustion chamber, it’s going to be a lot better,” Hollway detailed. “The previous model was pretty knock sensitive and it was not the OE piston, so I think the Evo will be far more bulletproof with the direct injection combustion chamber

AutoAction

39

UNDER THE SKIN RENAULT MEGANE R.S. TCR

The front brakes (left) feature 6-piston calipers with 380 mm ventilated discs and matched to the AP 2-piston calipers and 260 mm steel discs on the rear. The GRM Renault TCR cars use PFC brake pads.

design, a lot goes into it and I’d say that’s the biggest strength.

“When Milenko homologated the Megane, the 1800 version, there wasn’t the numbers available of the road-car and it was very early in the program. He stroked the 1600 from the Clio RS to make it an 1800 version and now down the track he’s got access to the production volumes of the 1800 road engine.

“There are only a few bits and pieces that he changes. It’s straight off the production line, bang on an exhaust, a manifold and away you go.”

The engine is not dry-sumped, but baffled, while the exhaust is a homologated design by Vukovic Motorsport and arrives sealed.

Bosch is maintained as the sole electronics supplier through the dash, data acquisition, power control module and ECU, though live telemetry is not permitted. Sensors the team use post-race include wheel speed, throttle, brake position and steering angle. This means the driver must watch the gauges to watch for any impending problems.

Not only is the body French-sourced, but the drivetrain is also with 3MO providing a six-speed sequential paddleshift gearbox and multi-plate limited slip diff, with pre-load easily changed externally.

It’s an impressive system according to Hollway, however it has one weakness in the form of the SACHS sintered twin-plate clutch.

“It is a minimum 7 ¼ minimum diameter,” explained Hollway. “Very, very simple, but in reality, carbon would be a better way to go I think in terms of life and ease on components.”

A production-based CV joint and spline is partnered with a custom axle for wider track widths to form the driveshaft package.

40 AutoAction

Suspension-wise, the Megane R.S. TCR originally was launched with KW Suspension shock absorbers, but GRM instituted a switch to Ohlins due to its previous experiences and the ability to maintain the components in-house.

“We helped in homologating the Ohlins last year,” said Hollway. “It came out with KWs and we struggled with them because it seemed like a company where you’d sent it back for it to rebuild.

“Here at GRM, we’re used to the Ohlins style of thing where you receive the parts and go your hardest basically. Internal valving is free, but maybe that should be tied up.

Set-ups in TCR can vary widely due to the ability provided by the regulations to adjust many items in the suspension.

“In reality, there’s probably more stuff to play around with on the TCR car than the Supercar, especially now with the control shock,” Hollway explained. “You’ve got bump stops, valving, spring rates, there’s a fair range of sway bars on the thing, diff preloads and ramps, so there is a whole lot of items to play with.”

No blades are allowed as part of the sway bars, which are arms featuring four or five holes non-adjustable to the driver. A variety of different sized versions are available to suit different circuits, while a large torsion bar is found in the rear.

“That’s to get the inside up, it’s soft relative to the front,” Hollway said of the rear sway bar.

“Compared to the road car, you’re trying to pop the inside rear off to get the thing to turn.

With front-wheel-drive, you should have the inside rear off the ground for maximising the traction. The same as for a V8, you pop the

inside front for the same reason.

Stopping power is provided by a dual circuit hydraulic system featuring six-piston calipers at the front and two-piston calipers on the rear. Kart component manufacturer TM provide the 380mm front ventilated steel discs at the front and 260mm steel rear discs after expanding into circuit racing some years ago.

The Renault features standard hardline brake lines and AP master cylinders.

GRM use PFC pads.

Inside, a Vukovic designed roll cage encloses an Atech RS7 carbon seat, while to the right of the driver (as the Renault is left-hand-drive) is a panel of switches neatly arranged. A fire bomb is also part of the safety features within the interior.

An off-the-self Tilton pedal box, which is a common component among TCR models, is used in the Megane R.S. TCR. A Vukovic Motorsport-branded steering wheel is the centrepiece of the interior.

An electric assisted power steering system is based on the same component used in lower specifications of the Megane. The rackbased system used in the Megane R.S. is not suitable due to spacing constraints and heat generated by the turbo.

Driver aids are banned in TCR. The exterior features a TCR specification carbon fibre front splitter partnered by a wing off the rear hatch. The positioning of these items is mandated by TCR worldwide management, WSC. “It’s different in respect to a Supercar that the splitter is a separate piece and the bar sits on top of both,” said Hollway. “The splitter is common and we’ve started making them at GRM, one splitter does three brands.”

The front coachwork is very much designed to be a guard, while the rear is a flare with both made of composite material. The standard steel bonnet, doors and hatch are maintained, while the bodyshell is production featuring an AP jacking system.

The Megane R.S. also went on a diet and came out significantly lighter in Evolution trim.

Wheels are an OZ 18x10 product, while tyres vary between Michelins for TCR Australia and Goodyears in WTCR. Servicing the Renault after each meeting consists of changing rotors, pads and tyres, while engines are expected to last two seasons.

TCR is a Balance of Performance formula consisting of engine mapping, ride height and weight.

Whether there will be further changes in the future is unknown; cost is a major factor as there is a TCR price cap at 130,000 euros (approx. $206,000).

“It’s building a car to the capped price and it’s bang for your buck,” said Hollway. “The changes that Milenko has made we’re really happy with, it’s about tuning the package you’ve got really.

“It’s more of a tuning exercise rather than developing. Once you’ve homologated it and moved on, its tuning the car rather than dreaming up new parts.

“There are probably a few things we’d like to look at, but it’s the cost of homologation, it’s the cost of new parts and incorporating it in or wait for a new model.”

The Renault Megane R.S. Evo will be a model to watch during the second TCR Australia Series, kicking off in Tasmania later this month.

TECH SPECS: RENAULT MEGANE R.S. EVO ENGINE Turbocharged 4-cylinder in line, transversally installed Distribution: two overhead camshafts, 16 valves Displacement: 1798 cc Bore x stroke: 79.7 x 90.1 mm Max. output 340hp @ 6900 rpm Max. torque: 420nm @ 3000 rpm Lubrication: wet sump

TRANSMISSION

Like many TCR race cars the Renault uses the Tilton floor mounted brake, clutch and throttle pedal system. All Australian TCR cars use the Racelogic VBox camera sytem. The roll cage is a strong multi point package, with the fuel cell mounted within the cage.

Front-wheel-drive Gearbox: 3MO Performance 6-speed sequential with paddle shift Clutch: SACHS double-plate Differential: multi-plate limited slip differential

CHASSIS Front suspension: McPherson strut, coil springs, gasfilled dampers, anti-roll bar Rear suspension: Torsion beam axle, coil springs, gasfilled dampers, anti-roll bar Steering: electrical power assisted rack and pinion

BRAKES Dual circuit hydraulic system Front brakes: 6-piston calipers, 380 mm steel ventilated discs Rear brakes: 2-piston calipers, 260 mm steel discs

DIMENSIONS Length: 4622 mm Width: 1950 mm Wheelbase: 2681 mm Minimum weight: 1265 kg including driver

BOP Engine calibration: M5 Ballast: -10 kg Minimum racing weight: 1255 kg Ground clearance: 60 mm The front suspension uses fabricated control arms and Ohlins struts. The rear suspension uses a combination of modified standard components and bespoke systems including the rear anti-roll bar and Ohlins shocks. No adjustment is available to the driver from the cabin.

FORGING A CAREER IN THE STATES T Translating Australian karting success into United States triumph, J Josh Car is an Australian driver on the rise. Contesting last year’s re regional US Formula 4 Championship, Car told DAN McCARTHY of his IndyCar aspirations ON INTERNATIONAL kart race in ONE Las Vegas during 2017 altered the course of Josh Car’s racing career. cou An A opportunity arose after winning the Las Vegas Nationals X30 Class for Compkart, leading to an already successful open-wheel career for Car suc in tthe ’States.

This Th came after a successful karting career in Australia where he won the car X30 Senior category, before joining Compkart’s American factory team of Co drivers driv in J3 Competition.

A steady rise through the ranks led to Car contesting the X30 Class in America Am where success came and a call ca from US F4 team Crosslink/Kiwi Motorsport followed.

M “It “ was beautiful, the biggest moment of my life, because it led to m me m getting called up by the person I still race for now, Patrick Flynn,” Car C told Auto Action.

“He offered me a seat in his Formula 4 team as he has a junior F program in the US. p “He is South African and used to race when he was younger, but he couldn’t make it all the way, ended up becoming a very successful businessman and likes to help y young drivers that don’t really have

42 AutoAction

the money.”

