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SECRET CANBERRA RACE PLAN EXPOSED

Steve Johnson leads Craig Lowndes away at the start of the first Canberra street race, in 2001. It was Johnson’s first and only solo Supercars victory. Image: Motorsport Images

MARK FOGARTY investigates the move to bring Supercars back to the ACT 20 years after the first ill-fated attempt.

A SECRET plan for a Supercars street race event in Canberra has been revealed, with V8 racing’s return to the national capital targeted for 2023.

Proposed by a small group backed by local entrepreneurs, the idea is for a 3.2 km circuit utilising roads surrounding the Exhibition Park In Canberra on the northern outskirts.

If approved, the track would host the final round of the Supercars championship in late November or early December, from ’23 or ’24.

It would mark the return of Supercars to Canberra, which hosted a street race on roads in the shadow of Parliament House.

Held in June 2001 and ’02, it was canned by local authorities. The winter date was a turn-off to crowds.

The plan for a new V8 event in Canberra was exposed by News Corp’s Cars Guide web site on Sunday.

In the works since 2019, the

proposal has yet to be formally submitted to the ACT government.

But the territory’s tourism authority and other related departments have supported the EPIC location idea and remain open to a formal submission.

It is the same location that incorporates the Canberra Showground, which hosts the annual Summernats street machine festival, which has been one of the ACT’s biggest events since 1987.

The anti-clockwise circuit would be made up of roads around the EPIC precinct, although an insider maintained the track would be more interesting than the simple layout depicted by Cars Guide.

Essentially an industrial site, it is away from built-up suburban areas and accessible from major roads and public transport.

The circuit would incorporate existing pavilions for the pits and corporate viewing facilities.

Conversion of buildings to multi-

purpose use like the Albert Park AGP circuit pit lane complex is envisaged.

A major advantage is that the EPIC complex in Mitchell is accessible by the new light rail line that runs along Northbourne Avenue from the city centre.

Those behind the scheme are pitching an environmentally friendly and economically sustainable meeting that would create the least disruption and would not be exorbitantly expensive to fund.

“We’re looking at a totally new approach,” an insider said. “It would be low-impact and high sustainability.

The plan is business-based, yet environmentally and community friendly.

“It would be a new way of conducting a government-supported street race event.”

Supercars is understood to be supporting the concept of a seasonending street race event in the national capital.

It likes the idea of racing in the ACT to bolster its claim of being a truly national competition, with rounds in all six states and the Northern Territory.

Returning to Canberra would match the AFL, which in a normal season holds games in all eight of the nation’s jurisdictions.

Better weather in November/ December would make it a much bigger drawcard than the ‘01/02 events in bitterly cold June.

While showcased by Supercars, the event has scope to feature ARG assets as well, plus eco-friendly electric racing.

The proponents of the Canberra track admit their scheme is far from approval, but they remain confident their innovative approach will be carefully considered.

Auto Action understands the first formal proposal will be presented to the relevant ACT authorities at the end of this month.

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PAYNE IN, HEIMGARTNER OUT

Team owner Stephen Grove congratulates Matt Payne after Porsche success. They will now team up at Grove Racing.

Image: Motorsport Images

Grove signs teenage Carrera Cup star, ousted Andre said to have new deal in-place

By BRUCE NEWTON TEENAGE KIWI sensation Matthew Payne has been scooped up by Grove Racing and is tipped to take over Andre Heimgartner’s seat at the new-look team in 2022.

Fellow New Zealander Heimgartner, a Supercars race winner in 2021 for Kelly Grove Racing, will leave the squad at the end of the season and is understood to have already sorted a new deal to stay in the category.

Effectively, team owner Stephen Grove is taking a punt 18-year old Payne has the talent to become an elite Supercars racer. Parting ways with Heimgartner is an obvious risk, given he is highly regarded in the category as an emerging talent.

“We are convinced Matty can race at the top level in Australia,” said Stephen Grove. “In my personal view the kid is elite.”

Grove wasn’t the only Supercars entity interested in Payne, with two or three others said to have made enquiries.

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Andrew Heimgartner will be a surprise departure from Kelly Grove Racing at season’s end. Image: Motorsport Images

Heimgartner started at Kelly Racing in 2018. His new home is unlikely to be officially named for some time.

Teams that have potential vacancies for him to fill include Brad Jones Racing, Team 18, Walkinshaw Andretti United, Tickford Racing and Matt Stone Racing.

In August Heimgartner told Auto Action he was “most likely” to sign with Grove Racing for 2022. Stephen Grove had also spoken strongly in support of retaining him. The change of course came in the last couple of weeks.

“We decided for Andre’s career and development it was better he go and challenge himself somewhere else,” Grove said.

“I think you can become comfortable after that long in a team and we just decided it was better he heads in another direction.”

Heimgartner is currently in Perth quarantining and was not available for comment as AA closed for press.

The Grove family bought a 50 per cent stake in Kelly Racing ahead of

Payne: No pressure the 2021 season and more recently announced it would complete the takeover at the end of the season.

The signing of Payne and the creation of the academy are the latest headlinegrabbing initiatives from Stephen Grove, who has declared an ambition to turn the squad into a Bathurst and championship winner.

He made it clear more initiatives were on the way: “There are fair few more surprises coming.”

Confirmation Payne is Heimgartner’s 2022 successor in the Supercars championship is unlikely to come soon.

As AA closed for press on Monday, it was understood Heimgartner’s departure and Payne’s multi-year contract would be announced on Wednesday, along with his membership of a new Grove Junior Program.

Stephen Grove told AA the decision to sign Payne and part ways with Heimgartner were not specifically related.

“At this stage [Payne replacing Heimgartner in Supercars] is not the plan,” said Grove. “My preference is probably race him in Carrera Cup or Super2 and then promote him to Supercars in 2023.”

But it seems likely Payne will be on the grid in 2022. AA sources were adamant it was integral to the deal and Payne himself expects it to pan out that way (see separate story).

Grove admitted he had no other candidate to drive the team’s second Ford Mustang alongside David Reynolds in 2022 if Payne doesn’t step up. No doubt there would be drivers willing to grab the seat, even if it was just for a single year.

Payne is the second 18-year old in a week to snare a Supercars ride, following on from Broc Feeney’s confirmation at Triple Eight to take over Jamie Whincup’s prized seat in 2022.

Payne has dazzled in Australian Carrera Cup in 2021 and won the Toyota Racing Series in his home country over the summer. Before that he had a stellar international karting career.

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He has yet to drive a Supercar let alone race one. His first test was scheduled for last Monday, but that was scuppered by the Victorian COVID lockdown.

The Groves now hope to enter him as a wildcard in this year’s Supercars championship or get him some Super2 outings. There is also the potential to become involved in the Grove Racing sports car racing program in GT. But nothing is guaranteed with the championship calendar in chaos because of COVID. Stephen Grove and son Brenton became aware of and then immensely impressed by Payne as they shared paddock space in Carrera Cup. Payne is entered in the series by Earl Bamber Motorsport and the Le Mans winner is scheduled to be Heimgartner’s co-driver in the Bathurst 1000 this year.

“I looked at his data in Townsville and prior to that I’d watched some of his kart racing videos,” said Stephen Gove. “I’ve looked at some of the other racing he has done, I’ve had feedback from Earl Bamber, I’ve had feedback from [Payne’s manger and former Supercars driver] Michael Patrizi.

“Brenton’s a pretty keen eye and he keeps an eye on what’s happening.

We thought it was a good opportunity to grab him now. The kid has a huge talent.”

Payne is also the first driver signed

to the new Grove Junior Program, which should have at least two more young drivers added to its roster by the end of 2021.

“A part of that program is to see if we can develop young kids who come through the traditional way in karting and then maybe into the Challenge Cup, then the Carrera Cup, Super2 and Supercars, or some might want to go overseas and follow that dream,” explained Grove.

“We’ll probably have three drivers at any one time in the program and they will range potentially from karters through to maybe someone in the Porsche Challenge program.

“A part of the program will be connecting them with sponsors. We will be giving them media training, fitness training and a whole lot of access to the Supercar team.

“They will be able to go to race meetings, attend debriefs and we will teach them the whole parameters of the Supercars process.

“It’s something I decided to do because I like to see young drivers progress through the ranks.”

The program will likely announce new drivers each October. They will be selected from Australia and New Zealand by a panel of motorsport experts. Some funding will be included in the deal as well as introductions to other potential sponsors.

DESPITE BEING hurtled into the spotlight in Australian Supercars racing, teenage sensation Matthew Payne is confident the pressure won’t get to him.

The 18-year old Kiwi has been signed to a multi-year contract by Grove Racing, which will take over full ownership of the Kelly Grove Racing Supercars team in 2022.

Out-of-contract Andre Heimgartner will depart the squad at the end of 2021, leaving his seat vacant for Payne should team owner Stephen Grove choose to promote him straight from the Carrera Cup to the main game.

While Grove is hedging his bets on that, the seat in the main game appears destined for Payne, even though he has yet to drive a Supercar. Payne is also the first member of the new Grove Junior Program.

“I don’t feel pressure at the best of times, I just get on with it and get out and drive really,” Payne told Auto Action.

“At the moment I have no expectations,” he added. “I am just going to go in there and do my best.

“Supercars is a highly competitive field and you’ve got so many good drivers in there, I think we just have think realistically about it and just go and have a go.”

Payne says he became aware of the emerging interest in him in Supercars ranks once he shifted back from Europe this year.

He said Grove had presented him with “a fantastic opportunity”.

“It’s great that Steve is willing to put someone so young in a V8 Supercars and that he’s backing me a lot as well,” he said. “He is just doing really cool things at the moment.

“He is putting so much time and effort into making sure his Supercars team is up to scratch. Stephen has put a lot of confidence in me for multiple years.”

Originally, Payne had been scheduled to have his first test in a Supercars his week, but that got canned by COVID. The pandemic continues to prevent definite driving plans being made.

“I’d like to get started as soon as we can, but everything is up in the air at the moment.

“We’ll need to be pretty organised by the end of the year and we’ll certainly be ready for it, that’s for sure.” BN

Matt Payne has impressed in his first season of Porsche Carrera Cup competition.

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6 AutoAction FEATURE LATEST NEWS

FORD BACKS GEN3 DESPITE QUALMS FORD IS fully committed to development of a new Mustang for Supercars despite growing disquiet that Gen3 is running off the rails.

By MARK FOGARTY FORD PERFORMANCE in Detroit and Ford Australia are actively engaged, working closely with homologation team DJR. Ford Performance is providing technical support, while Broadmeadows will continue its promotional involvement in Supercars.

Gen3 is due for an unusual inseason introduction next August, featuring new road-look Mustangs and Chevrolet Camaros.

The Gen3 Mustang racer’s appearance will mimic the production version, unlike the existing ‘mutant’ shape forced by the sedan-based Gen2 rules.

But while insiders confirm Ford is committed to Gen3, they also reveal

the Blue Oval is hot happy with the current development path.

Like many in Supercars, they don’t believe the new cars will be cheaper to make and run, pointing to serious design flaws.

In the meantime, DJR chief Ryan Story is adamant that Ford is all-in, maintaining constant contact with Ford Performance boss Mark Rushbrook on the project.

Dearborn is assisting with development of a special 5.4-litre ‘Coyote’ V8 and

also CFD aero work on the body shape, which – like the Camaro-look racer – will have reduced downforce to promote closer racing.

“We have morning phone calls on powertrain and morning calls on aero and chassis and car development,” Story said.

“We work with Mark Rushbrook every day.

“Ford is every bit as committed and involved as they were with the initial Mustang Supercar development.”

The Gen3 Mustang has benefited

from Ford Performance’s experience in shaping the Gen7 NASCAR version.

Behind the scenes, though, sources claim concessions have been made to accommodate the Camaro’s entry into Supercars.

Insiders are also convinced Gen3 will be delayed until 2023 under Supercars’ new ownership, allowing time to fix pressing problems.

“A new, engaged owner will see the requirement to delay Gen3 and sort out the many problems, which are all fixable given more time – and fixable not at huge expense,” an informed source declared.

“The changes needed are all about ensuring Gen3 meets the objectives of being easier to service and cheaper to run. There’s not a team in pit lane apart from one that believes the targets are achievable at the current state of development.

“This thing is unworkable as it stands. The universal view is that it’s f*****, but fixable. But that will only happen with the ownership change.”

The main proponent of introducing Gen3 during next season is Triple Eight, which is designing and developing the Camaro to replace the ZB Commodore.

FEENEY FINALLY CONFIRMED AT T8 ONE OF the worst kept secrets has been confirmed, Broc Feeney will replace retiring Supercars great Jamie Whincup at Triple Eight Race Engineering.

It’s been known since February that seven-time champion Whincup will be retiring from full-time driving duties at the end of the year, as he moves into the role of managing director, in place of Roland Dane.

It was expected that Triple Eight Super2 Series driver Feeney would step up and make his full-time Supercars debut with the team next year.

“It’s hard to believe,” the Feeney said to Auto Action. “To be honest, when I found out that I was going to drive ,it was a big relief, all the hard work it feels like it’s paid off, to finally step up into the main series it a dream come true.”

Although he is the current Super2 Series leader and a former Super3 Series winner, Feeney is under no illusions about the task ahead of him.

“I’m obviously looking to learn as much as I can and have a consistent season,” he said. “I’ve still got to learn a few tracks on the calendar as well, so there’s a lot for me to do next year.

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“Definitely by the end of the year I want to be top 10 in the championship and if we can get a few trophies along the way that’d be awesome.

“Of course, there’s a little bit of pressure, but at the same time I’m expecting on myself to go out and get some good results next year, I’m looking forward to a challenge.”

Feeney knows he is coming into a team surrounded by legends of the sport, but he wants to remain true to himself and is confident of success in the years to come.

“I’m Broc Feeney, I’m not going to be Jamie Whincup or Shane van Gisbergen, I’ll be myself,” he said.

“I want to look back on my career as a Supercars Champion in a few years to come and I’m in the perfect team to do that.

“I know I’ve got the best people around me, so it is my job to get results on the board and hopefully look back on a successful career in a few years to come.”

Future managing director Whincup explained the decision for signing Feeney over an already established Supercars driver.

“I think some people will look at this

decision and think we would have gone in an ‘established driver’ direction, but we’re not a team that takes things conservatively,” Whincup said.

“We take risks at Triple Eight, we’re on the front foot and we have a crack and lead with our gut feel, and it seemed right to give Broc the opportunity.

“Of course, there’s an element of skill, but more importantly than that, certainly for me, is you need someone with good morals and a good attitude who knows the definition of hard work.

“Broc ticks all of those boxes, but now it’s up to us to make sure we give him a fantastic car and build a fantastic team around him, for him to go out there and maximise.”

Dane admitted that Feeney

will have a lot of weight on his shoulders but is certain the Queenslander is up to the task.

“Not only is he coming in to replace one of the best, he’s coming in to replace the best,” Dane said.

“He’s going to have to respond to being in one of the top teams in the category, and being able to carry that, and the expectations of people, so yeah he’s going to have some pressure, we’ll just try and make it as easy for him as possible to handle that pressure.