Car’s motor sport roots run deep.

The New South Welshman spent many weekends attending Supercars events at Oran Park and Sydney Motorsport Park before he wanted a piece of the action himself.

“I remember we went to a rental kart place in Sydney, I was only five or six so I was in the dual kart with Dad,” he said.

“He’s said how about we get you a kart, so bought my first go kart off Joey Mawson’s family coincidentally.”

Car began competing at his local club in Lithgow by entering club level events, then state, before progressing to national level competition.

The 20-year-old’s first big win was the New South Wales Rookie title at the age of 12, which was backed up by the Rotax Pro Tour as a Junior.

In 2016 he finished third in the Las Vegas Super Nationals, but the next year proved his breakout event.

Winning the Las Vegas Nationals X30 Senior Class and the follow up phone call from Crosslink’s Flynn opened the door to an open-wheel pathway in the US beginning in 2018.

“I flew over for a test at the start of

the season,” Car explained. “I didn’t have the drive; this was my final test to see if I could get the seat.

“I had lap times that I had to try and beat. I was pretty nervous; I’d never driven a car on a circuit before. I spun on my first lap and put the car in the gravel, it just blew my mind.

“But by the end of that day I was quick and doing lap times that were very respectable. Patty was very happy with me and signed me up for the year.”

Car said up until that point he did not know where his career was headed, but the opportunity in America was simply too good to resist.

“There is a very good ladder system in the US that is possible to take you all the way,” Car said.

“If you win the F4 championship, you get a seat in F3, if you win that then you get a seat in Indy Lights and then there’s a good chance that you can go to IndyCar. “As a young driver you have to pretty much take all the opportunities you can, and I had the opportunity to race in the US. Car and Crosslink/Kiwi Motorsport’s two-year deal was split into two parts;

Car began at his local kart club in Lithgow before progressing to national level competition. He made the most of winning the Las Vegas Nationals X30 Class, which led to a successful open-wheel career in the United States.

learn earn in his rookie year and title success the next. Driver and team were brand new to the F4 Championship making 2018 a season of education for both.

“We got two wins and four podiums which all happened in the last half of 2018, the first half we were learning the car and I was the only car under his reign,” Car explained.

“It took us a little bit to get the car worked out and I was learning a lot driving wise but once we got it sorted, we were really quick.”

An impressive fourth place in the championship resulted, giving Car plenty of momentum heading into his second season.

“We knew where we had to be with

the car car, I was getting better with driving, I was more confident and I knew I could win races,” he felt heading into 2019.

“The goal was to win the championship, there was no other outcome that we really wanted, because we needed that F3 budget for the following year.”

What followed was a dominating display by Car, winning six races and missing the podium just three times in the 17-race season to win the title by 79-points with a round to spare.

“We started off pretty well, we were second after the first round in Road Atlanta,” Car recalled.

“Then we got the lead and never

loo looked back, the gap gr grew and grew to the res of the field and we rest wo the championship won by 79 points in the end.

“W had such a good “We pac package at that point, we would always have it sorted out, I just knew so I could literally fold my co mirrors back and just mirr focus focu on myself, it was so good.” g Progressing to the Pro Formula Americas Form Regional Championship for Formula 3 cars proved a difficult initiation for Car as a mid-season engine failure set he and his team back after a promising start.

“A bearing let go and metal went inside the engine, we then struggled to get speed back,” Car said. “(Due to COVID-19) we couldn’t get the new engine and put it straight in, we had to wait until the next round at Homestead on Thursday.

“The car was slapped together as quick as we could, but it’s never going to be perfect.

“We tried so hard to get speed, but I was driving around 1.5s off the pace,

it was the most I’d been off all year by a lot.”

With the problem thought to have been rectified at the final round, it was too late to regain lost ground as he finished a still impressive sixth in the title.

Car is confident that he will remain with the Crosslink Racing/Kiwi Motorsport squad again next season and is aiming high.

“We’re 100 per cent going for the win,” Car said to AA. “Like the second year in F4 that’s what it has to be for us to move forward, we’re going to really try for that (title), give it our all and are definitely not going to leave a single stone unturned,” he stressed.

“We are all one big family, I live with Patrick and his wife and he treats me like his son, we do everything together.”

Car’s future aspirations lie in Indy Lights before hoping to emulate the likes of fellow Australian Will Power in IndyCar. “There’s a future ahead if we get a real nice result in 2021, definitely the goal is to go towards IndyCar, we have to try our best to win the series and get that Indy Lights drive the following year,” he concluded.

Car aspires to drive in Indy Lights before emulating the likes of fellow Australian Will Power in IndyCar.

AutoAction

43

SUPER 2-SUPER 3 WRAP

RANDLE CONTROLS S2 SERIES

AFTER A challenging off-season, Thomas Randle returned to Super2 with one goal in mind, to win the second-tier series, and last year that is exactly what he did.

The Victorian made the switch from Tickford Racing to Matthew White Motorsport and the move paid dividends, winning the interrupted Super2 Series in controlled fashion.

Despite the lack of entries, the field was made up of several young hotshots and multiple highly regarded rookies.

What began as a normal season quickly changed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, however thanks to the persistence of Super2 race teams and organisers, seven races were held over three rounds and this was enough for a series winner to be crowned.

Throughout the season Randle never finished outside of the top two, allowing him to steadily build up a small buffer.

“It was probably my strongest season ever in anything,” Randle told Auto Action.

Randle took the title at Bathurst, but due to COVID-19 and the slim chance of a fourth event being held the Victorian had to wait until official confirmation came

through via email.

During the season Randle won three races, but he feels a couple more victories were on the cards.

“I think there was potential for a couple more victories, but in other ways I was very lucky,” he said.

“We had that coil pack issue (at Bathurst), I was lucky that the car just didn’t conk out and that we still managed to finish second on seven cylinders.

“I think we showed that we were a force to be reckoned with. The car, myself and the team were quite a strong combination, and we were always fast which was the most important thing.”

Leading into the 2020 season Randle was diagnosed with testicular cancer, but heroically was back on the grid for the season opening Adelaide 500.

The Victorian took an emotional pole position in Adelaide, telling AA that it was his season highlight.

“I was really, really happy with that, the car was just a jet from the get-go, and I felt quite comfortable, I literally did zero training from the operation to the race (five weeks later),” Randle said.

ROBOTHAM DOMINATES SUPER3

44 AutoAction

Randle’s nearest title challenger was Will Brown who took two wins, wins however, however did not have the consistency of Randle as he finished outside the top two on four occasions.

Brown’s Image Racing teammate Jordan Boys was third, he was unable to take any victories but again proved to be a front runner, while the top rookie was 2019 Super3 Series runner-up Jayden Ojeda in fourth. DM

FINAL STANDINGS 1 Tom Randle 2 Will Brown 3 Jordan Boys 4 Jayden Ojeda 5 Matt Chahda

DUE TO the COVID-19 pandemic a Super3 Series winner could not be crowned last year as only two events took place.

The Australian Racing Group run third-tier series joined the Super2 category to bolster grids and have more competitors on the racetrack for a round at Sydney Motorsport Park and at Bathurst.

Nevertheless, four Super3 races were held and all of them were won by former Toyota Gazoo Racing 86 Series driver Jaylyn Robotham.

The 18-year-old Victorian had never raced a Supercar prior to the first round at SMP and took to it like a duck to water.

The first round in Sydney saw Robotham and his former 86 Series rival Declan Fraser take the fight to several of the Super2 Series machines, an experience that Robotham feels was very beneficial.

“I learnt a lot racing the Super2 cars especially at Sydney because we were mixed in amongst them,” Robotham

860 813 645 615 566

recalled to Auto Action.

“It was still cool to race a Supercar especially at Bathurst, it was always a dream of mine and it was cool to tick that off and to win all four races was great.”

Robotham was able to race the more aero efficient Super2 machines at SMP due to the more durable Kumho compound tyre.

While the Dunlop Super2 runners struggled for grip the Super3 machines continued at the same pace. At Bathurst however, the aero advantage was too much to overcome.

“I think our name got exposed quite a bit especially at Sydney, (when we were) mixing within the top eight. I believe that raised a lot of a lot of eyebrows, no one was really expecting us to be that far up,” Robotham said.

“If we had another round we probably would have been classed as a series winner and that would have been cool, but all in all, I think we proved that we were quick enough to be the winner.” DM

AMRS WRAP

AMRS’ TURBULENT YEAR THE AUSTRALIAN Motor Racing Series (AMRS) was held in 2021 although not as originally envisaged. A majority of the AASA run events took place, largely made up of state level race categories.

AMRS events took place last year at Winton Raceway, Sydney Motorsport Park, Queensland Raceway and Sandown Raceway.

Winton was staged just days before the COVID-19 Pandemic took hold and as a result occurred with all the usual national AMRS categories.

This was to be the only AMRS event that took place as normal, with SMP restricted to New South Wales competitors, QR to Queensland drivers and Sandown Raceway to Victorians.

Despite the hardship that the COVID-19 pandemic had on many people, it provided opportunities for AMRS. Queensland Raceway was set to make its AMRS debut, but it was joined later in the year by Sandown.

The Victorian venue had never hosted an AASA sanctioned event, let alone an AMRS round and only came about after COVID swept the nation.

AMRS series manager Matt Baragwanath was pleased with the events they showcased considering the circumstances.

“It was by no means what we planned at the start of the year, it was a far, far differentt

year to obviously what has eventuated,” Baragwanath told Auto Action.

“We were lucky to be able to execute some events at SMP and at QR, the interstate events where we were able to get state categories in, we were able to put on enough categories to make hay and make it cover (the cost of) itself, so we were at least able to fly the flag a little throughout the year.

“It was good to be able to deliver at least a small handful of events to quench the thirst of the motorsport community nationally and we’re looking forward to doing it properly this year.”

The event at Sandown that concluded the Desp the hardship that the COVID-19 Despite pand pandemic had on many people, it provided oppo opportunities for AMRS. Events took place last year at Winton Raceway, Sydney Motorsport Park Park, Queensland Raceway and Sandown Race Raceway. It was the first time Sandown had cond conducted a AASA sanctioned event.

year was a significant highlight for AMRS organisers. orga “It was really good to have the opportunity to run ru the first ever AMRS round at the venue,” Baragwanath explained. ven “First “F time for AASA as a sanctioning body bod to permit a race meeting there as well, we and hopefully it is the first of many for the both of us.

“The continual feedback throughout the “ weekend was competitors saying ‘thanks we so much for putting the event on. You guys m have done a great job, if you can do it again next year we’d like to come and support it again.”

For Victorians, the event in November was the first time they were able to compete since the COVID-19 outbreak in March.

“In total 138 entries for Sandown, some categories were really strong including the Combined Sedans, TA2 invited category and the one-hour enduro with 54 Hyundai Excels, it was a spectacle,” Baragwanath continued.

“The Group S guys, none of those had a meeting, some of the state-based categories like Excels had a chance to run in February, but for a lot of them it was their first meeting for the year and there was a lot of thirst for motorsport I can assure you.” DM

AutoAction

45

INDYCAR WRAP

SIX OF THE BEST

JUST LIKE most championships worldwide, IndyCar was not averse to the challenges thrown up by COVID-19, however it didn’t stop Chip Ganassi Racing’s Scott Dixon from sealing his sixth crown.

A 16-point margin by season’s end to defending champion Josef Newgarden complemented the Team Penske driver, who struggled during the early rounds.

On the other hand, Dixon opened his campaign with three straight victories when the season kicked off in June, delayed due to the impact of the global pandemic.

Dixon went on to win one further race as a consistent back end delivered him and Chip Ganassi another IndyCar crown.

Newgarden had a late flourish, but the mountain Dixon had set early on in the season proved too tall to climb.

Andretti Autosport’s Colton Herta followed up an impressive rookie season by finishing the season third ahead of another young gun, McLaren SP Arrow’s Patricio O’Ward.

Australian Will Power was again plagued by bad luck, finishing the season in fifth, taking two victories at Mid-Ohio and Iowa Motor Speedway.

For the first-time, the Indy 500 ran without spectators, a strange scenario for new twotime winner Takuma Sato, who repeated his 2016 triumph.

Of course, the big news story on Australian shores was Scott McLaughlin’s debut in the series originally slated for the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course, however the season delay put those plans on the back-burner.

This came after two successful tests at Sebring and Circuit of The Americas, but the three-time Supercars champion finally made his debut at the St Petersburg season finale where an accident ended his campaign.

It was later announced McLaughlin will join fellow Kiwi Dixon in the series next year as part of Team Penske’s roster, including Aussie Power. HM

46 AutoAction

Scott Dixon sealed his sixth crown by 16-points over defending champion Josef Newgarden, who struggled during the early rounds.

Final Standings 1 2 3 4 5

Scott Dixon Josef Newgarden Colton Herta Pato O’Ward Will Power

537 521 421 416 396

NASCAR WRAP

ELLIOTT 2.0 IN 2020 24-year-old Chase Elliott took his maiden NASCAR Cup Series, following in the footsteps of his father Bill Elliott in 1988.

Elliott became the third youngest person to win the series, and the first Chevrolet driver to take the title since Jimmie Johnson in 2016.

Elliott’s season got off to a shaky start, the Hendrick Motorsports driver failing to finish in the top 16 positions in the opening two races.

After the first four rounds, the series was postponed for more than two months due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

When the series returned in May, it was a quickfire run to the end of the season.

The runaway leader after the first 10 races was Kevin Harvick, the Ford Mustang driver finished inside the top 11 in all races and scored two wins along the way. Harvick appeared unstoppable, taking seven wins in the regular season compared with Elliott’s two.

It appeared as though Harvick’s main challengers would be Team Penske drivers Brad Keselowski and Joey Logano, but Harvick quickly faded from contention in the playoffs.

The 2014 Cup Series winner Harvick won two of the first three playoff races, however the 45-year-old veteran scored just one top-nine finish in the next six races, knocking him out of contention before the final race of the season.

Elliott had a mixed bag of results throughout the playoffs but did enough to make the final eight.

Elliott needed victory in the penultimate race of the season to stand a chance of making it into the Championship 4 finale.

He took the win at Martinsville Speedway and qualified for the winner takes all finale at Pheonix Raceway.

Incredibly Elliott’s car failed pre-race inspections twice, forcing him to start from the back of the grid.

Elliott undoubtedly drove the race of his life to charge through the field, take the race win and with it the series.

“I just can’t say enough about our group,” Elliott said. “I felt like we took some really big strides this year, and last week was a huge one.

“To come out of that with a win and a shot to come here and have a chance to race is unbelievable.

Keselowski finished the race in second, meaning that he finished as the series runner-up ahead of Logano and 2020 Daytona 500 winner Denny Hamlin.

Harvick rounded out the top five after a season that promised so much. He edged out Alex Bowman, Martin Truex Junior and Kyle Busch.

Reigning champion Busch had a year to forget, the increasingly frustrated #18 Joe Gibbs Racing driver scored just one win all season. DM

Final Standings 1 2 3 4 5

Chase Elliott Brad Keselowski Joey Logano Denny Hamlin Kevin Harvick

5040 5035 5034 5033 2410

After getting off to a shaky start, Chase Elliott took his maiden NASCAR Cup Series, following in the footsteps of his father Bill Elliott in 1988, and became the third youngest person to win the series. (above). Kevin Harvick was the runaway leader after the first 10 races but quickly faded from contention in the playoffs.

AutoAction

47

WRC WRAP

ALL CHANGE

AS MUCH as it was all change in the World Rally Championship, Sebastien Ogier overcame a difficult campaign to add title number seven and become the first driver to win with three different manufacturers.

It was a frenetic silly season for the WRC where all the top runners bar loyal Hyundai driver Thierry Neuville switched seats.

Joining Neuville was reigning champion Ott Tanak, while Dani Sordo, Sebastien Loeb and Craig Breen shared the manufacturer’s third entry.

Ogier announced his move to Toyota late in 2019, which aligned with Citroen’s confirmed WRC pull out. It was an all new line-up for the Japanese marque as M-Sport’s Elfyn Evans and rookie Kalle Rovanpera completed the squad.

Toyota refugee Esapekka Lappi moved to M-Sport, leading a young roster consisting of Teemu Suninen and Gus Greensmith.

The WRC’s traditional season opener, the Monte Carlo Rally, provided fireworks almost immediately when reigning champion Tanak flew 40m off a cliff at approximately 180km/h, crashing onto the road below. Both Tanak and co-driver Martin Jarveoja walked away uninjured.

While one side of the Hyundai attack dramatically retired, Neuville and codriver Nicolas Gilsoul fought off the Toyotas to win their first Monte Carlo Rally. Ogier was second and Evans third.

Moving onto Sweden, strangely a lack of snow shortened the rally as Evans took the win ahead of a recovering Tanak, with Rovanpera taking his first WRC podium.