“Honestly, I wouldn’t be taking him on and handing him over to Jamie as the future if I didn’t believe he could do the job.”

Read Feeney’s exclusive chat with AA on p20-21.

Dan McCarthy

JACK SMITH “UNLIKELY” TO LEAVE BJR But investigations into other Supercars teams confirmed

By Bruce Newton JACK SMITH appears most likely to continue his Supercars racing career at Brad Jones Racing in 2022.

Jack’s father Peter Smith, founder of the SCT Logistics business and family patriarch, confirmed arrangements were almost set for his son to undertake a third full-time year in the main game with the Albury squad.

“Probably the conclusion to that right at this particular point is that a change is unlikely,” Smith told Auto Action in an exclusive interview..

The renewal comes after rumours surfaced at the Townsville Supercars event that Smith was shopping around, potentially looking to place his son, the SCT backing and REC that underpins the entry, at another team.

Matt Stone Racing was the squad mentioned most often in scuttlebutt.

Smith confirmed there had been investigations made on the team’s behalf

by Andrew Jones, the former Supercars driver and nephew of Brad Jones, who

is head of SCT Motorsport Programs.

“At that particular time [around the Townsville Supercars events] there were a few rumours around without us pushing it out,” said Smith.

“No-one really knew what this Gen3 really meant, how much people should be paying. To be quite honest nobody knows now, we know less now than what we knew six months ago.

“It was all about just seeing what other teams were making available and did I think - or did Andrew [Jones] think – would they be better teams for Jack than the team he was already in?”

The result, it seems almost certain, is a decision to stay put at BJR. “I have a lot of faith in the team at BJR and so does Jack,” said Smith.

“He’s got his same engineer [Paul Forgie] and he’s got a crew of guys down there that mean something to him, so at this particular point there’s no expected change to be made.”

Jack Smith first raced in Supercars as a wildcard in 2019 before stepping up from Super 2 full-time in 2020

Image: Motorsport Images

in a BJR Holden Commodore ZB backed by SCT underpinned by the ex-Jason Bright REC. He finished 22nd in the championship in 2020 and runs 21st in 2021, with a 21.8 qualifying average and 20.3 finishing average.

Hi best career qualifying was 10th for race six in Tasmania this year, although he was hit with a three-place grid penalty for impeding Tickford’s Jack Le Brocq in qualifying. His 15th place finish in that race was his best result of the season so far.

“Jack has shown a lot of ability at certain times,” said Smith. “He struggles when it comes to trying to get up the front of the grid in qualifying, but he has a good racing ability when

he gets in there and gets going.

“He is still very young in Supercars terms and make no mistake, the step up from Super 2 to the main series is significant and takes a bit of time. We see his progress behind the scenes which gives us confidence on where he’s heading.”

Peter Smith also revealed his son was guaranteed backing for “four or five years”.

“That would put him at the age of 26 which seems to be the age where Supercars drivers hit there straps, so if he’s not peaking by then, then I’d suggest he’ll be looking for a new career path.”

For more from Peter Smith turn to pages 16-18.

$100M OFFERS FOR SUPERCARS FINAL OFFERS for Supercars, worth up to $100 million, will be submitted soon.

By MARK FOGARTY THE JOINT TLA/ARG bid and the News Corp-supported consortium are still vying to buy V8 racing.

Both groups have been deep in due diligence in recent weeks preparatory to making formal offers.

The final bids are due to be made “very shortly”, according to an informed source.

Auto Action has learned that Supercars majority owner Archer Capital has pushed back the deadline “by a couple of weeks or so” due to internal delays.

A decision is still due by the end of this month.

Sports marketing agency TLA joined with promoter Australian Racing Group to present a combined bid to take over Supercars.

V8 legend Mark Skaife is involved as a primary advisor.

The rival group comprises Boost Mobile chief Peter Adderton, BTCC boss Alan Gow, five-time world motorcycle champion Mick Doohan, transport magnate Pete Smith and ex-racer Paul Morris.

The syndicate has the backing of media giant News Corp through its part-ownership of NRL wooden spooner Brisbane Brochcos, which

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would provide commercial, marketing and communications expertise.

If the TLA/ARG bid were successful, there is speculation the Bathurst 1000 and Bathurst International would be combined in late November/ early December as a six-day motor sport carnival at Mount Panorama.

As revealed by AA last issue, both finalists want total control of Supercars, bidding for the teams’ 35 per cent ownership as well as Archer’s 65 per cent controlling share.

Archer valued its stake at $60

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million, with the total takeover price expected to be close to $100 million.

An insight into the top-secret sale process was provided by SGT transport owner Pete Smith, who also owns the REC that underpins his son Jack’s BJR entry.

A key member of the ‘Adderton’ consortium, Smith laid out the group’s plans for Supercars to Bruce Newton in an exclusive interview (see ‘News Extra’ on pages 16-18).

“The offer we are putting in is very generous as far as the teams are

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concerned and, in our view, in the best interests of the sport,” he said. “[As] a REC owner … I’d be very happy with it.

“We are all businessmen and we want to make a quid but we don’t see any chance of making any money or Supercars being successful into the future unless the teams are very much made a part of it.

“That is the direction we’ve adopted.

It might take two to three years to get in that position, but the people who are involved in this consortium know a little bit about the game and we’ve got most of the areas covered.”

Smith also forecast his group delaying the introduction of Gen3 until 2023 and mounting a concerted campaign to attract young fans.

“Our opinion is the Gen3 car should not even exist for next year,” he declared. “More importantly, you have to develop the next generation of fans and Supercars hasn’t been doing that in my opinion.

“We’d be letting kids under 16 in for free, promoting concerts, every possible thing we could to get younger people back in and being part of the overall entertainment “We believe we could provide that better than what Supercars does today.”

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SANDOWN RACEWAY and Winton Motor Raceway will join the Australian tracks offered on iRacing in 2022. The sim racing platform, which hosts the Supercars ESeries competition, will add the iconic Victorian venues to its current list including Mount Panorama, Phillip Island Circuit, and Oran Park Circuit.In addition to new tracks, Supercars will also be enabled for AI play as part of an Australian content overhaul for iRacing’s growing local user base. JN

KIWI RICHIE Stanaway was victorious in the first two rounds of Supercars ESeries All Stars for 2021. In Race 1, Stanaway avoided late race carnage to be last man standing at Charlotte Motor Speedway. In the second round, Stanaway backed up his efforts in Round 1 to make it backto-back victories at Pocono Raceway. The Team Tamaki Makaurau Auckland driver tamed the ‘tricky triangle’ track to win by a narrow 0.010s over polesitter Brodie Kostecki. JN

GARRY ROGERS Motorsport (GRM) is planning a customer lease program, offering up three brand new TCR Australia Series cars from its fleet. The Melbourne-based team has been storing three unused TCR machines in its Dandenong headquarters, two Peugeots and one Alfa Romeo, and wants to see the cars added to the competition field by a third party.

GRM is unwilling to add to its seven entries already running in the TCR Australia Series. JN

JETT JOHNSON is targeting a National Trans Am Series debut at Bathurst in November, according to his multiple-time Supercars racewinning father Steve. The third-generation driver has his sights set on the Bathurst International, which will host a packed Trans Am schedule including the 100km-long Trans Am 100.

Johnson junior competes in the Queensland Hyundai Excel State Championship and clean swept the second round of the TA2 Muscle Car Northern Series in late August. JN PORSCHE CARRERA Cup team Volante Rosso Racing has taken delivery of its first S5000 with a plan to compete in the V8-powered open-wheel series in the Tasman Series and beyond. Former Formula 1 race engineer Chris Papadopoulos and driver Josh Hunt are at the head of the squad and are aiming to be on the grid for the revival of the Tasman Series in November before a full campaign in 2022. DM

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VACCINES NOT COMPULSORY BUT ADVISED WHILE VACCINES not going to be made compulsory by Supercars, all teams and drivers have been advised to have their COVID-19 injections as it will likely enable them easier passage when crossing borders over the coming months.

Earlier this week Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced that if the nation got to a 70-80 per cent vaccination level the states and country would be able to begin to re-open and slowly go back to the way that things once were before the pandemic began.

Following on from that, New South Wales premier Gladys Berejiklian announced the easing of restrictions for double-jabbed people in her state, despite the largest amount of COVID-19 the country has seen to date.

It is expected that within a month people with the double dose of a COVID vaccine will be given easier access to travel nationwide.

Choosing to not take the vaccine could see people forced to remain in their home state, it is for this reason that Supercars Championship CEO has recommended all team members and drivers to take the vaccine.

“What we’ve been doing is certainly informing the teams about what we understand to be the evolution of vaccination policies on a state-bystate basis,” Seamer said in a media conference which included Auto Action.

“Making sure that the teams understand that as we sit here today, that if people aren’t vaccinated, it may be a challenge for them to travel interstate.

Image: Motorsport Images “The New South Wales premier came out with what appears to be the first step towards freedom and opportunity for those that are vaccinated.”

Seamer explained that he is not forcing teams and drivers to take either the AstraZeneca or Pfizer vaccines, but is simply stating what he has heard from various governments.

“We are certainly not mandating vaccinations, it’s a personal choice, but at the end of the day, it may impact people’s ability to attend and conduct themselves at events,” he said. “All we’re doing is making the teams aware of that.”

In the United States of America, they are only allowing fans into the crowd that have had COVID-19 vaccines, however Seamer said that in Australia it is down to the state government.

“We’re certainly not going to mandate something at a Supercars level, we’ll work with the state-by-

state governments on that basis,” he concluded.

Tickford Racing Team Principal Tim Edwards explained the matter from a teams point of view and expressed similar views to Seamer.

“Ultimately nobody can force anybody to do it (get vaccinated), it’s a personal choice,” Tickford said to AA. “We’re trucking along pretty well, we’re over 90 per cent at least, single Vax, we’re probably about 40 per cent that are already double vaccinated, so we’re a long way down the path of having most of the team done.

“Everybody watches the news, everybody can read the play, there’s enough commentary and doing rounds. In effect, Dan Andrews said that he’s going to open things up to people that are vaccinated, so it’s not going to be driven by us, it’s going to be driven by politicians, border access, access to airlines.” Dan McCarthy

TWO SUPERCARS ENGINE BUILDERS IN THE GEN3 ERA FOR MANY years teams such as Tickford Racing, Walkinshaw Andretti United and Kelly Racing have built their own engines in the Supercars Championship, but this is extremely unlikely to continue in the Gen3 era.

The new era is scheduled at this stage to commence midway through the 2022 season, at that point it expected that only KRE will supply engines to GM teams, and only Mostech will supply engines to Ford outfits, one brand for each manufacturer.

This will be a first in Supercars Championship and was devised in order to reduce cost and help with parity across teams.

Currently Mostech build engines for Dick Johnson Racing, while Tickford Racing compete with its own engine and supply the single-car Blanchard Racing Team. Kelly Grove Racing also race with its own Ford power units.

On the GM side, Walkinshaw Andretti United has created engines for decades, as well as being a supplier to Erebus Motorsport, the rest of the Holden teams are powered by KRE engines.

Looking ahead to the Gen3 era Sean Seamer said that there will likely only be KRE and Mostech in the new era.

“Right now, there’s two homologation teams that are

Image: Motorsport Images developing the engines and finalising the specifications of those engines,” Seamer said in a media conference which included Auto Action.

“There hasn’t been any further discussion around production, right now those are the two parties that will go from design into production.”

Seamer feels that teams such as WAU and Tickford Racing will not feel a need to continue to produce their own engines.

“I’m not sure that they’re going to want to be honest with you,” Seamer said.

“Cost, parity and supply, all those different factors (that would contribute to the decision).”

AA contacted Tickford, WAU and Kelly Grove Racing for there thoughts on this matter.

Tickford Racing Team Principal Tim Edwards confirmed that the Ford squad would not be continuing to

build its own engines in the new era.

“We always knew that once we went to Gen3, there would be single source suppliers for either the GM or the Ford engine,” Edwards told Auto Action.

“We’ve known that was coming for a couple of years, that was one of the very early decisions that was taken with Gen3.

“It is what it is. We’ve done a very good job with our own engine program for the last 20 years, but times change, and this was always the intention.”

Edwards does not believe that any team will design and run their own engine in the new era, mainly due to cost.

“Na I can’t see that happening,” he said. “I can’t see how anyone would build a business case to spend millions developing their own unique engine.

“Don’t forget, Mostech have got the support of Ford as well, helping them put the engine together for the Ford teams.

“I’m sure Ford wouldn’t say well you go and do your own thing, then all of a sudden they’ll be creating unique parts for the different teams.

I just don’t see that working for anybody.”

Kelly Racing will continue to supply Grove Racing its engines until the conclusion of Gen2, but beyond that the team will run the Mostech power units.

“Ford Performance America have a lot of involvement in this, and I’m very comfortable running with one,” Grove Team Principal Stephen Grove told AA. When approached by AA WAU declined to comment on its engine program but did explain about the opening of an engine shop to the public.

“For the first time ever, we’re opening up our doors, and our expertise to the public, so we can give their engines the Walkinshaw treatment.” WAU boss Stewart said.

“We’ve got an amazing, experienced, knowledgeable team who live and breathe engines. We understand how broad the Australian motorsport scene is, we’re not looking to just work on Walkinshaw engines.” Dan McCarthy

VENUES LIKELY TO REQUIRE JABS FOR ENTRY

GOVERNMENTS ARE set to dictate vaccination requirements for motor sport events in Australia, with venues deferring their policy to both state and national governments.

Supercars Championship organisers recently announced that vaccines would not be made compulsory for competitors, but venue operators believe there is a high likelihood of mandated vaccination for all event attendees.

The Australian Racing Drivers Club (ARDC) became the first venue to publicly recognise this, informing their members that vaccines would be required.

The Sydney Motorsport Park operator was prepared for this reality according to ARDC CEO Glenn Matthews.

“Our staff, competitors and spectators as far as what the government has said are going to have to be vaccinated for us to open, particularly until Christmas and probably further,” Matthews said.

While a national plan does exist providing guidelines for various levels of eased restrictions, states will have a say in determining updated freedoms.

“It’s certainly a state thing,” Matthews said.

“Our government have said that for businesses to be open we need to dust off our COVID plan because there will be some freedoms once New South Wales hits 70 per cent (fully vaccinated), which is on target for the 17th of October.”

“Once that happens, then people who are double vaccinated will be able to

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Image: Motorsport Images

go to things like pubs and clubs, and certainly sporting venues like ours.”

Matthews clarified that the ARDC policies surrounding vaccines were a direct product of health orders.

“Supercars or venues like us, we don’t need to make any laws all we need to do is comply with health orders,” he said.

“We don’t need to come out with any hard and fast rules, all we’re doing with our members is being clear on what businesses are being told.”

In South Australia, Owner and Director of Mallala Motorsport Park and The Bend Motorsport Park Sam Shahin was committed to following state government directives.

“We have always committed that we will do everything that is lawful, and we have complied by every regulation and instruction that the South Australian government has issued,” Shahin told AA. “At this point, there are no mandatory vaccination requirements for attendance

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or participation in South Australia.