As the COVID-19 pandemic began to spread across the globe, WRC competitors headed to Mexico as doubt surrounded the rally, let alone the rest of the season.

As it turned out, the final leg was cancelled to allow teams to return before travel restrictions came into force.

Tanak held a 40s lead, but suspension damage dropped him to second while the two

Sebastien Ogier added title number seven while Elfyn Evans was second (bottom right) and Ott Tanak third (below left). Julien Ingrassia and Ogier celebrate their win (below right). other Hyundais retired.

This left Ogier to take his first win of the season, ahead of Tanak and Suninen for the best result of his career.

An enforced break followed and completing the season appeared doubtful.

But a schedule of four rallies were revealed, starting with the 600th WRC event at Estonia in September, followed

by Turkey and two in Italy to conclude the season.

Estonia’s debut on the WRC scene was set-up for home hero Tanak, who gave his adoring fanbase a dominant victory - one that vaulted him into title contention and the first as a Hyundai driver.

On return to the championship, Breen completed a Hyundai 1-2 as Ogier finished third and teammate Evans fourth.

Turkey was a rally of attrition which Evans survived, leading home Neuville and Loeb. His two title contenders retired, leaving Evans leading the title heading to the two Italian events.

In Sardegna for the penultimate round, Sordo in the third Hyundai led home a 1-2 for the Korean manufacturer as Neuville defeated Ogier for second.

Tanak’s title defence was made much harder as he only placed sixth, plagued by suspension problems.

A 14-point advantage to Evans heading to Monza placed him as favourite, but treacherous conditions caught many title contenders out.

First mathematical chance Neuville hit water and crashed his Hyundai, severely damaging the right-front suspension.

However, the major casualty was Evans. The icy conditions contributed to the Welshman’s crash, taking his first WRC title out of his hands.

A mistake from Ogier was all Evans needed, but the six-time champion

48 AutoAction

failed to make one to win the event and add another WRC title to he and co-driver Julien Ingrassia’s trophy cabinet.

Evans retained second ahead of Tanak and Neuville fourth.

Hyundai won the Manufacturers’ Championship by five-points ahead of Toyota.

FINAL STANDINGS Ogier 122 Evans 114 Tanak 105 Neuville 87 Rovanpera 80

IMSA- WEC WRAP

IMSA DPI NAILBITER THE 2020 IMSA Sportscar Championship was a thriller from start to finish, with twists and turns almost every lap, but in the end Team Penske duo Helio Castroneves and Ricky Taylor took the title by a solitary point.

The top three teams were separated by just five points and the top four by seven at the end of a dramatic season which was summarised in a chaotic season finale.

Despite failing to finish anyy of the first three races in the top six positions, Castroneves and Taylor took four wins in the next five races to hold a slender title lead from Australian Ryan Briscoe and Renger van der Zande.

Castroneves and Taylor started from pole position for the season finale, but just 40 minutes into the Sebring 12 Hour they suffered an intercooler failure.

The repair took 25 minutes and put them seven laps down, the duo needed a miracle to take the title, and that is exactly what they got.

The Briscoe and Van der Zande Cadillac was in the hands of reigning IndyCar Series winner Scott Dixon and the Kiwi was involved in a collision with the #77 Mazda.

Like Castroneves and Taylor, the #10 Cadillac trio lost several minutes in the pits. They finished in seventh, not AFTER NEARLY 16 months the heavily COVID-19 affected 2019-20 FIA World Endurance Championship was won by Toyota Gazoo Racing.

Since the departure of Porsche at the end of 2017, Toyota has dominated the top-tier LMP1 category.

Nevertheless the 19/20 title fight went down to the final race of the season between the two Toyotas.

After winning the penultimate race of the season - the Le Mans 24 Hours the #8 machine driven by three former F1 drivers Sebastien Buemi, Brendon Hartley and Kazuki Nakajima took the championship lead.

However, this was short lived, in the final race Mike Conway, Kamui Kobayashi and Jose María Lopez took victory and with it the championship. The #7 trio took four wins compared to the #8’s two victories.

For the 2019/20 series organisers tried to level the playing field between Toyota and the privately run non-hybrid powered teams by adding weight success ballast to the vehicles.

Team Penske duo Helio Castroneves and Ricky Taylor took the title by a solitary point (above) while Antonio García and Jordan Taylor dominated the GT Le Mans category (left).

Mario Farnbacher and Matt McMurry won the GT Daytona class (below). enough to snatch the title.

Castroneves and Taylor took the title, ending a very successful partnership between Acura and Team Penske.

Antonio García and Jordan Taylor dominated the GT Le Mans category in the #3 Corvette taking the class by 32 points.

In the GT Daytona class Mario Farnbacher and Matt McMurry did enough to take the title, edging out Ryan Hardwick and Patrick Long by a mere four points. DM

TOYOTA ENDS LMP1 ERA ON TOP

Mike Conway, Kamui Kobayashi and Jose María Lopez took the final race victory andd the championship (above). United Autosport drivers Filipe Albuquerque and Philip Hanson won the LMP2 title after taking four straight wins (left). In GTE Pro Danish duo Marco Sorensen and Nicki Thiim took the title for Aston Martin Racing (right).

This had moderate success, mid-season the sole full season Rebellion entry earnt four straight pole positions and two race wins and was a title contender in the closing rounds.

Before the final round in Bahrain however Rebellion Racing elected to not compete, despite still being an outside shot at the title.

This meant that Gustavo Menezes, Norman Nato and Bruno Senna finished third in the championship.

Despite retiring from the first round of the season, United

Autosport drivers Filipe Albuquerque and Philip Hanson won the LMP2 title after taking four straight wins including the class win at Le Mans.

Former F1 driver Paul di Resta missed one race with the duo in Japan, but still finished second in the standings.

In highly competitive GTE Pro category, Danish duo Marco Sorensen and Nicki Thiim took the title for Aston Martin Racing.

Sorensen and Thiim were the most consistent pairing, in the eight rounds

they didn’t finish never finishing outside of the top five and took a total of three class wins.

The GTE Am class was won by the #83 AF Corse trio of Emmanuel Collard, Nicklas Nielsen and Francois Perrodo, the trio benefited from a disastrous final race for class rivals Jonathan Adam, Charlie Eastwood and Salih Yoluc. DM

AutoAction 49

INTERNATIONAL

WRAP

RAST DOES IT AGAIN Report: DAN MCCARTHY AFTER A slow start to the 2020 DTM series, Rene Rast came from behind to win his third title in four years.

It was a momentous year for the series as it was announced mid-season that the popular touring car category would become a GT championship from 2021.

The 2020 season was dominated by Audi, with the top four in the championship all racing for the four rings brand, while rival German brand BMW took just two of the 18 race wins.

In the first eight races Rast scored just three podiums and found himself languishing behind brand mate Nico Muller who finished off the podium just once.

However, after collecting two second places

at the first Nurburgring round, Rast regained his form and from then on was a force to be reckoned with.

Rast did not finish off the podium in the final 10 races, scoring five wins, four seconds and a third, enough to overhaul Muller.

Muller was able to take the title to the final race of the season, but Rast took a dominant victory and with it his second successive title.

Muller ended the season second ahead of Robin Frijns, Mike Rockenfeller and the best BMW representative Timo Glock.

Final Standings 1 Rene Rast 353 2 Nico Muller 330 3 Robin Frijns 279 4 Mike Rockenfeller 139 5 Timo Glock 120

backed Honda Civic and Tom Ingram in the sole factory Toyota Corolla.

These four drivers all went into the last round with a shot at the title, but Sutton and Turkington were the realistic contenders.

Turkington led the title going into the final round at Brand Hatch and had runs on

the board, however the Northern Irishman struggled to come to grips with the rainsoaked Kent circuit.

Turkington scored just one top five finish in the final round, while Sutton finished second, claimed a win and finished with a mature sixth place finish to earn his second BTCC title.

Final Standings 1 Ashley Sutton 2 Colin Turkington 3 Dan Cammish 4 Tom Ingram 5 Rory Butcher

SUTTON’S SECOND Report: DAN MCCARTHY Images: LAT ENGLISHMAN ASH Sutton was not considered to be a title favourite when he moved to the expanded Laser Tools Racing team for the 2020 British Touring Car Championship, but proved his talent to take his second BTCC crown.

In the second half of 2019, when the Laser Tools team switched to Infiniti Q50 machines, the squad scored just one top eight finish.

However, updates to the 2020 Q50 were obvious from the opening round at Donington Park.

Sutton came away from the weekend with a race win and three fastest race laps, and this momentum continued for the first four rounds of the season.

In the first 12 races, Sutton scored four wins, a further two podiums and never finished out of the points.

The first half of the season signalled Sutton’s title rivals would be defending champion Colin Turkington in his factory BMW, Dan Cammish in a manufacturer

50 AutoAction

350 336 334 326 286

FAMILY ELECTRIFYING DA COSTA AFFAIR

Images: LAT

ANTONIO FELIX da Costa dominated the 2019/20 FIA Formula E Championship scoring nearly double that of his nearest title rival.

Formula E was five rounds into the season when the COVID-19 pandemic took hold, forcing a five-month break.

The all-electric series was affected more than any other motor racing series as almost all races are held on city streets.

This meant organisers had to be creative, deciding to run the final six races at the Berlin Tempelhof Airport, utilising

three circuit configurations over nine days.

After scoring just two points in the first two races, da Costa began to gather momentum, securing two second places and a win before the series went into its COVID-19 enforced break.

In Berlin the Portuguese driver came out of the blocks firing, taking the first two race wins and backing it up with a fourth and second.

This was enough for the former Red Bull junior driver to wrap up the title with two races remaining.

Mercedes ended the season strongly,

former F1 driver Stoffel Vandoorne concluded the season with the German manufacturer’s first win and in doing so secured second in the championship.

Reigning champion Jean-Eric Vergne was unable to replicate the success he had in the previous two campaigns, the Frenchman scored one win and finished a solitary point shy of Vandoorne. DM

Final Standings 1 Antonio Felix da Costa 2 Stoffel Vandoorne 3 Jean-Eric Vergne 4 Sebastien Buemi

158 87 86 84

CAMPBELL RUNNER-UP IN GT WORLD CHALLENGE AUSTRALIAN MATT Campbell and his French Porsche teammates narrowly missed out on taking the 2020 GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup. Campbell, Mathieu Jaminet and Patrick Pilet were consistent throughout the season, in all but one race they finished in the top six.

However, retirement at the Nurburgring proved costly come the end of the season as they missed out on the title by just 14 points.

The crown instead went to Ferrari AF Corse driver Alessandro Pier Guidi, the former Le Mans 24 Hours GTE Pro class winner drove with several teammates throughout the campaign.

During the season Pier Guidi took two race victories compared to the three podiums scored by the Porsche trio.

The weighting of the points, which benefits race wins over consistent podiums, meant the Italian veteran was able to secure the title.

Matteo Cairoli, Christian Engelhart and Sven Muller finished the series in third, and although they took a win, several poor results hampered the Dinamic Motorsport Porsche trio.

DM

Report: DAN MCCARTHY Images: TCR HUB IT WAS a family affair in the 2020 WTCR season with Yann Ehrlacher beating his uncle and team co-owner Yvan Muller to the title.

Ehrlacher was by far the most consistent driver all season long, taking three wins and a further three podiums in the 16-race season. His incredible consistency saw him finish all but three races in the top 10 as he cruised to his maiden title.

It was the first time the Chinese Lynk & Co brand won the drivers’ title as well as securing the teams’ championship.

It was also the first time since the World Touring Car Cup (WTCR) was created to replace the World Touring Car Championship (WTCC) in 2018 that a non-Hyundai driver has taken the title.

In fact, it was a disastrous year for all Hyundai drivers, the highest placed i30 driver was reigning champion Norbert Michelisz who finished in 13th position.

The Korean brand won just one race all season long and even opted to withdraw from the Nurburgring Nordschleife round as it felt it was being unfairly treated.

The sole Alfa Romeo Giulietta Veloce TCR driver Jean-Karl Vernay consistently showed good pace throughout the season and finished the season an impressive third.

After narrowly losing the title in 2019, Esteban Guerrieri once again missed out on the crown after recording four wins, more than any other driver. Inconsistencies hampered the Argentinian’s title fight, and he finished fourth.

Final Standings 1 Yann Ehrlacher 2 Yvan Muller 3 Jean-Karl Vernay 4 Esteban Guerrieri 5 Gilles Magnus

234 195 194 188 172

AutoAction

51

ACTION Mart CAMS CAMS SPEC CAMS SPEC MILD SPEC MILD MILD STEEL STEEL STEEL CHROMOLY CHROMOLY TUBE TUBE -- SHEET SHEET -- SOLID SOLID SOLID

828 Sydney Rd Brunswick 3056 (03) 93865331

TUBE BENDERS - DIES - NOTCHERS

PH: 02 9676 8001 SHIPPING DAILY AUSTRALIA WIDE W W W. R A C E T E C H S T E E L . C O M . A U

Australia’s JRi agent

Australian owned & operated since 1930 “Setting the standard for Quality & Value�

RESTORE. REPAIR. REBUILD.

www.machineryhouse.com.au

01_AA_290420

FACTORY FACT TORY 40/22 TO 40/2 DUNN CRESCENT, DANDENONG SOUTH, VICTORIA, 3175 AUSTRALIA MOB: 0407 951 990 ROB@RACINGSHOCKSAUSTRALIA.COM.AU

11 Brewer Street. Clontarf. QLD 4019 | 07 3284 3785

www.tiltatrailer.com

GORDON LEVEN

MOTORSPORT TYRES

International Products - Local Knowledge

“I only trust Brakes Direct!�

LATEST TECHNOLOGY IN TYRE HEAT TREATING - TYRE BUFFING - TYRE GROOVING - TRACKSIDE SERVICE

Chris ‘Atko’ Atkinson - World Rally Driver

1300 724 943

brakesdirect.com.au

THE ORIGINAL

OFTEN COPIED - NEVER EQUALLED www.speco.com.au

THE ULTIMATE IN CALIPER PAINTS AA2

Email: motorsport@gordonleven.com Tel: 02 4735 8734 Address: Unit 6 / 133 Russell St Emu Plains NSW 2750 Website: www.gordonleven.com.au

www.allweldmanufacturing.com.au Allweld Manufacturing build race car transporters to your specification.

Our transporter builds are all custom-built to your specific needs, from race cars, classic vehicles to race bikes we can build a transporter to carry it.

The standard of commitment to our customers means that they save time and money because what we build for you is guaranteed to last.

For further information call 07 4123 4244 or E: sales@allweldmanufacturing.com.au

Contact Bruce Williams for bookings and information on 0418 349 555 or Bruce@Overdrivemedia.com.au

SUBSCRIBE TODAY! For 50 years Auto Action has delivered Australian motorsport competitors and enthusists the most in depth coverage of news, race reviews and behind the scenes features.

sales@williamsraceservices.com Ph:07 5502 3636

Visit our new Southport showroom!

/HDGLQJ /6 &RQYHUVLRQ 6SHFLDOLVWV &DVWOH +HDGHUV DQG ([KDXVW FRPSRQHQWV '\QRJHQ $OWHUQDWRUV 7KH KLGGHQ DOWHUQDWRU LQ D JHQHUDWRU ERG\ +L 7RUTXH *HDU 5HGXFWLRQ 6WDUWHU PRWRUV %LOOHW +LJK 3HUIRUPDQFH $OWHUQDWRUV :LSHU 0RWRU .LWV (), &RQYHUVLRQ /RRPV DQG (&8 UHSURJUDPPLQJ &RQYHUVLRQ HQJLQH PRXQWV 7UDQVPLVVLRQ &URVVPHPEHUV &RQYHUVLRQ 6XPSV 5DFN SLQLRQ &RQYHUVLRQV

&$(3(5)250$1&(352'8&76 &20 $8 0$,1 5' &$67/(0$,1( 9,&725,$ 7

From Supercars and Formula 1, to national, state and club level racing and rallying, Auto Action covers it all.

Stay up to date with an Auto Action subscription available via two options, both of which ensure Auto Action is promptly and regularly delivered to your door.

CHANGE Y SUPERCARS MUST KIM JONES EXIT WH 199711 INCEE 197 SINC S

.COM.AU

www.williamsraceservices.com.au

BATHURST WINNER ON STUNNING COMEBACK

!

N O I T C E R R U S RE

JR THE GAME AT D DAVO BACK IN AN STORMIN’ NORM RO

RILL ED TO TH LICENANS LIN BOND ME’S BOND, CO THE

Issue #1799 Nov 19 to Dec 2 2020 $8.95 INC GST

PLUS

LDEN’S FIRST HE CELEBRATING HO

ALL TIME? GREATEST OFNTH HEAVEN LEWIS IN SEVE

CAMARO VS MUSTANG GEN3 REVEALED AT LAST

GIZ FLIES FLAG IN HTHE FINALE RT

SINC S INCE 1971 1971

com.au www.autoaction.