This sentiment was shared in Victoria

by Phillip Island Australian Racing Club (PIARC) Director Geoff Bull.

“We abide by the vaccine requirements at time of events, as required by the Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit, Motorsport Australia and the State and Federal Governments,” Bull told AA. Motorsport Australia, the national governing body for motor sport, stated that they would be deferring judgement to government determined restrictions according to CEO Eugene Arocca.

“Anyone attending a Motorsport Australia event must comply with any state and federal government requirements or restrictions that apply to them,” Arocca said.

“It is clear that as more people make the informed decision to get vaccinated, more motorsport events will be able to take place, particularly in those states currently in lockdown.”

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A spokesperson for the Victorian Department of Health and Human Services stressed the importance of vaccination targets for events to return in the southern state but did not commit to a set vaccine requirement.

“We know Victorians love their motorsport – but to keep everyone safe on the track and in the stands, we need to hit our vaccination targets,” the DHHS statement read.

“Big events mean big crowds – we’ll always take the most recent public health advice into consideration when working with event organisers, so we keep Victorians safe.”

While vaccines are not going to be made compulsory by the Supercars Championship organisation, all teams and drivers have been advised to have their COVID-19 injections as it will likely enable them easier passage when crossing borders over the coming months. Josh Nevett

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SYDNEY-BASED RAM Motorsport will join the Fanatec GT World Challenge Australia Powered

by AWS in 2022 after its recently acquired Mercedes-AMG GT3 arrived from New Zealand.

Currently in 2017-spec, the team plans to attack the highly competitive GT Trophy class initially but has not ruled out upgrading to the latest Evolution specification. Spearheaded by Michael Sheargold, RAM Motorsport’s GT World Challenge Australia program will be backed by GWR Australia with Garth Walden set to co-drive the entry. RV

FORMER AUTO Action editor David Hassall is selling many model cars, books and memorabilia collected over the course of 50 years as a motorsport writer. Included in the online auction are many rare 1:18 models, particularly of American and European race cars such as a signed Dan Gurney Eagle F1, Nigel Mansell’s Williams FW14B, Mark Donohue’s Penske Porsche 917/30, the 1967 Le Mans-winning Ford GT, some small-run Can-Am and Le Mans cars and even one of only 88 examples of Chris Amon’s beautiful Scuderia Veloce Ferrari P4 that ran during the 1968 Tasman Series in Australia.

The online auction is live now and concludes on Sunday, September 12 at doningtonauctions. com.au. BW

BATHURST LIKELY TO END 2021 SEASON THE SUPERCARS Championship calendar announced several weeks ago appears likely to change once more as the Bathurst 1000 is now likely to take place on the first weekend in December.

At the end of July, the 2021 edition of the ‘Great Race’ was pushed back to November, however after less than six weeks this looks set to change once more.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced that Australia will open up once 80% of the population taken on two COVID-19 vaccinations and now many states are racing to hit the mark.

New South Wales is one of these states, and as a result if Supercars push the event back to December it is expected that a large crowd will be able to attend the venue.

Supercars CEO Sean Seamer admitted that the 1000 may move back to allow for a larger crowd.

“What we’ve always said is that Bathurst is the one non-negotiable and will ensure that everything gets given the right window to provide maximum attendance and exposure, particularly for our fans,” Seamer outlined in a media call that included Auto Action.

“We all went through a luted Bathurst 1000 experience last year, and nobody wants to be in that position again.

“We’ll get the 1000 done at Bathurst. What we need to do is get as many of our fans there as possible.

“The latest it could go to right now in talking to Channel 7 is the first or second weekend in December. Because otherwise we’re going to start clashing with the ashes.

“So right now, the latest it can run is early December.

“It’s certainly something that we’re looking at, the exact date is TBC. But we are certainly considering a schedule of the 1000 to make sure that it’s as late as possible, that

Image: Motorsport Images gets maximum attendance and exposure.”

Some AA sources have heard about the possibility of the Australian Racing Group Bathurst International and Bathurst 1000 combining for a weeklong mega motor sport at the Mount Panorama Circuit.

If the 1000 is on the first weekend of December, it would replace the Gold Coast 500 as the season finale.

However due to the push for the 80% vaccine rate in both Victoria and New South Wales it seems likely that the season will visit any other states anyway.

The Bend Motorsport Park in South Australia would seem like a good alternative option with multiple track layouts, however the track owner and founder Sam Shahin admitted that he had not been in touch with Supercars.

“We are willing and able to participate when the need arises,” Shahin told AA. “I understand the various contractual commitments that Supercars has with the

SCOTTY AIMS FOR ROOKIE TITLE THE 2021 edition of the Winton Festival of Speed has been cancelled due to a COVID-19 outbreak in country Victoria. It is the second year in succession that the popular classic event has been unable to occur because of the pandemic.

The Winton Festival of Speed was originally meant to take place from August 6-8, however it was postponed due to the lockdown originally and pushed back until the week of September 16-18. DM

THE HINDMARSH Shire Rainbow Desert Enduro round of the Australia Off Road Championship (AORC) will not take place in 2021. Originally scheduled for the end of August, the local organisers, Victorian Off Road Racing Association (VORRA) pushed the Rainbow Desert event back to a new date in September.

However, with an extension of border restrictions and lockdowns in place across regional Victoria, VORRA have now made the call to cancel the round. RV AUTO ACTION’s recent report on the North Australian Motor Sport Club NT Titles at Hidden Valley inadvertently referred to the event as being sponsored by Shannons. The 2021 event which included circuit racing, lap dashes, motorkhana and an automotive show was presented by Middy’s Electrical. Our apologies for any duress caused to Middy’s and the NAMSC. GOB

10 AutoAction

eastern state governments, and we all have to respect contractual arrangements.

“But should that not be a viable nor possible later this year and despite a fairly full calendar for The Bend, I’m always happy to consider being of assistance if that assistance is required. But so far, we have not been asked.”

Due to the COVID-19 outbreak at Shepparton it appears unlikely that the scheduled round at Winton next month will not go ahead at all.

“That date for Winton is challenged,” Seamer admitted. “But we’re committed to getting there and we’re working on protocols to make that happen, those are part of the discussions that are in process right now.”

Instead AA has heard that a double header is likely to be run at the Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit, two rounds at Sydney Motorsport Park (once 80% of people have been double vaccinated), before the season concludes at Bathurst. Dan McCarthy Image: Motorsport Images

By Bruce Newton

A DETERMINED Scott McLaughlin enters the final three rounds of the 2021 IndyCar championship this weekend with a simple but challenging goal: Beat Romain Grosjean, claim rookie of the year honours and use it as proof of his improvement to springboard into 2022.

The triple Supercars champion leads the former F1 ace by just 13 points with Portland, Laguna Seca and Long Beach to run and enough points available to easily trigger a swing to the Frenchman.

IndyCar awards 50 points per win plus one point for pole, one point for leading a lap and two points for leading the most laps in a race.

“For me it is important to beat him,” said McLaughlin. “But not only him, everyone else too.

“He has been pretty strong on the road course of late and if I can beat him over this west coast swing when we are basically starting neck and neck then it is going to show we are improving.

“It is going to be a good judgement over these next three rounds.”

Grosjean, driving a Honda-powered Dallara for Dale Coyne, has shown better road and street course form than McLaughlin, who was scooped up from Supercars to drive a Dallara-Chev for Team Penske this season.

But Grosjean missed the Texas superspeedway double-header where McLaughlin

went 2-8 and the Indianapolis 500, where the Kiwi finished 20th after a pitlane speeding drive-through penalty cost him a shot at a top 10 finish.

That was a big hit for McLaughlin as the 500 is a double points race and his rookie lead could have been a lot more secure.

“It is disappointing we are in a situation where we are even close. It’s because I had a bad run at Indy and a reasonably bad run at the road courses, where he had had a decent run.

“If I had got a decent run at Indy and was another 50 points ahead it [rookie of the year] wouldn’t have been talked about right now.

“So it just shows I didn’t make the most of my chances when he wasn’t racing. But at the same time if he was in the championship (full-time) right now he’d probably be in the title fight. He has had a stellar year and been

really good in these cars.”

McLaughlin says he and Grosjean have struck up a friendly relationship, in part because they share a friendship with his former Bathurst 1000 winning co-driver, Frenchman Alex Premat.

He admits his competitive instinct has sometimes clouded his perspective about the battle with Grosjean, winner of the 2011 GP2 series and starter in 179 F1 GPs. “I was initially comparing myself to Grosjean because we are both rookies and that sort of stuff, but then I have to be realistic and go ‘hey it’s the first openwheel category I have ever competed in, let alone wings and slicks’.”

McLaughlin admits that’s indicative of his competitiveness, which has resulted in him putting extra pressure on himself in a learning year where team owner Roger Penske and chief executive Tim Cindric have consistently told him expectations are not high.

Image: Motorsport Images

SUPERCARS SILLY SEASON WRAP THE SUPERCARS drivers market has officially entered the twilight zone. There are many more ways the 2022 grid allegedly lines up than there are actual drives.

The future homes of not only a bunch of drivers but the all-important sponsorship funding that enables them to get out on track is the centre of much speculation.

Sitting serenely above it all are the championship’s two heavyweight teams, Triple Eight Race Engineering and DJR, both of which have their driving line-ups confirmed and commercial foundations locked in for 2022.

Move further along pitlane and there are permutations aplenty. Here’s some of the rumours we’re hearing.

Tickford Racing Drivers: Cam Waters and rookie Thomas Randle are locked in. James Courtney looks a very strong chance to return, Jack Le Brocq less likely. Potential new drivers here could include Bryce Fullwood and Andre Heimgartner .

Money: Tickford has expanded back to four cars and has plenty of vacant panel space to fill. Fullwood is also being consistently mentioned here because he is a talent with the significant bonus of solid backing from Middy’s. Courtney’s backer Boost Mobile is yet to be re-signed by Tickford, but there is confidence it will happen.

Walkinshaw Andretti United Drivers: Chaz Mostert locked in on a fresh deal, Bryce Fullwood’s future remains undecided. New drivers? Despite being announced as re-signed at Brad Jones Racing, the rumour mill continues to link Nick Percat with WAU. Apparently, that’s because Jones and Percat do their deals on a handshake, not a watertight contract.

Other potential steerers could include Andre Heimgartner, and former driver Scott Pye (see Team 18) Money: Apart from more NTI cash, the future involvement of Fullwood’s sponsor Middy’s is the big commercial chat here. If Fullwood stays so would Middy’s. But what would it do if he left?

Brad Jones Racing Drivers: Nick Percat is re-signed or ‘handshaked’, but as yet no confirmation for Todd Hazelwood, Jack Smith and Macauley Jones. Smith is in a unique position because he comes as a complete sponsorship package underpinned by the family REC. Everything points to him returning. Hazelwood has had a tough second year with the team, isn’t bolstered by his own budget and is on shakier ground. Lee Holdsworth has been mentioned as a potential replacement and there’s probably some merit to it. Heimgartner may appeal because he did such a good job for the team as an endurance co-driver in 2017. Fullwood would be wanted, but may decide he has better options.

Money: Always a challenge. Interesting to see

what happens to the Chris Pither’s Coca-Cola budget displayed on Macca’s Holden.

The Kiwi would invest it in his own full-time drive if he could get one.

Team 18 Drivers: Mark Winterbottom locked in, Scott Pye to be confirmed. Team owner Charlie Schwerkolt insists re-signing the DeWalt Commodore driver is a formality. But because he’s been saying that for a little while speculation has emerged Pye might be unsettled. A return to WAU has been mentioned. Pye is self-managed so it could just be him doing sensible due diligence about market value.

Money: Solid foundations here.

Kelly Grove Racing Drivers: David Reynolds is in the first year of his deal, but as reported in our cover story Andre Heimgartner is a shock departure.

Young gun Matt Payne is his replacement.

Matt Stone Racing Drivers: Zane Goddard and Jake Kostecki reman unconfirmed. Both have done good moments this year, Goddard is said to have attracted some attention from other teams because of it. As widely reported, this team remans keen to expand to three cars in 2022, although it needs a REC and funding to do it. The Smith/SCT combination could have provided all that, but that proposal no longer seems to have momentum. Lee Holdsworth also gets solid mentions here.

HARDEN UP… MAYBE SHOULD Supercars harden up rather than go softer?

That’s the proposition put forward by veteran Supercars engineer Richard Hollway, who says a tyre with plenty of grip that doesn’t degrade might provide better racing than one that goes off very quickly.

Hollway, who admits his theory might not be right, started thinking this way as it became obvious extreme degradation simply encouraged very straight and conservative driving to eke out more tyre life.

Instead, he says, a tyre with grip that doesn’t go off, might be the better solution to improve Supercars passing rates, especially in sprint racing without spit stops.

“Supercars is tense racing, but we want position changes and to reward the driver more,” said Hollway, who is now head of engineering at Team 18.

Before that he was chief engineer at Garry Rogers Motorsport and before that an engineer at the Holden Racing Team in its golden era.

“I’ve for a long time thought Supercars were undertyred,” he said. “You might have a battle, but half the time you are better off letting them past. If someone is coming at you, you let them past because if you have few slides then another three blokes will get you.

“It’s so much about driving it straight and tyre management. That is kind of opposite to the degradation argument. There, they are trying to make them degrade so you get the crossover of people [on different strategies and tyre quality] to create the racing interest.

“I wonder if the tyre did not degrade one bit and you could slide it and go nuts, whether that would do something for the racing?”

Hollway pointed to Aussie Racing Cars and the old British 2.0-litre Super Tourers as categories where the tyre size was much more generous than provided by the current Dunlop 18-inch control tyres used by Supercars when the significantly lower power and weight numbers are taken into account.

One problem, Hollway conceded, was that the top level Supercars drivers would still drive the cars straight to maximise lao speed and tyre life even if degradation was absolutely minimal.

“Even if you put all those absolute guns in Aussie Racing Cars they would they drive them straight. I’d expect they’d be driving for tyre life.” BN

NTT RACING GROUP IS NOW THE DUNLOP MOTORSPORT DISTRIBUTOR FOR NSW AND QLD With a history of delivering top flight products direct to the drivers and teams for the last 45 years across the length and breadth of Australia we are proud to add DMS NSW and now QLD to our stable.

We introduce a fit or freight online delivery system and with the global Dunlop range available, DMS can supply all Motorsport needs from circuit racing,Targa, Rally plus the Dunlop range of road legal race tyres for these specialty classes.

For NSW and QLD supply and delivery enquires please contact DMS

0418 833 797 www.autoaction.com.au

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TEEMU SUNINEN has confirmed that he will compete at the World Rally Championship Rally Finland, despite leaving M-Sport World Rally Team. The 27-year-old will compete at Rally Finland, held from October 1-3, driving a WRC2 Volkswagen Polo GTi. Suninen was due to compete in an M-Sport WRC Ford Fiesta at both Rally Finland in October and the Acropolis Rally. In all the WRC rounds this season, Suninen failed to finish in the top five. JN

FERRARI FORMULA 1 test driver Callum Ilott will debut in the IndyCar Series for Juncos Hollinger Racing at Portland International Raceway. The 22-year-old will drive the #77 Juncos Hollinger Chevrolet in the Grand Prix of Portland from September 11-12, as the team makes its return from a two-year hiatus. This year Ilott is a member of Ferrari’s F1 team as its test driver and is a reserve driver for the Alfa Romeo Racing ORLEN F1 team. JN

SHAHIN TARGETS MALLALA NATIONALS RACING RETURN MALLALA MOTORSPORT Park in South Australia has just celebrated its 60th anniversary after it first opened in August of 1961, however the future looks just as strong after it was purchased by Dr Sam Shahin in 2017.