.COM.A U

SINCE 1971

.COM .AU

ON’ LATEST RCARS ‘SILLY SEAS SPRING FEVER SUPE

EXCLUSIVE

SILENCE ON BETTY BREAKS ODUS DRIVER EX

HOLDEN’S LAST BATHURST HEROES

LIONHEART

NTS ‘CRAZY DAVE’ WUAS EB ER F O OUT TO F1 STRI ONRENPAULAT TH IA P R TARGETS ’22 FOR CA S O LD R GO

CAPTAIN OUTRAGEOUS

POSH PRIVATEER PETER JANSON

OUR NEXT GP STA

PLUS

Issue #1798

Nov 5 - Nov 18 2020 $8.95 INC GST

Issue #1797 Oct 22 to Nov 4 2020 $8.95 INC GST

www.autoaction.com. au

PLUS

THE ROAD AH

FOGES ASKS WHAT’S EAD NEXT FOR RACING

.au

com www.autoaction.

r e e F n F c I e D e h t l e e F

• High quality German made limited slip differentials • Proven in competition by winners in FIA GT, ALMS, WTCC, Targa, BTCC, F3, Nürburgring 24 hour and Bathurst 12 hour • Competition gearboxes, Gear sets, Driveshafts, & Wheels Hubs also available

Contact details: P: W: www.drexler-motorsport.com.au

6 Month - 12 issues - $120 12 Month - 25 issues - $239 Cheaper than the newsagent!

To arrange your AA subscription or to ask us a question give the Auto Action office a call on 03 9563 2107 or drop us an email on admin@autoaction.com.au

p ra w S L A N NATIO

LILLIE BOWLS OVER GT-R

TECHNICAL ISSUES and a delaminated front tyre made for a slow start but it did not stop Dean Lillie and Andrew Scott from taking victory in the Great Tarmac Rally on December 5-6.

Based out of Marysville in Victoria, the duo took their borrowed Early Modern Mitsubishi EVO X to a 51s victory over class rivals and second outright Guy and John Lillyman (EVO IX). Max Williams and Bruce Bush were third, just over a minute away in an Audi TT RS and won the Modern AWD class.

This year the event had a new challenge with the inclusion of Eildon-Jamieson Road on Sunday to complement the rally highlight, Saturday’s Reefton Spur which extended the competitive kilometres to 250.

Husband and wife Jason and Fiona Wright set the early pace and held a 1min 37s lead when they retired their Nissan Skyline GT-R with a rear diff issue that caused ABS faults and made gear changes difficult. Duncan and Kel (GTR) were also well placed until an accident on stage nine.

With several stage wins on day two, Craig Haysman and Julie Boorman (Nissan 400R) were fourth overall ahead of Barrie Smith and Dale Moscatt (Audi), and Richard and Chris Perini (Porsche GT3 RS) who won Modern RWD. Seventh place outright was taken out by Neil and Sue Cuthbert, the new custodians of the 2018 Australian Production Cars Series winning Lotus Exige. Then followed Michael Minshall and Jennifer Cole (Audi), and Michael Nordsvan and Marty Holden (Mazda RX-7). Completing the top 10 of the 40 entries were James Philip and Steve Glenney (GT-R). Garry O’Brien

TWO BY TWO BY TWO

Image: Tim Allot

THREEPEAT FOR WILSON

FOR THE third year in a row, Troy Wilson won the GT Fabrication Targa Bunbury Sprint which was held on the outskirts of the south west coast West Australian city. It was staged on the afternoon – and under lights for the first time – on December 5.

Wilson won the last two events with Toni Cameron alongside, but this year he had Willie Thomson navigating his Open Class 4WD Mitsubishi EVO X. The winning margin was 34.8s over second placed and class rivals Will White and Matthew Thompson in an EVO 9. Third went to the son/father combination of Alex and Peter Rullo in their Lotus Exige Targa GT. Peter Rullo also drove the same Cup 2WD over 2.0-litre class winner to fourth spot, with James Marquet pointing out the corners.

Wilson’s chance of a third straight victory took an early hit when he was ninth after the first run on the 4.5km course on the closed roads of the Halifax Light Industrial Area. He struck a kerb and drove half the

54 AutoAction

lap on a flat tyre.

Peter Rullo was quickest on the first run ahead of Mark Cates and Declan Stafford (Porsche GT3 RS), and husband and wife Bill and Glenys Stagoll (EVO IX). After that Wilson was first through the remaining six runs with White and the Rullos fighting over the minors.

The event drew around 2,500 spectators to watch the 130 competitors, 24 of which struck trouble that included a rollover, some glanced barriers and several mechanical issues.

Mark Greenham and Stephanie Esterbauer (EVO 9) finished fifth ahead of the Stagolls and Cates/Stafford. Cates was also entered in his Holden Torana A9X with Peter Davies, but it blew the diff on the second run. Chris Caruso and Alex Butler were more fortunate with both their entries – a Chev Corvette and a Dodge Viper ACR – able to make it all the way through, albeit in 29th and 87th respectively. Garry O’Brien

ENDURANCE RACING featured at the final race meeting of the 2020 South Australian season. Hosted by the Bend Motorsport Park on December 12 were two categories in two one-hour races for each on two different track layouts.

SPORTS INVITATIONAL TRACK SPORT SERIES

ON THE GT circuit Yasser Shahin (Radical SR3RSX) was the outright winner after he recorded wins in both one-hour races. Fastest qualifier 16-year-old Blake Purdie (Wolf GB08 CN) was second overall with a second and third finish in the races, which was enough to give him the series win.

Purdie led race one until he dropped to the back of the field due to the compulsory pitstop. He then worked his way to third behind Shahin and Zig Fuhrmeister (SR3). Phil Andrawos (West LMP4) was next ahead of Sebastian Lip (SR3) and the Wolf shared by Mark Laucke and Greg Keene.

In race two Purdie pressured Shahin until the mandatory stop. This time however, Purdie managed to take

Images: David Batchelor

second ahead of Glen Stallbaum (Wolf), Andrawos, Fuhrmeister, Lip, Michael Whiting (SR3) and Brian Smith (SR3).

Shahin picked up second in the series with Laucke third.

CIRCUIT EXCELS

THE OUTRIGHT win over the two enduros on the shorter West circuit went to Asher Johnston and Shaun Pannowitch. They finished ahead of Aaron Oliver and Joel Johnson, with Brad Vaughan and Josh Denton third.

The overall winners were upstaged in qualifying by the young combination of Oliver/Johnson who went on to cross the line first in race one ahead of Johnston/ Pannowitch while Vaughan/Denton were third. It was a case of what might

www.autoaction.com.au

AutoActionMagazine

FEATURE AutoAction

Auto_Action

55

Image: Bruce Moxon

PHIL HEAFEY HOLDS ON PHIL HEAFEY, driving his Mitsubishi EVO 6 was the last driver standing in an eventful round three of the Whiteline Twilight Tarmac Rallysprint series on December 10.

Heafey, with Josh Williams co-driving, overcame early dramas to hold on for the win after his opposition struck trouble. The event was popular with 77 star ters.

Jamal Assad and Yasin Khan (EVO VI) were fastest on the two opening runs, as Heafey struck trouble through both.

Heafey had a new clutch and bogged down at the star t of the first run,

then had the ignition shut itself down momentarily in the second.

Assad was looking good for another win before his gearbox sidelined him with some expensive noises. At almost the same time, David Isaacs and Louise Taylor had their EVO 9 lunch an engine, which ended their challenge too. With three runs needed to calculate a result, both contenders were out.

Heafey capitalised with fastest time on run three, from Stephen Marlin and Glenn Slender (EVO IX) and Lance Arundel and Luke Job (Subaru Impreza WRX). Light drizzle slowed

proceedings for the last two runs.

Marlin took fastest on both runs four and five as Heafey backed off and consolidated his lead.

Heafey took the win by 3.5s from Marlin, with Arundel a fur ther 7.6s back. Four th outright and best of the 2WD cars was Jordan Cox and Brittany Ahern (Suzuki Swift Turbo). Cox was flying late in the event, taking second and third fastest on the last two runs, on a slightly damp surface. Best of the junior drivers was Tom Donohue in a BMW M3, with Stephen Horobin calling the notes. Bruce Moxon

TIGHT FINISH IN CHEAPIES ENDURO

have been for Lee and Gary Stibbs who qualified second and looked good, but a time penalty dropped them to tenth.

Fourth went to Maximilian de Meyrick and Daniel

Wallis ahead of Jayden and Justin Wanzek. Adam and Jarrod Currie brought out the safety car when a front wheel came off while Nathan Green and Jake Burgess lost time in the garage doing an alternator repair.

In race two Johnston/Pannowitch were second early before they went on to win. Oliver/Johnson battled for second with the Stibbs entry which led in the early laps. After a second safety car Johnston/Pannowitch extended their lead and even a slow fuel leak was not enough to deny them the win.

The Stibbs were second ahead of Oliver/Johnson and Vaughan/Denton. Then came Shayne Nowickj and Nick Scaife, de Meyrick/Wallis and the Curries. Mitchell and John McGarry were eighth ahead of the Wanzeks. The problems continued for Green/Burgess who only managed to do three laps. David Batchelor

THE QUARTET of Russell Greaves, Darren Goddard, Ian Smee and Shane Logan won the inaugural Motorspor tSales OzEnduro Cup round at Queensland Raceway on November 28-29.

In hot conditions, they completed 477 laps in 14 hours of ontrack racing in an Audi B5 1.8-litre turbo Quattro. That was one more than the second placed BMW 325 shared by Peter Jolly, Brian McDonald, Gerard Forde, Alistair Dowdle and Mark Vilgan.

The Motorspor tSales OzEnduoCup is a new series, put together

by Ontic Spor ts for budget-minded competitors with an interest in endurance events at major circuits. The events are for low-cost vehicles with a Redbook trade-in value of $2,000 or less. Trophies are awarded for most laps and fastest lap both overall and for cars that are valued at $1000 or less for the 1k Cup. Tim McDonald, Chris McDonald, Kye Mar t and Shane Darra were also leading contenders and ultimately finished third in their Ford Falcon. In four th spot were Scott Smith, Rob Sharp, Michael James, and Jack (son of Iain) Sherrin sharing a Toyota Corolla.

The Peugeot 405 MI16 of Paul Trappett, Stephen Kennedy, Lewin Patridge, Scott Denning, and Josh Trappett was the best of the 1kCup runners. They finished ahead of the Hyundai Excel team of Jed Mylrea, Stephen Ware, Phil Lattimore, and Cameron Lattimore who perseverance paid off after an engine and clutch replacement overnight. Garry O’Brien

AutoAction

55

NATIONALS wrap n compiled by garry o’brie

Image: Angryman Photography

GIFFARD TAKES FINAL TASSIE OFF ROAD IT WAS a high note finish to the shortened season for Andrew Giffard with victory in the second and final round of the Tasmanian Off Road Racing Series on the 3km dirt track at Symmons Plains on December 5.

Giffard made his intentions known from the outset when he posted the fastest time in his Rivmaster/Honda Sportslite in the prologue. Second was Mike Males (Can-Am X3 SXS Turbo) with John Walker (Payne/

Nissan Sportslite) third fastest.

Giffard had a dominant win in the first heat, ahead of Kateland Marshall (Southern Cross/Toyota Super 1650) by two laps. She finished ahead of her brother Luke Sulzberger (Nissan-powered Sportslite) and her mother Sharon Sulzberger (Southern Cross/Toyota Super 1650). John Walker broke a steering column in the opening heat, but managed to limp home, and finished six laps behind the

heat winner and sixth outright.

Chris Shepheard the only non-finisher due to gearbox issues with his Hornet/Nissan Sportslite.

He was able to rejoin for the second heat and took the race up to Giffard who won again, but only by 23s, with Luke Sulzberger third.

The second heat also saw Chris Branch forced out when a rear wheel parted company from his ProLite, with enough damage to end his day prematurely. Males also came to grief in the

BULL BEST AT SEASON FINALE

Image: Ian Colley

56 AutoAction

second heat, rolling his Can-Am for an early exit.

Giffard again dominated the third heat to win by an impressive 59s from Walker and Shepheard, to further extend his overall lead. The fourth and final heat produced much the same result with Giffard winning from Walker and Shepheard.

Walker was a clear second, 8mins ahead of Sharon Sulzberger, Luke Sulzberger, Shepheard, and Marshall who took out Super 1650.

Martin Agatyn

THE MG Car Club of Queensland bade the year farewell with a hillclimb at Mt Cotton on November 28-29 in which Brett Bull set the fastest time.

In hot weather conditions, six runs were available on each day with Bull posting his best effort midway through day two. He steered his turbo-charged Van Diemen RF03K to a sub-40 39.07s for a comprehensive outright and Formula Libre over 1.3-litre class victory.

Second fastest was Greg Tebble in his Group R Racing Van Diemen Formula Ford 2000 with a 42.39s run on Sunday, 0.33s off his class record. Third overall and the best of the tin tops was Michael Larymore in his Production Sports over 2.0-litre Toyota MR2.

Then came Ross Mackay (Ford Escort Sports Sedan) and Dean Amos (Lotus 2 Eleven) who was second in the Production Sports class. Brian Pettit (Westfield SE) placed sixth ahead of the best of the All Wheel Drive Forced Induction cars, the Sebastian Black-driven Subaru Impreza WRX. Rick Miles (Kookaburra) in his Formula Ford, was eighth ahead of James Heymer (Farrell Sports 1300) and Stan Pobjoy (VW Special).

Among the popular classes were Production Sports 1.6 to 2.0-lt which was won by 11th outright Rod Thomas (Mazda MX-5), and Circuit Excels with seven entries, headed by Brad Smith.

Garry O’Brien

IN ONE car two brothers topped the times at the final Victorian Hillclimb event of the year, the Gippsland Car Club’s Twilight Club Hillclimb at Bryant Park on December 5.

Bruce and Peter Minahan shared the Formula Libre up to 1300cc Suzuki-powered Hayward 07 with the former besting his sibling rival by 0.17s. Third place went to Wim Janssen in his FL over 2.0-litre Wimp 002, barely a tenth of second slower.

The one-day event drew 65 entries where the results were determined by a combination of the fastest times set on the Clockwise circuit and the Clockwise Short circuit.

Bruce Minahan was easily quickest on the longest run, ahead of his brother, and Janssen. Alan Foley was fourth fastest but did not carry on to the shorter circuit in the R Foley (built by his dad Ron). Over the shorter course Peter Minahan and Janssen were equal fastest ahead of Ewen Moile (Ramblebee Mk8).

The latter was fourth overall, clear of Mark Samson (Spectrum 011b Formula Ford) while fifth placed Rhys Yeomans (Honda Civic Sports Sedan) was the best of the tin tops.

The rest of the top 10 were also class winners with Terry Selwyn (Datsun 1600) taking out Improved Production O2.0-lt, and Steven Buffinton (Westfield) the best of the Clubmans. Max Bonney (Elfin NG) topped Formula Vees, and Larry Kogge headed the Historic Touring Cars and finished 10th outright in his Holden Torana XU-1.

Garry O’Brien

BROTHERS VIE IN SEASON FINALE

Image: GCC-Kev Wilson

FOR DAY, FOUR UNIQUE TASSIE DOUBLE Image: John Lemm

FOR THE fourth time in the eight events staged, Dan Day won the Willunga Hillclimb on December 13.

On aggregate, Day’s winning time was 5mins 18.75s aboard his Subaru Impreza WRX C-Spec.

He was a huge 16.6 ahead of Andrew Campbell and his Nissan S14 with a further 6.11s to Damien Malizani (Mazda RX-7 FC). The latter relegated Julian Newton (Mitsubishi EVO IX) to fourth on the final run while Oscar Matthews (EVO VI) was fifth, ahead of Damian Brand (WRX).

The event was held on the steep, winding 2.69km public road that climbs up from the southern end of McLaren Vale. It attracted a capacity field of 150 with the one change from previous events – a police stipulation – that all competing cars must be road registered.

Day grabbed the lead from the start with a 1min 20.79s on his first run, almost two seconds up on 2014 winner Nick Streckeisen (Nissan Skyline GTR R35), followed by first 2WD competitor in Andrew Campbell in his

Nissan S14 and Matthews.

Whilst Streckeisen’s Nissan retired at the end of the second run after trailing smoke slowed him, Day chopped over half a second off his time. He was 4.48s ahead of Newton who led Campbell and last year’s 2WD winner Malizani and Matthews.

Day went a second quicker on the third run, leading Campbell by 3.32s, with Newton 1.22s further back and in turn fractionally up on Malizani. With Day scoring his best of 1min 18.61s on the fourth and final run, Campbell was a comparatively distant behind, and just 0.3 ahead of Malizani.