Shahin should be a familiar name to many readers as he is the owner of a multimillion-dollar complex around one hour southeast of Adelaide, The Bend Motorsport Park.

The venue owner spoke to Auto Action about what he sees for the future of the Mallala complex, with his target to see national racing competition return to the venue in coming years.

“I hope Mallala one day soon will not just retain its current schedule of events, but will come back to participate and host events on a national level,” Shahin said to AA. Shahin explained that he is not ruling out a return of Shannons Nationals Championships or even Supercars to the venue in years to come.

“I’ve never been shy throwing a hat in the ring when opportunities arise,

and we don’t throw a hat in the ring just for fun,” he said.

“We throw our hat in the ring because we believe we have genuine facilities that will do any event proud.

“Whenever the opportunities arise, my promise is to put our best foot forward and try to bring those events to South Australia, whether they are at the Bend or Mallala.

“From my point of view, they are they are equal facilities, they are equal venues, they will appeal to some events more than others, but I have a responsibility to bring the best and biggest possible events to the to the motor sport, supporting public of South Australia.”

Since taking over the

venue in 2017 Shahin has focussed on improving the facility without losing the character and history of the venue, he has no interest in turning in into a second motorsport park.

“Mallala and the Bend have very different purposes,” Shahin explained. “Mallala has a very strong supporter base at club and state level and that will continue.

“The primary investment in Mallala has been around safety, the facility that requirements for motor sport and safe motor sport have escalated naturally over the years and the key is to at least to keep maintain the standard of high level safety at the venue, that has been my focus and will remain so.

Image: John Lemm “We have invested aside from track safety aspects from resurfacing works, we’ve resurfaced a significant portion of the circuit and will continue to invest in the facility.

“We’ve introduced some new some additional work off track with regard to the stands. Some of the stands will be removed and the remaining stands will be maintained to a high level that ensures pleasant and a safe patron experience.

“I have made the commitment to continuing to work and improve on the facilities.”

A six-page feature on the history of the former World War 2 air field that is now Mallala Motorsport Park can be found from page 32-37. Dan McCarthy

MOTORSPORT AUSTRALIA’S NEW SPORTSCAR CHAMPIONSHIP

NEW ZEALAND’S Toyota Racing Series will be conducted over a single event in 2022 due to ongoing concerns around COVID-19. The summer open-wheel series will again focus on local drivers to contest the 67th New Zealand Grand Prix at Hampton Downs from February 1113. A four-round championship had been planned with two rounds in the South Island but access to MIQ facilities for returning Kiwi drivers and prospective Australian and international drivers was declined. RV

THE FINAL round of the FIA Formula 3 Championship will now be hosted alongside the Formula 1 round at Sochi, Russia. F3 was due to race in the US for the first time as part of the United States Grand Prix at The Circuit of the Americas in October, however the final round has been brought forward to September 24-26. RV

FORMULA E driver Maximilian Guenther has signed for Nissan e.dams for the 2022 season. The German ended his stint at BMW and Andretti Autosport to join champion Sebastien Buemi at the French outfit. Guenther was contracted with BMW for the 2019-21 seasons but decided to move squads after a manufacturer exodus. On the contrary, Nissan has committed to Formula E. JN

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MOTORSPORT AUSTRALIA are set to launch the brand-new Motorsport Australia Sportscar Championship next year, combining Radicals, prototype machines and LMP3 cars in a single competition.

The fresh championship will combine cars that have traditionally raced in the Australian Prototype Series and Radical Australia Cup single make series, while also welcoming LMP3 entrants both locally and from overseas.

Initial indications suggest that the field could feature more than 20 cars in the inaugural 2022 championship.

Motorsport Australia Director of Motorsport & Commercial Operations Michael Smith said that the new combined category was a strong development on existing series ahead of its 2022 introduction.

“There has been a lot of hard work and consultation with appropriate stakeholders behind the scenes as we prepare for the debut of the Motorsport Australia Sportscar

Championship,” Smith said.

“This new Championship promises to deliver a new category to Australia and further build on the terrific work of the existing promoters of the Radical and Prototype series, and welcome those with LMP3 vehicles into a combined category to provide more opportunities for racing.

“We expect there will be a large number of cars and competitors who will be eligible for this Championship, subject to the promoter and Motorsport Australia confirming the regulations once we appoint the new Promoter through the EOI process.

“The LMP3 component also offers an exciting opportunity for international competitors to be part of the Championship in the years ahead, once international borders re-open.

“There are many cars in the Asia-Pacific region that we expect will be eligible and given the calibre and reputation of Australian circuits, we know the interest

in racing in Australia will be strong. This desire will no doubt be even stronger given the recent pandemic.”

LMP3 Series Director Chris Papadopoulos believed the category would be an ongoing solution to tie together the prototype categories, with class-based competition.

I’m sure that Motorsport Australia intend for it to be a permanent solution for the various prototype categories,” Papadopoulos told Auto Action.

“I would assume that (class-based competition) is the only way they could make it work between the different cars and it’s what both Australian prototype series and radical Australia cup has in place at the moment.”

Papadopoulos expected several entries to come from his planned national LMP3 Series but was keen to relaunch the standalone category once travel conditions allowed.

“Because of the COVID restrictions, around two thirds of our entries were coming from overseas, from Asia, Europe and the US, and there aren’t enough local entries to sustain the category in the first year or two,” Papadopoulos said.

“At the moment, we had to face the fact that we couldn’t run a local standalone LMP3 category. But there are still long-term plans.”

The Australian motor sport administration body is currently seeking an individual to fill the role of commercial organisation and promotion of the Motorsport Australia Sportscar Championship. DM

PRAGA TO RACE GROUP2A

2022 BATHURST 12 HOUR MAY LOOK DIFFERENT

FRESH OFF the announcement that Praga will drive and desire that this will not only become be distributing its highly successful R1 race car involved in competitions, but we also see a down under, Australia/New Zealand director bigger market in terms of a track day warrior,” Rick Campbell has revealed more details about Campbell said. the machine’s category andevent local this year,“As as people can getsaid on track, we THE 2022 edition of the eligibilityGT thelong event Seamer that the demand. believe that the car will generate a significant Bathurst 12 Hour could look a organisers do not want a organisation wants to see the that the ANZ branch of Praga’s global amount interest12 and take off from there.” littleNow different as international repeat of this in 2022, andofare hour return in one shape network has been confirmed, the manufacturer The Praga R1 is set to be offered for teams may still be affected by looking at several options for or another early next$400,000 year, and aims to have its car entered racing popular on Australian and hasthat generated strong COVID-19 restrictions early inin Australian the incredibly GT race.shores confessed conversations by early 2022. interest beyond its initial two-car distribution. the new year.

“We’re actually having a look about the event are currently Campbellannual has said that the R1 will initially fit of the“We would, based on our projections, expect Australia’s at what some different taking place. into Motorsport Australia Group 2A category, that we can sell initially somewhere international GT event run options are, that we could “We’re looking atinathe range comprising of ‘Sports Cars, open and closed’. vicinity of eight to 10 cars,” Campbell

by Supercars is set to return deploy for that event, to keep of different options, predicted. trans“At this looking at the “We are of signing an official in 2022 butstage couldwe’re be heavily it aMotorsport premium GT event, buton the verge Tasman, Asia Pacific, if not Australia 2A category,” Campbell told AA. distribution agreement through a very altered due to the COVID-19 reduce reliance or the ability global,” Seamer continued.

“Hopefully, we’re hearing somefor noises that significant player currently in the Australian restrictions. international travellers,” “Like everybody, we’ve gotauto to there may eventually be a new prototype market to represent us in different states as make In 2021 the once around the Supercars CEO Sean put down an event plan and category that to willbe include cars, in a Supercars well. media clock race had axed LMP-type Seamer something work at a minimum obviously the Radicals, andPragas.

“A massive caveat around that is people’s as international teams were conference which included viable product, then if we can “But that’s a bit of a To Be Advised, more just access to the track because this is track only unable to enter Australia Auto Action. have more people afrom around noises we heard at this stage. car, not like a Porsche GT3 RS or something due to the country’s border “We’re working through the world, it only adds to it.

As it stands at the moment the 2A category that you can road.” restrictions to international some ideas isand thoughts on track and “That’s what we’re working where we’d sit.”

As for the future, Campbell suggested that travellers. that, at the moment.” on at the moment.”

The Praga R1 has performed well in its initial Praga may look to expand their product Australia is slowly edging This means the participation Supercars took a rarerange if stints in the UK, USA, and Europe, recording their on-track success continues. towards Prime Minister Scott level for the Intercontinental opportunity to start its over 30 wins and podiums as wellGT asChallenge winning event “Discussions have already beenseason had,” at the Morrison’s target vaccination could championship the 2020 Britcar Endurance Championship.

Campbell said. rate of 70-80%, which he says be anywhere from the usual legendary Mount Panorama The design features lightweight (643kg), competitors, “This is obviously their flagship is when the country canaopen international Circuit this yearproduct, in placeso of the composite monocoque powered by a 272kW I would surmise it’s a case of walk before you up once again. to hosting an event for only cancelled Bathurst 12 Hour. four-cylinder engine. of the run.

With the cancellation Aussie and Kiwi teams.

Dan McCarthy Campbell believed that demand for the R1 “Once that’s happened, we’ll be looking to would come from both competitive racing extend with additional products which will be outfits and amateur enthusiasts. very much focused on the race car models they “We have an expectation and a hope and a offer.” Josh Nevett

GEN3 ENGINE NOISE WILL BE DIFFERENT

THE 2022 edition of the Bathurst 12 Hour could look a little different as international teams may still be affected by COVID-19 restrictions early in the new year.

Australia’s annual international GT event run by Supercars is set to return in 2022 but could be heavily altered due to the COVID-19 restrictions.

In 2021 the once around the clock race had to be axed as international teams were unable to enter Australia due to the country’s border restrictions to international travellers.

Australia is slowly edging towards Prime Minister Scott Morrison’s target vaccination rate of 70-80%, which he says is when the country can open up once again.

With the cancellation of the GT event this year, the event organisers do not want a repeat

of this in 2022, and are looking at several options for the incredibly popular GT race.

“We’re actually having a look at what some of the different options are, that we could deploy for that event, to keep it a premium GT event, but reduce reliance or the ability for international travellers,” Supercars CEO Sean Seamer in a Supercars media conference which included Auto Action.

“We’re working through some ideas and thoughts on that, at the moment.”

This means the participation level for the Intercontinental GT Challenge event could be anywhere from the usual international competitors, to hosting an event for only Aussie and Kiwi teams.

Seamer said that the organisation wants to see the

12 hour return in one shape or another early next year, and confessed that conversations about the event are currently taking place.

“We’re looking at a range of different options, trans-Tasman, Asia Pacific, if not global,” Seamer continued.

“Like everybody, we’ve got to put down an event plan and make something work at a minimum viable product, then if we can have more people from around the world, it only adds to it.

“That’s what we’re working on at the moment.”

Supercars took a rare opportunity to start its championship season at the legendary Mount Panorama Circuit this year in place of the cancelled Bathurst 12 Hour.

Dan McCarthy

www.autoaction.com.au AutoActionMagazine AutoActionMagazine Auto_Action Auto_Action instagram.com/autoactionmag/ instagram.com/autoactionmag/ www.autoaction.com.au

th Luke West iith wit

AA’scolumnist columnistconsiders takes stock Supercars’of AA’s theofimportance challenges events at Le Mans EVER FELT overwhelmed job?won’t Mostgo ofdown us have, LAST WEEKEND’S 24 Hoursby of your Le Mans as of course, experienced that horrible sinking feeling at some the one of the classics, yet it was a hugely significant event point, as we try to keep our heads above water at work. nonetheless.

Next timerunning you’reof flushed workplace The 89th the 24 with Heures du Mans stress, markedconsole the start yourself with the fact that others have it worse.

TheyThere might of a new era for the French classic – the Hypercar age. be medical professionals on the frontline fighting COVID was also a game-changing announcement regarding the cars or police withGTaggressive protesters.

Or, say, which will dealing contest the classes from 2024. restauranteurs unable to trade and worried about theirfor These were developments with substantial ramifications businesses, staff and livelihoods. motor sport’s premier divisions and races globally, with a rub-off Or they might beLet Sean effect for Australia. me Seamer. explain…

How would you like to be Supercars’ right now?

The first Hypercar-flavoured Le Mans wasCEO somewhat Ifunderwhelming dealing with Holden’s departure and charting a new on the track with Toyota scoring its fourth course for the series by introducing Gen3 cars wasn’t consecutive win at Le Sarthe, against some pretty flimsy enough to in raise yourtop blood pressure, along comes the opposition the new division.

COVID curveball.

All while appeasing the demanding Toyota’s GR010 Hybrids finished 1-2, leading home a personalities populating pitlane.

Those shark‘grandfathered’ LMP1 Alpine entry and the are onlystormy, other two allinfested and polluted waters for anyone to swim! new Hypercars, the Glickenhaus 007s.

Glad and not me.

I actually feel asorry Seamer Good it’s on him the American minnow for having crackfor against the as he attempts to get the Supercars show back on Japanese powerhouse. It will be fascinating to see how the the tiny road with all the play.

There manufacturer faresuncertainty when otherinbig guns arrive.must And have let mebeen tell a huge amount of planning and activation thrown out the you, they’re coming in numbers. window Government and COVID – moved Peugeotwhen joins the the Hypercar fun in– 2022, specialist racing the goalposts. team ByKolles too. Then Ferrari in 2023. Meantime, Le Mans I must say, surface at least, he appears to beina Hypercars willon bethe joined on track by marques competing man for a crisis.

We can excuse his low profile given what America’s LMDh class in IMSA. LHDh, an awkward moniker his wider team must be dealing with.

Imagine the logistics denoting Le Mans Daytona hybrid, has already attracted of running anfrom event like the Bathurst 1000 and having commitments Acura, Audi, BMW and Porsche.

Otherstowill twice reschedule it.

October, became November (with all follow, lured by the prospect of competing in IMSA and at Le the kerfuffle of encroaching on the Challenge Bathurst Mans. event), andfor now possibly December.

Allwill going well.a Excitingly Antipodeans, Team Penske operate December 5 is really the only logical date now pair Porsche prototypes in IMSA and two more in thegiven World Channel Seven’s (and FOX Sport’s) cricket Endurance Championship.

This means Ashes Penske’s IndyCar stars commitments theMcLaughlin following weekends.

But who knows Will Power and on Scott will be well-placed to fill out what might transpire?

The vaccine rates may reach the line-ups at the blue ribbon 12- and 24-hour events. the minimum but– how manythe Thegovernments’ convergence of sportscarthresholds, rules globally previously spectators will be allowed – or will want – to attend if US and European scenes have done their own thing – means COVID is still rampant? we are entering a golden era. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it What’s more, aracing drought is next a terrible timeinto be selling the again, sportscar is the big thing world motorsport. farm.

There’s likely to be a significant drain of manufacturer money THE curves away REWORKED from Formula 1Zandvoort in the yearstrack’s ahead.banked Surely Mercedes-Benz give me hope for the future of motorsport.

That’s big will be lured to Le Mans and Daytona. There’s only soa much statement, I know, especially when they didn’t transform credibility to be gained from beating an energy drink company the first Dutchthe Grand Prix in 36 years in F1, despite self-importance of Redinto Bull.a passing fest last weekend.

But those cambered corners signal F1 snobs should know there was a time, admittedly 50-odd that officialdom – the FIA – wants to create circuitsshared with the years ago, when sportscar racing and single-seaters character. billing as motor sport’s top dogs. History might just be about to I started to doubt if it was possible to build a new circuit repeat.

– Endurance or modify an existing – without run-off areas racing provides many acres things of that are important and fans positioned too far away from the action to truly to automotive manufacturers as the world heads towards appreciate fast and spectacular racecars. hybridisation and electrification – reliability and range among MostFunds trackscurrently built in the last 25 years have promised the them. invested elsewhere will soon be diverted world and delivered an atlas, as Dick Johnson says.

I was to sportscar racing. worried the drive for safety, as important as that is, had Hopefully Australia will gain a WEC round. The Bend’s January robbed the sport layouts with character.

2020 hosting of theofAsian Le Mans Series was surely an The Tilke-rings had taken a lotintentions. of the fun out of motor indication of the venue’s ultimate racing for of me.

Butsignificance now there’slocally hopewas for the future, Perhaps more the Le Mansin my mind at least.

If I was blasé about the reworking of organisers’ announcement that GT3 cars will replace GTE the Australian Grand Prix layout for 2022, I’m now more machines in the event’s ultra-popular GT classes from 2024. enthused.

This follows the development that GT3 cars will be the only Encouragingly, of Albert Park’s turns, andAs15, are, machines used in two IMSA’s GT classes from next13 year. if GT3 according to the event’s website, “set to have their cambers wasn’t already a juggernaut. altered to new allowmanufacturers multiple racing surecars it willthat be Potential willlines.” be ableI’m to not develop to same degree – quite literally – as Zandvoort’s banking, are eligible to race at Le Mans – and just about everywhere else. but I’m nowishopeful the AGP show will be significantly Chevrolet now odds-on to build a GT3-spec Corvette. As improved.

After all, I could count on the number I’ve noted before, Ford may even followone suithand re its Mustang, with of truly memorable overtaking manoeuvres in Melbourne motor sport chief Mark Rushmore making positive noises in that since races have been quite boring. regard.1996.

Now Most stop and consider the implications of an annual The possibility that the circuit’s biggest Ford vs GM battle at Bathurst each Februarytransformation in the 12 Hour?will enable more competitive a tantalising prospect.

What effect might that haveracing on the is 1000?

Racing may have, well, turned the corner.

Luke West is a long-time Auto Action columnist and author of The Immortals of Australian Motor Racing: the Local Heroes.

AutoAction1315 AutoAction

VOLANTE ROSSO ALLEN LOOKING BEYOND ELMS S5000 DRIVERS REVEALED

14 AutoActionNEWS FEATURE LATEST

AUSSIE JAMES Allen added his name to an illustrious list as a Le Mans 24 Hours class podium finisher after taking second place in LMP2 this year and hopes that the result can be a springboard going forwards.

Racing for European Le Mans outfit Panis Racing, against the regular FIA World Endurance Championship teams, the French squad secured its second straight Le Mans class podium.

For Aleen it was his first Le Mans class podium and man who dreamed of racing at Le Mans it was an incredible moment.

“It’s been a dream ever since I was a kid to race at Le Mans, to

get on the podium was really, really special,” he said to Auto Action.

“It was really, really a special moment for the whole team and was ecstatic with what happened, it was there second podium in a row.

“I think that Le Mans podium is definitely the biggest achievement of my career.

“For us to go up against big WEC like WRT, United Autosports, G-Drive and Jota, it’s really amazing to come out with third place.”

Allen and his teammates Julien Canal and former Formula 1 driver Will Stevens were up the pointy end throughout the entirety of the race.

When dawn broke the trio were in one of the four machines still

in contention for the win, they remained in fourth but went a lap down in the final hours.

“Towards the end, we were really just trying to keep our noses clean because we weren’t really in any danger from behind,” he explained.

“It was all on the top three to throw it away for themselves, we were all gathered around the TV when we saw the leading #41 stop on the last lap and we were wondering whether or not we were going to get on the podium.”

Although a lap ahead as the leading #41 WRT machine did not get going with a broken throttle sensor it was classified as a DNF handing Allen and the Panis

Racing Team a surprise podium.

Allen hopes that the podium will open up doors beyond the European Le Mans Series in WEC or even the WeatherTech Sportscar Championship.

“I always wanted to move up in my career (next year), so this I feel like this has definitely helped, a podium at Le Mans definitely helps get your name out there,” he said.

“I don’t want to be too optimistic but looking at LMP2 drives in WEC. “Also with Hypercar and lMDh, coming in possibly America as well in the WeatherTech Sportscar Championship, that has been more and more and more interesting to us.” Dan McCarthy

JOSH HUNT and Mitchell Neilson have been confirmed as drivers for Volante Rosso Racing’s multi-car S5000 entry.

Managing Director of Volante Rosso Racing Chris Papadopoulos revealed to Auto Action that the pair would take the wheel, in the lead up to Volante Rosso’s debut in the open-wheel championship this November.

Hunt is also a director at Volante Rosso Motorsport, who raced in Porsche Carrera Cup Australia as recently as 2020.

The professional driver has experience in a variety of categories both locally and overseas, including open wheel and GT competitions as well as the Radical Australia Cup in 2013.

Papadopoulos was complimentary of Hunt’s work in developing the Rogers AF01/V8 chassis.

“He has already done a test and he’s really good at feedback,” Papadopoulos told AA. “He’s driving the development of the car, so much so that by the end of the second test, we were on race pace with a car that was new to us.”

Neilson has raced extensively in Radical SR3 variants, driving them in

DOVIZIOSO TO MAKE MOTOGP RACE RETURN IF ALL goes to plan, three-time MotoGP World Championship runner-up Andrea Dovizioso will re-turn to the premier Motorcycle World Championship with the Petronas Sepang Racing team from Misano onwards.

The Managing Director of Yamaha Motor Racing Lin Jarvis revealed plans that will see the popular Italian ‘Dovi’ return earlier than scheduled with the satellite Yamaha squad, while Italian Franco Morbidelli will take an early promotion to the factory team.

This has all come about after relations between Maverick Vinales and Yamaha deteriorated and re-sulted in the two parties electing to go their separate ways with immediate effect following the Austrian Grand Prix.

“I can tell you, it’s not an announcement per se because we only announce when contracts are signed, but we have reached verbal agreement with Andrea (Dovizioso) and his management,” Jar-vis revealed.

“Andrea will join very soon, the

14 AutoAction

plan is from Misano. Andrea will join what is currently the Petronas Sepang Racing Team and then will also ride next year for that team.”

The Petronas Sepang Racing Team will take on a new entity with both title backers pulling support at the end of the year, however the same management will remain for 2022 (more on this on page 47).

Morbidelli has been racing for the Petronas outfit since 2019 and finished as the runner-up in the championship last year.

This year the Italian has scored one podium, but has been forced to miss the last four races due to a left knee injury.

The Japanese manufacturer sees Morbidelli’s talent and will promote him up to the factory team alongside his former teammate Fabio Quartararo from Misano onwards and remain at the team for 2022.

“Things are not yet signed off, so this is not an announcement,” Jarvis reiterated.

“Basically, whenever you have a problem in life, business or whatever, problems need to be solved, but problems also create opportunities for other things, and in this case, I would say the problem that we have, creates an opportunity for ‘Frankie’ (Morbidelli).”

“So, Frankie Morbidelli will, ahead of schedule, upgrade into the factory

team, obviously our plan is to have Frankie as a factory rider next year.

“Due to this sudden termination mid-season, we will also upgrade Frankie mid-season. This is yet to be defined, but we have a clear plan together with him and his management and we’re working towards that right now.” Dan McCarthy

MCCARTHY SETS SIGHTS ON SUPER2

the New South Wales Supersports Championship, Radical Australia Cup and Australian Prototype Series.

The new signing finished third in the 2019 Radical Australia Cup for Volante Rosso and won the 2018 New South Wales Supersports Championship.

Neilson last competed in the 2020 Asian Le Mans LMP2 Series, finishing fifth in Shanghai and fourth

at The Bend Motorsport Park.

“Mitch Nielsen’s in the second seat.

Mitch has been racing with us in Radical Australia Cup and the New South Wales Supersport series,” Papadopoulos said.

“He’s also raced in LMP3 and LMP2 overseas.

“He’s a regular race winner in Radical Cup and has had good results in LMP. “He’s really excited. He’s tested

the car with us as well.”

Papadopoulos indicated that there were more driver announcements to come, completing a multi-car team.

Volante Rosso has eyes on a full-time tilt at the 2022 S5000 Australian Drivers’ Championship after competing in the seven-race Tasman Series later this year.

Josh Nevett

HAMILTON INSPIRES INDIGENOUS MOTOR SPORT TEAM TO EXCEL FORMULA 1 world champion Lewis Hamilton has thrown his support behind Australia’s Racing Together motor sport team, which achieved its best results yet in the X3 Queensland Championship for Hyundai Excels at Morgan Park Raceway.

The seven-time Formula 1 World Champion left a personal message for the team on a copy of Auto Action magazine’s Racing Together feature after chatting to team founder Garry Connelly, who was stewarding at Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps during the Belgian Formula 1 Grand Prix.

Known as a passionate advocate for diversity and improving the representation of black people in motor sport, Hamilton was full of encouragement for Australia’s first indigenous motor sport team.

“To Racing Together, I am inspired to see you all coming

www.autoaction.com.au

together and the work you are putting in,” Hamilton’s handwritten message read.

“Keep pushing, keep chasing your dreams. So proud of you.

Best wishes, Lewis Hamilton 44.”

The message preceded season-best results for Racing Together which finished 22nd, 24th, 21st and 21st in Round 3 of the Series X3 Queensland Championship for Hyundai Excels in Warwick.

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The program was launched late last year by motor sport figures Garry and Monique Connelly, with the aim to create opportunities for Indigenous people aged 12-16 to pursue motorsport careers as either drivers or race crew members.

An agreement has been reached for the program to expand to other parts of Australia and train participants in advanced driving, racing skills and wellbeing. Josh Nevett

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EREBUS ACADEMY driver Reef McCarthy is targeting a promotion to the Super2 Series next season, after a successful transition to tin top racing in the Super3 Series in 2021.

McCarthy is currently third in the overall standings for Terry Wyhoon’s Image Racing after achieving four straight podiums in back-to-back Townsville rounds.

The Year 12 student was also among the frontrunners in Round 1 at Mount Panorama, finishing fifth and fourth to open the season.

COVID-19 lockdowns and border restrictions pose uncertainty for the remainder of the Super3 season, but the Victorian already has his eyes on a potential move up the divisions next year.

“Super2 would be the dream for sure,” McCarthy told Auto Action.

“Hopefully adapt to the Super2, be able to race some of the other young drivers that are trying to make it that are in Super2.

“It is definitely the class where I want to end up in a few years, moving into Super2 would be the dream next year.

“But if not, maybe another year of Super3.”

McCarthy only trails Ford Falcon driving pair Michael Anderson and Nash Morris in this year’s Super3 Series, who sit 60 and 33 points ahead of McCarthy respectively.

Title challenger McCarthy was looking forward to the remaining rounds at both familiar and untravelled tracks.

“For the rest of the calendar, there’s still tracks I have not raced at,” McCarthy said.

“Making my debut there I’m not going to be expecting too much.

“Now that I’ve been to Bathurst, I am hoping to push a little bit harder, and hopefully move further up that podium. I think I’ve got the pace.”

In the lead up to the Bathurst 1000 event, the Erebus Motorsport Racing Army supporter group established a GoFundMe page for academy driver McCarthy who has struggled to obtain financial assistance in his debut Super3 season.

Fans who donate to McCarthy’s cause will be rewarded with seeing their names on the bonnet of the Image Racing #61 Ford Falcon for the remainder of the year. Josh Nevett

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LATEST NEWS

BOTTAS SIGNS FOR ALFA, CONFIRMING RUSSELL MERC MOVE FINNISH FORMULA 1 driver Valtteri Bottas has been officially announced as an Alfa Romeo driver for the 2022 Formula 1 season, and means that rising star George Russell will take his place at Mercedes alongside Lewis Hamilton It has been rumoured for many weeks that Bottas would be replaced at Mercedes by the Englishman and this announcement confirms that this is indeed the case.

Bottas will replace the retiring Kimi Raikkonen signing a multi-year deal to race for the Hinwil-based team.

Although not officially announced Russell will undoubtably take the seat of Bottas at Mercedes alongside seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton.

Bottas is a nine-time Grand Prix winner who is looking forward to racing for Alfa Romeo as the new F1 regulations come into effect next year.

“A new chapter in my racing career is opening,” Bottas said. “I’m excited to join Alfa Romeo Racing for 2022 and beyond for what is going to be a new challenge with an iconic manufacturer.

“Alfa Romeo is a brand that needs no introduction, they have written some great pages of Formula 1 history and it’s going to be an honour to represent this marque.

“The potential of the setup in Hinwil is clear and I am relishing the opportunity to help lead the team forward up the grid, especially with the new regulations in 2022 giving the team a chance to make a leap in performance.

“I’m grateful for the trust the team has put in me and I cannot wait to repay their faith.”

Bottas said that while he has lost his seat at front running team Mercedes, he has not lost his motivation, he

wants to finish the year on a high before moving on.

“I’m as hungry as ever to race for results and, when the time comes, for wins,” he said.

“I know [team principal] Fred [Vasseur] well and I am looking forward to getting to know the rest of the team I am going to work with, building relationships as strong as the ones I have at Mercedes.

“I am proud of what I have achieved in Brackley and I am fully focused on finishing the job as we fight for another world championship, but I am also looking forward to the new challenges that await me next year.”

Bottas is a former GP3 Series winner and has stood on the podium a total of 63 times since making his F1 debut for Williams in 2013, scoring a season high finish of second with Mercedes on two occasions.

With new regulations providing a reset for the sport in 2022 the opportunity is there for Alfa Romeo and Bottas to show their experience and is one of the reasons Vasseur signed him up.

“It is a pleasure to welcome Valtteri to the team and we are looking forward to our journey together,” Vasseur said. “With him, we bring to Hinwil a strong team player with experience at the sharp end of the grid.