Three potential winners retired with mechanical problems during practice – the Mitsubishi EVO shared by John and Henry Beasley, and the similar car of Guy Tyler.

Spectators were treated to the sight of two ex-WRC rally cars on the track – Stuart Bowes’ Toyota GT-Four and Roger Buratto’s Lancia Delta HF Integrale. John Lemm

STATE CHAMPIONSHIP Rally driver Eddie Maguire achieved a unique double by winning the BJR Engineering Tasmanian Hillclimb Championship at Highclere on December 12.

The occasion was even more special as Maguire stood on the podium with his brother Steve Maguire who finished second outright in their shared Class F (AWD) Mitsubishi EVO VIII. Eddie Maguire posted his fastest time of 31.81s on his fourth of seven runs, with his brother’s best of 32.20s on his sixth run. Third outright was Tyler Page (Subaru WRX S204) stopping the clock at 33.31s on his fifth pass.

Darren Anderson (Mazda RX-7) just missed out on a podium but took victory in Class E (over 4.5-litres) and beat Sheridan Budsworth (Nissan Skyline) by less than 0.13s in a close battle. Stephen Swain Jr (EVO VII) rounded out the top five outright.

The North West Car Club championship run event attracted a capacity field of 40 with many close battles down through the classes.

Brad van der Drift was victorious

in Class D (3.0-4.5-litres) at the wheel of the Nissan 200SX of his late father and respected NWCC member Garry van der Drift who passed away earlier this year.

Sam Phipps (Nissan Skyline R33) was expected to be a Class D contender, but his day ended early after a spectacular crash at the end of his first run. Only seconds after he posted the second fastest class time, he crashed through a fence into a nearby paddock and rolled his car. The time stood, and he was credited as third-fastest in class and 10th outright.

It was less eventful in Class C (2.0-3.0-litres) where Phil House (BMW E30 Alpina) won a tight tussle with Adrian Hodgetts (Datsun 240Z).

In Class B (1.6-2.0-litres) Leigh Ford (Honda Integra Type R) was too quick for his opposition, setting the only new class record in the process.

Reigning Class B champion Stephen Turner was rewarded in Class A (under 1.6-litres) after a switch to a competitive Ford Fiesta R2 to wrap-up the class victory.

Martin Agatyn

AutoAction

57

We take a look back at who or what was making news in the pages of Auto Action 10, 20, 30 and 40 years ago

Testing your motor sport knowledge

1981: IT WAS revealed an application had been made for a World Rally Championship round to be held in Australia. The Castrol International Rally situated in Canberra was the event which CAMS deemed suitable, ahead of its goal of attracting both of motor sport’s top disciplines on and off road to Australian shores.

Calder’s first meeting of the year was cancelled due to lack of interest and sponsorship.

1991: THE ECONOMIC downturn was hitting touring car entrants hard with privateers forced out and major teams facing cutbacks. A core field of 12 entries was expected for the season, but team owner and leader of the Entrants Group Allan Moffat was pushing for ATCC registration fees to be split in half. Australian rally champion Ed Ordynski was in the early stages of planning a World Rally Championship assault.

2001: FORD TICKFORD Racing was searching for a new livery and it asked Auto Action readers to select the 2001 appearance of its AU Falcon. In a shock move, hardware store Mite 10 announced it was ending its long association with driver Mark Larkham just prior to the start of the V8 Supercar season. Overseas, James Courtney was set for Formula 1 according to JaguarF1.

ACROSS 5. The new Blanchard Racing Team will field a Supercar for which returning full-time driver? (surname) 7. In what city will the Carrera Cup Australia Series get underway?

8. Who is the new Tickford Super2 recruit after Broc Feeney left the team? (full name) 10. At which American racetrack will the World Endurance Championship begin at in March?

11. Franco Morbidelli will have a new teammate at the Petronas Yamaha team in 2021, who is it? (surname) 16. In what country is the FIA World Rally Championship set to conclude?

17. Kevin Magnussen will race for Chip Ganassi Racing in what championship this year? (abbreviation) 18. How many Supercars rounds will be held at Bathurst in 2021?

19. At what venue will the 2021 Supercars Championship begin?

23. How many point scoring rounds will the TCR Australia Series be made up of this year?

24. As revealed by Auto Action Ricky Capo will be racing in S5000, who will be his engineer? (full name) 26. Which two-time Indy500 winner will return to race in

58 AutoAction

2011: AUSTRALIAN FORMULA 1 star Mark Webber topped Auto Action’s 50 to watch in 2011. He also opened up about hitting the reset button after a tough 2010 season and a chat at the end of last season with his teammate Sebastian Vettel had Webber confident of a strong 2011. Ford Performance Racing’s Mark Winterbottom was determined to take the next step and title glory.

the legendary event for McLaren in May? (surname) 27. What Supercars team will Fabian Coulthard drive for this season?

28. Englishman Cal Crutchlow is now the official test rider for what MotoGP manufacturer?

29. How many races are scheduled on the F1 calendar?

DOWN 1. Who will drive in the #20 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota in the NASCAR Cup Series this year? (surname) 2. Who will be Scott McLaughlin’s Australian Team Penske teammate in IndyCar this season? (surname) 3. In 2021 Jason Bargwanna and his son Ben will be teammates in TCR Australia driving what brand of car?

4. How many rounds will the inaugural S5000 Championship contain?

55. Who will be Charles Leclerc’s new teammate at Ferrari this year? (surname) te 66. Marc Marquez is set to return from injury, who will be his new Repsol Honda in teammate? (full name) te 99. At what Tasmanian track will the TCR invitational non- championship event be in hheld?

112. For what team will Mick Schumacher make his F1 debut? m 113. Who will drive the #17 Dick Johnson Racing Ford Mustang this year? (full name) 14. Former Triple Eight engineer Grant McPherson has left to join what Supercars squad? (abbreviation) 15. Which NASCAR champion will make his IndyCar debut for Chip Ganassi Racing? (surname) 20. In what state will the TCR Australia Series begin in 2021?

21. Which former Bathurst 1000 champion will make his Carrera Cup return with TekworkX Motorsport? (surname) 22. Remy Gardner moves to ride for what manufacturer academy brand in Moto2 in 2021?

25. Who will make his S5000 debut in the #29 Valvoline sponsored machine? (surname)

# 1801 Crossword Answers Answers 1 down – Bathurst 2 across – Portugal 3 down – Ojeda 4 down – third 5 down – Feeney 6 across – Binder 7 down – Hill 8 across – Racing Point 9 down – Alex Davison 10 across – Fisichella 11 down – Austrian 12 down – Morbidelli 12 across – MWM 13 across –

Suzuki 14 down – Seton 15 down – Sato 16 across – Garth Tander 17 across – Piastri 18 across – Townsville 19 down – three 20 across – Randle 21 down – Dixon 22 across – Nurburgring 23 down – Gasly 24 across – Chevrolet 25 down – two 26 across – O’Keeffe 27 across – Infiniti 28 across - Kelly

Australia’s No.1 Motorsport Marketplace

Over 600 ads available online right now. Find your next race car with my105.

‘72 Rover P6B V8 Sports Sedan

Historic Lotus Sports Racing

Spec C Subaru Rally Car

TCM Ford Mustang

 Ž›

Âœ Â

‹Œ­” „ „ „

Â? Â Â Â? Â

‹Œ­‹

— ‚ ˜ „

‚

‚ ‚

€ ‘­ • ™ ™

‹Œ­�š ’

 ��� � �

 ­€ ‚ ƒ „ „ �� „…  ‚ � ‚ „

„ ‹ŒŽ‘ ’ „

“

‚ ��” ƒ •

‚ ‚

– �  … ‚ ‚ ‚ ‚

  �

† ‡‘� ��� ˆ ‰…Š

† ‡­ ��� ˆ ‰…Š

† ‡ ­ �� ˆ ‰…Š

† ‡‹”� ��� ˆ ‰…Š

For the full listing visit:

For the full listing visit:

For the full listing visit:

For the full listing visit:

www.my105.com/22661

www.my105.com/22483

www.my105.com/22767

www.my105.com/19943

Get it SEEN! Get it SOLD! Ads from just $29.50

Contact Performance Wholesale Australia for off the shelf, or custom piston ring requirements for your application.

6 Cronulla Crt Slacks Creek QLD 4127 Performance Wholesale Australia W | performancewholesale.com.au E | sales@pwa-au.com

P | (07) 3808 1986