“Valtteri has been an integral part of a team that rewrote the history books and he has four constructors’ world titles to his name: he is the right driver to help Alfa Romeo Racing make a step forward towards the front of the grid.

“Our relationship goes back a long way, to when we worked together in successful campaigns in F3 and GP3, and his talent and skills have been evident ever since, only growing with the time: I’m really looking forward to

Image: Motorsport Images

seeing him put his ability to work for the good of the team.

“The multi-year deal bringing him to us gives both Valtteri and the team the

stability we need to build our project at a crucial time for Formula One: we are excited for what the future holds in store.” Dan McCarthy

TENSION DENIED AMID FASTEST LAP ATTEMP VALTTERI BOTTAS has denied claims that there is tension at Mercedes despite a short-lived fastest lap attempt against team orders at the end of the Dutch Grand Prix.

The Finn, who is reportedly on the way out of the front running squad at the end of the season, stopped for soft tyres on Lap 67 before being asked by the team not to pursue the fastest lap time.

“To be honest, there was quite a big gap ahead, a big gap behind. For safety reasons, it was a good thing to stop,” said Bottas, after the race won by Red Bulk’s Max Verstappen.

Despite this, Bottas set the fastest set blistering pace in the first two sectors of the lap, which prompted Mercedes team strategist James Vowles to jump on the radio to instruct him to abort the lap time attempt.

Bottas did back off in the final

sector but had done enough to take the fastest time of the race from his teammate for a couple of laps.

“I was just playing around really,” Bottas continued, “because obviously, Lewis needs that one extra point more than me.”

“He’s fighting for the world championship in the drivers’, and as a team, we’re trying to get the maximum points, so that’s how it is.”

“I knew Lewis was going to stop as well, that information I had and I knew that with a decent amount of lifting in the last sector [from me], he will get it, so no drama.”

Hamilton would retake the fastest lap time and the associated point on the final lap of the race after completing his own pitstop on the penultimate lap of the race.

Although in a close title fight with Verstappen, Hamilton denied there was any tension with his teammate.

“It doesn’t really matter. If Valtteri had got it, that would have been fine.” said Hamilton in the post race press conference.

“At the end of the day, we needed to get the fastest lap, as many points as we can as a team, so if Valtteri gets it or I get it, it doesn’t really make a huge difference.”

“I didn’t even know that Valtteri had stopped, I was completely unaware of that. It was my choice to stop, I needed that extra point, so I did. It was fine.”

With Hamilton and Bottas scoring second and third in the Dutch Grand Prix Mercedes holds a 12-point advantage over Red Bull in the constructors’ standings.

While Verstappen’s win has seen him move ahead of Hamilton by 3 points in the drivers’ standings.

Formula 1 action resumes on Friday with Italy Grand Prix at Monza.

Rhys Vandersyde

RUSSELL MOVE TO MERCEDES CONFIRMED MERCEDES-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team has officially confirmed that George Russell will join its driver line-up alongside Lewis Hamilton in 2022.

The heavily rumoured move seemed all but certain following Valtteri Bottas’s signing with Alfa Romeo yesterday but was only made official today.

“We are very happy to confirm that George will have the opportunity to take the next step in his career and join Mercedes.” said Toto Wolff, team principle.

“He has been a winner in every racing category – and the past three seasons with Williams have given us a taste of what the future could hold for him in F1.”

“Now, it is our challenge together to help him continue learning within our environment and alongside Lewis, the greatest F1 driver of all time.”

“I am confident that as their relationship grows, they will form a strong team and deliver for Mercedes on and off the track in the years to come.”

“It’s a weight off our shoulders to have our plans for 2022 clear and announced; but now, our focus returns to the final nine races of this season and putting everything into our challenge for this year’s world championships.”

The 23-year-old George Russell has spent the last three with Williams as part of the Mercedes Young Driver Programme which he joined in 2017.

Despite not having the equipment as the front running teams, Russell has

PT

proven to maximise the car he does have, making numerous appearances in Q3. Earning the nickname ‘Mr Saturday’.

“It’s a special day for me personally and professionally, but also a day of mixed emotions.” said Russell.

“I’m excited and humbled to be joining Mercedes next year, which is a huge career step, but it also means I’ll be saying goodbye to my teammates and friends at Williams.”

“It has been an honour working alongside every member of the team, and an honour to represent the Williams name in F1.”

“Since I joined in 2019, we have worked tirelessly to push each other forward and bring the team back up the grid where it belongs. We’ve battled for every qualifying position, every point, and every tenth of a second.”

“No matter how tough it’s been, nobody has ever given up, and that has inspired me every day. I’ve loved every moment in what I’d describe as a true heart and soul racing team, and I’ll be pushing harder than ever to make sure we end our story in the best possible way.”

Russell will now get to showcase his talent in front-running equipment and prove himself alongside a seven-time world champion.

“Looking ahead

Image: Motorsport Images to next season, I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t absolutely buzzing.” Russell continued.

“It’s a huge opportunity and one I want to grab with both hands. But I’m under no illusions as to the scale of the challenge; it’s going to be a steep learning curve.”

“Valtteri has set a high bar, consistently delivering week in and week out, scoring wins, pole positions and helping win multiple championship titles.”

“My target must be to reward the trust that Toto, the team, and the board have placed in me by ensuring I play my part in continuing that success and I want to do my new teammates proud.”

“Of course, one of those new teammates is in my opinion the greatest driver of all time.”

“I’ve looked up to Lewis since I was in go-karts and the opportunity to learn from someone who has become a role model both on and off track can only benefit me as a driver, a professional, and a human being.”

“For now, though, I have nine more races as a Williams driver, and I want to make sure they are the best nine of my time with the team.”

“Then, and only then, can I turn my attention to 2022. A huge thank you to Williams, to Mercedes and to everyone who has supported me in getting to where I am today. I couldn’t have done it without every single one of you.”

Rhys Vandersyde

LATEST NEWS

F1 DRIVERS PRAISE EPIC ZANDVOORT

Image: Motorsport Images FOR THE first time since 1985, Formula 1 returned to the tight and technical Zandvoort Circuit in The Netherlands.

Many drivers had previously driven at the track when they competed in Formula 3 and were thrilled with the fact that F1 organisers had decided to return.

F1 drivers loved the challenge of the 14-turn 4.259km Zandvoort circuit plus the atmosphere created by the avid fans. Here’s what some of them had to say during the weekend.

Daniel Ricciardo: “The track is fun. It is really cool. The crowd also makes it exciting. It feels like a festival. It is only Friday so I’m looking forward to the next two days.”

Lewis Hamilton: “This track is epic.

It brought back so many memories when I first got out there, from when I drove here before. I knew it was great when I was in Formula 3, but in a Formula 1 car it is just something else.

It was amazing to see the crowd here

today, there were so many people out there and the Dutch fans bring so much energy.”

Pierre Gasly: “I must say it was really fun today; it’s an amazing track to drive on and very unique, especially Turn 3 – it’s like sliding in a toboggan, with the banking.”

Valtteri Bottas: “I enjoyed it out on track. It’s an exciting track to drive, with all the banked corners and high-speed sections. It’s got a nice flow and it’s fairly easy to settle into a rhythm.”

Max Verstappen: “It was really enjoyable to see everyone in orange having fun in the grandstands. Of course the track is also very fun to drive with a lot of fast corners so it was good to finally get out there.”

Sergio Pérez: “It was awesome to get out there and drive this old school circuit. It’s very different to the other tracks we go to and with so many consecutive right-hand corners it’s a pretty unique and

physical challenge. I’ve never driven here before so it’s completely new.”

It’s amazing to see so many fans enjoying themselves and cheering in the grandstands so I expect the energy around the track to only get better and better over the weekend.”

Esteban Ocon: “It’s been a fun Friday and learning this track in a Formula 1 car has been awesome. It’s been high grip, a lot of Gs, undulation and taking on the banked corners, which, overall, has been mega fun.”

Fernando Alonso: “I do like the track, it’s quite different in a few places and the banked corners are fun. The atmosphere is amazing too.”

Charles Leclerc: “The banking feels very special on the first timed lap and it’s just overall a fun track to drive on.”

Carlos Sainz: “It’s an impressive and different track compared to what we are used to. It was fun to try different lines in FP1 around the banking corners and to push a bit more in FP2.”

Kimi Räikkönen: “It’s quite a different track from what we usually drive on, but it’s nice: it’s not an easy one to put a lap together but driving on something new is a good challenge, and the crowd really makes an atmosphere.”

Nicolas Latifi: It’s a tight and twisty circuit with very few straights, so having 20 cars on track made it difficult to get some space. I spent a lot of time looking in my mirrors which can be quite difficult to manage on a hot lap. It’s also a very fun track to drive though; it’s high speed and narrow, so a proper old school track that will punish you if you make a mistake!”

George Russell: “The whole track is demanding with very little opportunity for the cars or drivers to get a rest. The profiling of the circuit makes several of the corners quite difficult and places different demands on the car and the tyres, with several drivers finding the limit during the day.” Dan Knutson

FIA F3 FINAL ROUND MOVED TO SOCHI THE FINAL round of the FIA Formula 3 Championship will now be hosted alongside the Formula 1 round at Sochi, Russia.

F3 was due to race in the US for the first time as part of the United States Grand Prix at The Circuit of the Americas in October, however the final round has now been brought forward to September 24-26.

The FIA and the F3 promoter confirmed that the change was due to unavoidable logistical changes that heavily impacted the overall costs of the planned Austin event.

The revision to the schedule will see both F2 and F3 feature on the

same support card for the first time in 2021 after schedules for the two feeder categories were split to ease logistics for teams.

“I want to thank F1 and the FIA, our teams and everyone involved, including the Sochi promoters, for agreeing on such short notice to this change.” said Bruno Michel, FIA Formula 3 CEO. “We are pleased to bring our two categories to Russia again, but I am also sorry for not taking F3 to Austin this year, and I’m looking forward to racing there in the future.”

Sochi will host three F3 races that will decide the title for 2021.

Currently Dennis Hauger leads

Image: Motorsport Images Australian Jack Doohan in the standings by 24 points with a maximum of 84 points up for grabs over the remaining four races.

F3 are back in action tonight

with the feature race at Zandvoort, in which Doohan will start from 4th, behind Hauger who secured pole in qualifying.

Rhys Vandersyde

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LATEST NEWS

PORSCHE REVEALS ELECTRIC RACER CONCEPT PORSCHE HAS revealed a glimpse into the future of its one-make customer racing program, the Mission R concept.

The 1000bhp all-electric concept race car revealed overnight in Munich, the Porsche Mission R, has been developed to provide insight into what the future could look like for the highly popular one-make series developed by the German manufacturer, including Porsche Carrera Cup here in Australia.

“Porsche is the brand for people who fulfil their dreams. This is also true in motorsports.” said Oliver Blume, Chairman of the Executive Board of Porsche AG. “We experience our innovative strength on the race track, demonstrate courage in pursuing new avenues and delight car owners with sporting performance.”

“In addition to our involvement in the Formula E World Championship, we are now taking the next big step forward in electric mobility.”

“The concept study is our vision of all-electric customer motorsports. The Mission R embodies everything that makes Porsche strong: performance, design and sustainability.”

The Porsche Mission R concept race car has been designed with a focus on sustainability and state-of-the-art technologies.

Running two newly developed electric motors in an all-wheel-drive system, the combined power output from the motors will give the car approximately 1075bhp in qualifying mode and 670bhp in race configuration. While capable of accelerating from zero to 100km/h in less than 2.5 seconds with a top speed is over 300 km/h.

That means the Mission R will be capable of achieving equivalent lap times to the 992-shape 911 GT3 Cup, which

currently runs in Porsche Supercup and will make its debut in Porsche Carrera Cup Australia in 2022.

Porsche claims that the race power output will be constant under sprintracing conditions and the 80kWh battery can be charged from 5% to 80% in just 15 minutes.

The Mission R also incorporates a unique aerodynamic package

that includes a Drag Reduction System at both the front and rear.

The Porsche Mission R is the latest in a range of all-electric Mission concepts developed by the German manufacturer but is the first exclusively targeted at its customer motorsports program. Rhys Vandersyde

PERONI SET TO RETURN TO EUROPE AUSSIE OPEN-WHEEL ace Alex Peroni has announced that he has turned his focus to next year, electing to end his Indy Lights season in America three rounds early.

The Tasmanian will head back to Europe to pursue new opportunities for 2022.

Peroni is a Formula Renault Eurocup race winner and a threetime FIA Formula 3 Championship podium finisher.

After finishing 10th in the F3 Championship last year, Peroni made the move to America to pursue a career in IndyCar. In the second-tier Indy Lights Series Peroni has raced for established openwheel team Carlin which made its return to the category with the Aussie.

However, results for Peroni have not reached expectations, and as a result, Peroni will return to Europe.

“I’m looking forward to some exciting opportunities that 2022 has in store for me and a return to racing where I can mix it with the front runners,” Peroni said.

“This year hasn’t lived up to our expectations in racing performance, however I’ve really enjoyed visiting the US for the first time and living here for the past seven months.”

Although disappointed that the path to IndyCar did not go as planned, Peroni is very grateful for the opportunity he had, wishing Carlin the best of luck going forwards.

“I’d like to thank all of the incredibly friendly and welcoming people in the

US that I met on my journey. The warm welcomes I received at race events in particular were fantastic,” Peroni explained.

“I would like to take this opportunity to thank my incredible sponsors and supporters, particularly Blundstone, Richardson Devine Marine and the wonderful state of Tasmania and its great people who have done so much to help me get to where I am.

I look forward to your support moving forward.

“I wish Carlin the best for their future in Indy Lights, and I thank them for the opportunity provided to me this year.

I’m also grateful to everyone involved in the ‘Road to Indy’ organisation who did so much to help me make the leap to US racing.” Dan McCarthy

Image: Motorsport Images

MOSTERT RACE WINNING HOLDEN UP FOR GRABS WALKINSHAW ANDRETTI United have put Chaz Mostert’s Holden up for presale auction.

The chassis, WR026, is the car that Mostert currently drives and used to score his first two wins since switching over to Holden, Race 8 at Symmons Plains and Race 12 at Hidden Valley Raceway earlier this year.

While the new owner won’t be able to take delivery of the car until the completion of the 2022 Supercars Championship, the team will also include the engine that Mostert along with co-driver Lee Holdsworth will use in this years Bathurst 1000 as part of the package.

“This is a rare and incredible opportunity to own a car that will go down in the Australia motorsport history

books.” said Bruce Stewart.

“Not only is it the car in which Chaz Mostert took his first win for our team in, his first ever Supercars win in a Holden, but it’s also the last current generation car we will build.”

“It’s also the first time we are including an engine in the sale, which in itself is an incredible item to have the opportunity to own.”

“That means when the car is delivered to its new owner, there will be nothing more to do. It will be ready to turn a lap, or ready to display as it raced.”

“Chassis 26 has already achieved two wins this year, but there’s plenty of more opportunities to add more success, including the Bathurst 1000 this year when Chaz teams up with Lee Holdsworth, and that engine they use in

the Great Race will be the one delivered to the new owner at the end of 2022.”

“The team at Lloyds Auctions do an amazing job, this car is part of a fantastic collection they are auctioning, and we can’t wait to see how it goes.”

According to the team, the car will come in full running condition, in the specification it competes in at the 2021 Bathurst 1000, and the new owner will be able to choose any livery the car runs in during either the 2021 or 2022 season.

Chassis WR026 made its debut at the opening round of this years Supercars Championship, the Mount Panorama 500, where Mostert

scored two podium finishes over the two races.

It will also be the last Gen2 chassis built by the team before the switch to the Gen3 regulations, currently scheduled for midway through next season.

Rhys Vandersyde

S W E N A R T EX

Transport industry heavyweight Peter Smith has invested significant time, money and effort in his family’s motorsport endeavours. Now he’s also part of a consortium bidding to buy Supercars.

Peter Smith is becoming increasingly well known within Australian motor sport circles.

The company he founded, SCT Logistics, has a prominent presence backing his son Jack Smith in Supercars and his nephew Tommy Smith, in international openwheeler racing.

But Peter Smith and SCT don’t just sponsor racing. The ex-Jason Bright Racing Entitlements Contract was purchased in 2019, guaranteeing Jack’s place on the grid at Brad Jones Racing. Since then Brad Jones’ nephew and former Supercars racer Andrew Jones has joined the operation to oversee SCT’s motor sport programs.

More recently, Smith has been named as a member of one of two consortiums that are bidding to buy the Supercars championship.

So who is Peter Smith and why all this activity? He explained it all to BRUCE NEWTON.

On his own background and how he started SCT Logistics in 1974 I started off in transport when I was 18 operating a couple of tray trucks around Melbourne, driving one of them myself. After a couple of years I bought a semi-trailer which I drove between Melbourne and Brisbane for about seven or eight years.

Long haul truck driving was pretty hard yards back then and by the end I was pretty burnt out. Then I was asked by a couple of partners to start [road transport company] Cubico, which became quite successful.

We did for about two and a half years before selling out to Mayne Nickless.

I signed a contract with Mayne Nickless to say that I couldn’t compete against them in road transport for a five year period. Transport was what I knew, so I looked at some other alternatives in both Sea and Rail transport.

That’s when I got involved in looking at running a rail operation between Melbourne and Perth.

On the growth of SCT Logistics and where it is now Like all the other rail transport companies I started off as a freight forwarder. In the early 90’s, two things happened that shaped the future of the SCT business.

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A FAMILY AFF

Image: Motorsport Images Peter Smith poses with one of the newest trucks on the SCT road transport fleet (above). SCT’s Supercar in action at Sandown (above right) driven by Peter’s son, Jack Smith (below).

The Government railways stopped moving rail vans in favour of containers, and the government introduced legislation allowing private companies to operate trains on the network. I wanted to retain our rail van operation so was forced into a situation where the only way I could do that was to run our own trains, which I did in 1995.

The business grew from there to where we run trains just about everywhere today; between Melbourne and Perth and Adelaide and Perth, Parkes-Perth, Brisbane, mining trains, port shuttles. A very national business today.

The growth of the SCT business has been significant year on year since 1995.

We probably have 45 of the most technologically advanced locomotives in Australia and over a 1000 pieces of rolling stock.

We remain focussed on transport but we also have developed and accumulated a substantial property portfolio which includes world class intermodal and warehouse facilities.

This includes state of the art facilities for a number of our long term logistics partners including Fosters asahi, Treasury Wines, Super Retail Group and Heinz.

More recently we’ve established a Rail Engineering department and taken inhouse all of our locomotive maintenance.

SCT now has about 1800 staff and employees.

On his first contact with motor sport and how he came to be interested in it As a younger person from 18-years old or so I had a big interest in touring cars, as everyone did in those days.

But my first real contact was in motocross with my two sons, Geoff and Glenn.

They were eight and 10 or 11 years of age. We ran around the country for many years chasing state and national titles.

They got a lot better at it and were A-grade riders. Young Glenn showed a lot of promise including being crowned Australian junior motocross champion at the age of 13 at Smithton in Tasmania.

He went on to ride in all those indoor supercross events.

I think he retired at about 19 with a broken leg and two broken arms from a significant crash, that was the end of him.

Then after that I got remarried and had two kids, Jack and Mia. They both got into karting and we were running around tracks around the place and probably spent the best part of seven years with that.

It was mainly with Jack in the end, as Mia gave it away after a couple of years.

She now competes in equestrian at a very high level.

On how that interest has evolved When Jack was about 15 or so we got involved in the Formula 4 project. He only did one year of that, but around that time I ran into Paul Morris at Norwell and he said he’d like to put Jack into a MARC car and see how he goes. They were all pretty impressed with what he did and he started that year off in MARC cars and showed a lot of form.

He won the Kumho series in 2017, the youngest ever champion at that time.

Jack backed that up in 2018, winning the New Zealand Supercars championship.

FAIR

Peter Smith (right) pictured at the start of it all in 1967 as a truck driver. Today the SCT logistics empire owns 45 locomotives and 1000 pieces of rolling stock (above).

On why the SCT/Smith family investment in motor sport has reached the current point with Jack Smith in Supercars with Brad Jones Racing and Tommy Smith [son of Peter’s son Geoff] racing openwheelers in Europe.

The family and in particular Geoff and myself have supported the boys in karting and motor racing, both my and Geoff’s son Tommy, for over a decade now.

As a consequence, we’ve promoted the SCT brand through their motor sport endeavours as well as assisting some others on that journey.

As Jack in particular has developed and the profile that Supercars brings with it, we’ve been able to bring a number of our business partners on board for the journey and the brand exposure that Supercars attracts.

www.autoaction.com.au

On why SCT elected to purchase a Racing Entitlements Contract (REC), rather than simply remain as a sponsor I was fortunate enough to be able to support Jack into the main game financially and needed a REC to do that.

As a business person I tend to look at value for money. When I did the numbers on it, when you start to look at the number of kilometres you do in a car, it is a hell of a lot cheaper to run in the main game than the 2s.

Although Jack had won the Super 3 and New Zealand titles, he possibly lacked the experience to warrant going into the main game at the time. I may be proven to be wrong about that [decision] … but it’s a matter of seeing how he goes this year.

As is commonly known, you’ve got to have the right gear to drive as well, and I think there is a bit of a

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discrepancy between some certain teams in the championship. It may level itself out when Gen3 comes out.

On Jack Smith’s performance as a Supercars championship driver Jack has shown a lot of ability at certain times. He struggles when it comes to trying to get up the front of the grid in qualifying, but he has a good racing ability when he gets in there and gets going. He is still very young in Supercars terms and make no mistake, the step up from Super 2 to the main series is significant and takes a bit of time. We see his progress behind the scenes, which gives us confidence on where he’s heading.

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On his expectations for Jack as a Supercars driver looking forward I would like to think in the next two years, not including this year, that Jack can compete right up the front with the best of them. Jack puts more pressure and expectation on himself than I ever could.

He understands the opportunity he has as well as the costs involved, so we’re not involved to just make up the numbers.

Jack’s sponsorships are in place for four or five years, so that would be the plan to continue on for that period of time. That would put him at the age of 26 which seems to be the age where SuperCars drivers hit their straps, so if he’s not

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17

S W E N A R T EX peaking by then then I’d suggest he’ll be looking for a new career path.

On Tommy Smith’s progression as a racing driver Tommy’s a hell of a lot harder to try to work out, especially over the last 18 months to two years, because a lot of his racing has been overseas in open wheelers so I haven’t had the chance to be around him all that much. He’s tackling Europe for the first time in Formula Regional Europe which is bloody competitive. He’s working hard to come up to speed and racing on new tracks compared to others, so give him a bit of time.

Image: Motorsport Images Peter Smith enjoying the Townsville weather (left) watching his car in action (above).

On whether SCT would run drivers that are not family members If Jack wasn’t around would I entertain continuing on with the REC and being involved with teams? Yes I would be. Right now the future lies with the two boys and there is a four year term to go.

On the chances of SCT becoming a stand-alone Supercars team as the Blanchard Racing Team has done in 2021 It’s not a priority at the moment. I am not saying it wouldn’t be as time goes on. A lot of this depends on the future of Supercars and where it is going to. So in two years’ time that may all change.

On rumours the SCT REC, funding and Jack Smith may relocate to another team from BJR in 2022 At that particular time [around the Townsville Supercars events] there were a few rumours around without us pushing it out. No-one really knew what this Gen3 really meant, how much people should be paying. To be quite honest nobody knows

now, we know less now than what we knew six months ago.

It was all about just seeing what other teams were making available and did I think - or did Andrew [Jones, head of SCT Motorsport Programs] think – would there be better teams for Jack than the team he was already in.

Probably the conclusion to that right at

this particular point is that a change is unlikely.

I have a lot of faith in the team at BJR and so does Jack.

He’s got his same engineer [Paul Forgie] and he’s got a crew of guys down there that mean something to him, so at this particular point there’s no expected change to be made.

be involved in it as well, I accepted that and that’s what’s been happening ever since, with ups and downs and no-one knowing what the hell is going on in the place, including Supercars. All I know is we have our ideas if we were successful in taking it.

On how he came to join the ‘Adderton’ consortium, which is one of two bidders vying to buy Supercars from Archer Capital

We personally have no idea what anyone else is putting in as an offer, all we know is the offer we are putting in is very generous as far as the teams are concerned and in our view, in the best interests of the sport.

If I was a REC owner and I saw what our proposal was to be there, I’d be very happy with it.

The guys who are involved in this – and depending how many millions are involved – it’s not a huge amount of money in the overall scheme of things.

So what are we in it for? Yes, we are all businessmen and we want to make a quid but we don’t see any chance of making any money or Supercars being successful into the future, unless the teams are very much made a part of it.

That is the direction we’ve adopted, it might take two to three years to get in that position, but the people who are involved in this consortium know a little bit about the game and we’ve got most of the areas covered.

The first REC owners meeting I went to was probably 18 months ago and what was tabled there was Archer wanted to sell out of the business and there was an opportunity for the teams to buy it.

And that’s when I got involved in the process and started to look at a few of the numbers, the opportunities and so on.

They were looking for an amount around $50 to $60 million for it and they were prepared to finance the teams into $50 million of it through some outside source at a fairly good interest rate.

I started to do a few numbers on that and tried to work it out and that got me a little bit interested.

And then COVID came on and it just seemed to die. The next thing I hear is the thing up for sale and it’s up for grabs.

I had a phone-call from Peter Adderton.

He had spoken to Mick Doohan, Paul Morris and Alan Gow and wanted me to

Peter’s nephew Tommy Smith is also a racer (above) and has done some S5000 open-wheeler racing here (below) and is now racing in the F3 Formula Regional European Championship. Image: Daniel Kalisz

Image: Daniel Kalisz

18 AutoAction

On the bid the consortium is putting forward and its chances of success

On the priorities of the consortium if it takes ownership of Supercars Our opinion is the Gen3 car should not even exist for next year.

Like in business, you have to take a longer term outlook on the sport. You have got to get the fan base back again or more importantly develop the next generation of fans, and Supercars hasn’t been doing that in my opinion. The biggest fan base is people as old as I am running around the paddock and going up the mountain drinking grog and getting pissed.

I am not saying there is anything wrong with that, but [Supercars] is a very traditional crowd. They’re not encouraging kids into the sport and as fans; we’d be letting kids under 16 in for free, promoting concerts, every possible thing we could to get younger people back in and being part of the overall entertainment We believe we could provide that better than what Supercars does today.

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JOHN CRENNAN “This is the car that took me to so many remarkable victories”.

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sig gnificance are part of The Collection.

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This privately owned collection includes Holden Racing Team chassis 045 ‘The Golden Child’.

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S W E N A R T EX

THE TRIPLE EIGHT PROTEGE After half a year of speculation, it has finally been confirmed that Super2 driver Broc Feeney will replace Jamie Whincup at Triple Eight Race Engineering, and the 18-year-old spoke to DAN McCARTHY BROC FEENEY has risen the ranks quickly. From racing in the Toyota Gazoo Racing 86 Series in 2018 it has taken less than four seasons to secure arguably the most prestigious seat in Australian motor sport.

In 2019 Feeney won the thirdtier Super3 Series and became a Super2 Tickford Racing driver.

Late last year Feeney then moved to rival Supercars squad Triple Eight to contest the Super2 Series this year.

When it was announced in February that seven-time champion Jamie Whincup would retire from the full-time driving at the end of 2021 to take on the role of team principal from Roland Dane, Feeney was immediately linked as a possible Whincup replacement.

Feeney currently leads the Super2 Series, and is under no illusions about the task at hand.

On signing for Triple Eight as a rookie It’s very hard to believe at the moment to be honest. Even still saying it now, it’s a little bit hard to put into words that it’s real for me.

I knew that the opportunity was there this year. To have such a good season in Super2 so far, it’s just awesome to get it locked away, so I can focus on the rest of the season now (in Super2) and have something already set to go for next season.

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On first season expectations To be honest, I haven’t really thought about it too much, I’ve still got the Super2 Series to win, that’s my biggest point on the list that I want to do. It’s a little bit hard to set an expectation yet because I don’t know where my speed is going to roll out. It’s always that first race of the season when you roll out and you figure out where you’re going to fit in.

I’m obviously looking to learn as much as I can and have a consistent season, I’ve still got to learn a few tracks on the calendar as well, so there’s a lot for me to do next year.

But at the end of the day, Triple Eight Racing goes away to win races and I’m fortunate enough that I’ve got the best guy in the pit lane next to me (Shane van Gisbergen). There’s no doubt he’ll be collecting plenty of trophies next year and the big push is to keep pushing the team forward, and especially going into the new Gen3 era.

On 2022 season targets and beyond It’s a hard one to say, because as you said there’s not really been so many people that have gone straight to a top team. I’m in a pretty similar situation to where Jamie (Whincup) was when he joined the team.

Definitely by the end of the year I want to be top 10 in the championship and if we can get a

few trophies along the way, that’d be awesome.

At the end of the day, everyone goes to win races and if you aim for the top, you don’t stop till you get there. I know it’s going to be a long, long road and at the end of the day I want to be battling for race wins and battling for championships.

I know it’s going to be a long journey, so I’m just taking one step at a time. My step at the moment is trying to win the Super2 Series and then we’ve got the Bathurst 1000, and then we’ll figure out where we’re going to be next year.

Of course, everyone wants to go in and be right up the front straightaway. But at the end of the day, there’s a hell of a lot to learn and everyone that I’ve spoken to says it is a big jump going from Super2 to main series.

I think it’s going to be the race environments can be completely different for me.

We’ll have to learn a lot about the

racing those guys next year, but obviously I want to go and get good results straightaway. It’s going to be a long process and I’ve got the best team to guide me through that process as best as possible.

On Whincup retirement and mentality this season in Super2 To be honest, it was always in the back of my mind, that if I did a good job, fingers crossed I’d be able to get the seat.

Everyone in pit lane was probably trying to get the seat to be honest, it was a lot of big competition out there, but as I’ve said since day one, if I won the Super2 Series I’d be in the best position to step up to the main series.

To get it away this signed so early in the season is awesome, and it’s been such a great season for me, four out of six wins.

It’s just put me in the perfect situation to be able to get this drive.

Roland Dane, Broc Feeney and Jamie Whincup (left) announce Feeney’s promotion to Whincup’s seat for 2022.

only next year, but in the years to come and you’ve got to accept that.

But to have a team and a team boss that puts full faith in me to just have a proper crack next year is really awesome.

I’ve got to find the limits. I’ve done 12 races in a Super2 car, so I’m still very fresh to the Supercar scene, but to have someone like that, he could teach me those limits as well. He’s done it for so many years, it’s very cool to have him saying something like that.

I’m looking forward to a challenge, everyone’s put the pressure on me this year ‘oh there’s pressure on you to replace Whincup,’ well I expected to get the wins that I’ve had in Super2 anyway, so whatever happens, happens.

I know if I didn’t get those results, I certainly wouldn’t be sitting in the seat next year, so it’s certainly been a very important year for me.

On whether leaving Tickford was because of a potential opportunity to replace Whincup in the future It was really tough to leave Tickford. I had a great bond with all the crew, I had a great season, co-driving with James Courtney last year (at Bathurst), the Boost Mobile connection, everything sort of fell into place at Tickford.

It was towards the end of last year where Roland (Dane Triple Eight Team Principal) was speaking to Paul Morris (Feeney’s advisor) and that’s where the conversation started, he spoke to us about doing Super2.

The thing that made us 100 per cent jump at it was that Jamie would be retiring and someone needs to fill the seat.

There was always an option there for the taking, whoever was going to be the best man at the end of the day was going to get the job.

If Jamie’s seat wasn’t available, it’s hard to know to be honest, I don’t even know if Triple Eight would have signed me, anyway, it is what it is and I’m super happy where I am at the moment.

On knowing of Jamie’s retirement before signing for Triple Eight in Super2 Yeah, I did.

On the pressure of taking Whincup’s seat Of course, there’s a little bit of pressure, but at the same time I’m expecting on myself to go out and get some good results next year.

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On whether the Gen3 regulations midway through 2022 will be a leveller for him as a rookie I think it’s going to be a little bit weird to be honest, because I’ll be starting to get the hang of the ZB Commodore and then we’ll be switching over to Gen3.

But at the same time, it’s a great opportunity for myself to be on a level playing field with the rest of the drivers that have been driving these cars for many years.

I don’t think it’s going to be the biggest change going to the ZB, as you said I’ve been doing test days and stuff like that, and my pace has been quite good.

I’m looking forward to the first half of the season just as much as I’m looking forward to getting in the new car at the end of next year.

On whether Gen3 regs are an opportunity for better results It’s a little bit hard to see how it’s going to play out at the moment. I think the fortunate thing that I’ve got in my favour is I’ve been driving so many different cars in the past few years.

It’s something Roland said to me that stood out to him, that I’ve been doing a lot of driving and not just Supercars.

A lot of the guys have just stuck in a Supercar for five to 10 years and I think that’s where it’s going to play in my favour a little bit, I’ve been mixing around so much.

Fingers crossed, I’ll be able to adapt pretty quickly into the new car, and hopefully me and Shane will be able to get some good results on the board at the end of next year.

On his relationship with Shane It’s pretty cool to see how it’s all come about. I saw a post that Paul Morris put up. I was working as a

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school-based mechanic and that’s when I first started meeting Shane at Norwell.

I’ve had a bit to do with him over the years, just basically doing shootouts with him. So we’ve been around a bit and it’s always cool.

As a 15-year-old kid at Norwell I was trying to chase Shane Van Gisbergen down in a Toyota 86 and now I’m teammates with him in Supercars. It’s probably going to be a little bit of the same thing next year, there’s a very high benchmark.

When you’ve got someone winning races, you know once you can get to that level. I’m looking forward to trying to catch Shane next year and I just can’t wait, mate, it’ll be so awesome to have a teammate who’s doing so good at the moment.

On whether he will be able to lean on Whincup for advice To be honest, I’ll be leaning on as Jamie as much as I can next year.

Me and Shane when we’re at the track, we’ll be going through our own data so if he’s ever carried away, I’ve got my boss there.

It’s so cool that Jamie Whincup is going to be my boss and I’ll be able to talk to him about that, hopefully we’ll have a bit of spare time.

I think a big thing about this next year is that I’ll be able to lean on him a lot to help me out. It’s not just the driving stuff, but all the other stuff that comes with being a Supercars driver which I haven’t gone through yet.

They’ll be able to teach me a little bit about balance and stuff over race weekend, just so many things that we’ll be able to discuss.

It’s awesome to have a seventime champion as your team manager, that can advise you through these weekends.

On whether he feels ready for Supercars due to the limited number of Super2 rounds caused

by COVID in 2020 and 2021 I did three rounds last year and three rounds this year, so I’ve basically just completed one full Super2 season.

A lot of people would say that’s a very short time to be in it, but to be honest, that was our plan since day one, we were trying to get through as quickly as we could.

Do Super3 in one year and move up to Super2 and do that in one year, which has now been split over two.

I think that’s one of the key factors, I was able to get through the categories pretty quick and that goes back to me driving so many cars.

We could have never lasted years and years in Super2, we had to get in there, get out and try to get up to the main series as quick as we could.

To be able to do it in this short amount of time and given the opportunity, just to get into Supercars, let alone this team, is pretty awesome. A small amount of races, but the results are there on the board.

On his Triple Eight car number in Supercars, taking the number #88 or another number I have not spoken a single word to anyone at Triple Eight about the number yet, so that’s a discussion that will obviously happen later this season, I have no idea which number I’ll be running next year. It’s a decision I’ll have to make later in the year, if they leave it up to me.

On Whincup allowing him to go out and have a go with no consequences It’s so good to hear him say that the team supports me no matter what. Of course, there’s going to be plenty of up and down days, not

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withFEATURE Dan Knutson 22 AutoAction

FIA PRESIDENT Jean Todt has revealed that there will be an in-depth review into the regulations surrounding disrupted races after Belgium hosted the shortest Grand Prix in Formula 1 history. In an official statement, Todt assured the motorsport community that a full review would take place. “The FIA together with Formula 1 and the teams will carefully review the regulations to see what can be learned and improved for the future,” Todt said. JN

FORMULA 1 has officially confirmed revisions to the schedule for the remainder of the year.

The new schedule will see a total of 22 races held, one less than originally planned. The Turkish Grand Prix will now take place October 10, having been moved back a week. Both the Mexico City Grand Prix and Brazilian Grand Prix have also been moved back a week and will now take place on November 7 and November 14, respectively. RV

CHRISTIAN HORNER has denied that his Mercedes-sourced power unit engineers encouraged an investigation into the legality of the Mercedes engine. Red Bull Racing has requested an FIA investigation into whether Mercedes are cooling their engine beyond lawful levels, but Horner denied this was due to an engineer tip-off. The team made a move to sign several Mercedes employees to its new engine department recently, fuelling the speculation. JN

ICEMAN’S RETIREMENT FUELS SILLY SEASON AFTER AN F1 career that began in the 2001 Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne, Kimi “The Iceman” Räikkönen will retire at the end of the season. The 2007 world champion has 18 poles, 21 victories and 82 other podium finishes.

George Russell, meanwhile, is set to move from Williams to Mercedes next year. This means that there will be an open seat at Alfa Romeo and one seat at Williams available next year.

And a number of drivers are aiming for those seats.

Valtteri Bottas, when he becomes a former Mercedes driver, is one of them. Does he have his future sorted?

“Maybe I do, maybe I don’t,” he said

during the Dutch Grand Prix weekend.

“Things are going in the right direction; I’m happy and excited.”

Red Bull team principal Christian Horner would like to place reserve driver Alex Abon with either Alfa Romeo or Williams, preferably the latter.

There is no place for Albon at Red Bull or AlphaTauri because both teams are keeping their current drivers in 2022.

Formula E world champion Nyck De Vries has been linked to a couple of seats in F1 as well. Mercedes boss Toto Wolff says the driver market “at the moment it revolves around Alex Albon who really deserves a seat.

He’s a really good kid, and he’s probably the main protagonist in the

RICCIARDO: THE NAME for Miami’s circuit has been revealed. The venue will be known as the ‘Miami International Autodrome’ and will host a brand-new Formula 1 Grand Prix event in 2022.

The track surrounds the the Hard Rock Stadium complex in Miami Gardens, home to the NFL’s Miami Dolphins franchise, and is 5.41km in length. Miami International Autodrome will also feature 19 corners and three straights. JN

THE FINAL corner of Autodromo Nazionale Monza known as ‘Parabolica’ will be renamed to ‘Curva Alboreto’ after the late Michele Alboreto on September 11. The change in title will occur during the Italian Grand Prix weekend to mark 20 years since the death of the Milanese driver in a car test at the Lausitzring. Alboreto achieved five career wins in Formula 1 and was the 1985 Formula 1 World Championship runner-up for Ferrari. JN

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200 AND NOT OUT

DANIEL RICCIARDO’S 200th Formula 1 start was a memorable one but for all the wrong reasons as the waterlogged Belgian Grand Prix consisted of just three laps. Still, that made the race official, which means that the Aussie is now one of just 19 drivers in F1 history to compete in 200 or more grands prix.

“I felt it was something that more drivers had done, so that made me feel a little prouder,” he said. “It is exciting.

It is something that I have dedicated my life to, so to be here after 200 grands prix and still be enjoying it and loving it, and for the most part being competitive, is a nice feeling.”

Kimi Räikkönen heads the record books with 341 starts and Fernando Alonso has 324. Aussie Mark Webber is 13th on the list at 215. At 199, Alain Prost just misses the cut.

Ricciardo made his F1 debut with HRT in the 2011 British Grand Prix.

He has celebrated on the podium 31 times, including seven wins. And he nominates his first victory – the 2014 Canadian Grand Prix – as one of his most memorable moments.

“That is a day I’ll never forget: June 8, 2014,” he said. “There are moments along the way, even races that did not end up being victories or podiums. I remember 2014 with Fernando Alonso

moving chairs. Nyck has a guaranteed seat in Formula E with us and I am of two minds. I wish him to be in F1, but I don’t want to lose him for our Formula E campaign.”

Alfa Romeo team principal Frédéric Vasseur believes the matter will soon be settled.

“I think now we have almost all the cards in range,” he said, “and we have to move forward and make a decision. And I think that yes we will be able to do it quickly.”

As for Räikkönen, he actually made his decision in December but waited until 1 September to announce it. He has no plans for 2022.

“I don’t want to have some schedule for in Germany. I kind of battled him for a few laps on older tyres.”

Alonso, on a different pit strategy, finished fifth in that race and Ricciardo sixth.

“I felt at the time he was just expecting me to let him go and do his race, because I was not really in his race,” Ricciardo recalled, “but I thought I would make a battle out of it. I do not know if he will see that was a point in time, but I felt that was a point in time where I gained his respect.”

It’s unknown, of course, how many races Ricciardo will add to his tally of 200, but he does know when he will retire. Would he race if he did not get paid?

“I do ask myself the question,” he replied, “and the answer is yes. The day the answer is no is the day I stop racing. I am pretty good at checking myself on that. As a kid I never did it to be on TV and get paid money, it was because I loved it.

“The day that becomes overpowered by the money or the fame then that is the day. I think I have enough inner self-awareness to say okay I am done with this.”

SAFETY TAKES PRECEDENCE

Images: Motorsport Images a long time,” he said. “Obviously I’ve been 18 or 19 years in F1. I did those two years in rallying and there was always a schedule, a ‘what is coming next on this date, on that date’ and I don’t want that. Whatever it is outside F1 there are other schedules, the family, the kids’ schools and kindergarten and that stuff.

“But also I don’t want the family life to be dictated by the races, the tests or whenever you fly to the next job. I’m not in a rush; I haven’t even thought about it yet. I’ve known this situation for quite a while, so there’s always opportunities to do this or to do that, but right now I’m not even interested in thinking about it.”

SOME CRITICS say the FIA and Formula 1 made sure that two laps were completed in the Belgian Grand Prix so that it could be declared an official race and, therefore, fulfill various commercial obligations.

“Absolutely not,” said the FIA’s F1 race director, Australian Michael Masi, when asked if he considered any commercial implications. “None. Zero.

Never, and would never be part of my consideration.”

Masi gave the order for the race to start after a delay of nearly three hours.

“We were all aiming for a window we thought was there,” he said, “and the teams saw it, there was a weather band where we thought we could get some racing in. All of you being fans of the sport you know how rapidly the weather changes at this venue. We thought we could get something in, but the weather deteriorated rapidly so we couldn’t.”

The drivers completed two laps behind the safety car, and then the race was red flagged while they were on

their third lap.

Formula 1 CEO Stefano Domenicali said that Formula 1 gets its fee from the promoter even if a race is not official.

“When I hear that there was some commercial discussion behind that (running two laps) it’s totally not true,” Domenicali said. “When we are talking about racing there is a responsibility and a clear process, and these things (the racing and commercial sides) are not connected at all.”

It was not possible to postpone the race until Monday.

“For logistical reasons, for many reasons, you cannot schedule the race the day after,” Domenicali explained.

“From availability of marshals to availability of other staff. It was considered, of course, but it was not possible.”

Only half points were awarded because less than 75 per cent of the race had been completed. That had happened only five times before in the 71-year history of F1.

“There is a lot to learn from the

Belgian Grand Prix because we need to tweak the regulations,” Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff said. “We need to talk about the regulations that points are awarded for a race.

We want points to be given for racing. We need to discuss in the F1 Commission whether a few laps behind the safety car is good enough for points, or whether we actually want the cars racing.”

FIA president Jean Todt vowed that the F1 Commission would review the situation when it meets on October 5.

“This year’s Belgian Grand Prix presented extraordinary challenges to the FIA Formula One World Championship,” Todt said.

“The weather windows predicted by the forecasters did not appear throughout the day, and while a small window did appear late in the day during which there was an attempt to start the race, conditions quickly worsened again.”

So far there has been no official word about any ticket refunds to the fans

What Red Bull Honda needs right now is a stable team structure so that Verstappen can focus on his world championship fight with Lewis Hamilton.

If Pérez knew he would not be at Red Bull next year he might not feel so inclined to help the team and Verstappen and rather concentrate on himself. Furthermore, knowing that his ride is secure will make Pérez faster

and more consistent.

“It’s good to waste zero energy on that, knowing what I’m doing next year and just focus on this season,” Pérez said.

Verstappen’s contract with the team runs through 2023. Having a consistent driver line-up is crucial as the team embarks on a new era of F1 with the technical rule changes coming in 2022

ALONSO AND PÉREZ SIGNED FOR 2022 FERNANDO ALONSO and Sergio Pérez will return to their respective Alpine and Red Bull teams next year.

In Alonso’s case, it was a matter of one plus one plus one. After being away from F1 for two years on his sports car and IndyCar adventure, Alonso signed on with Renault, now Alpine for the third time. He had a one plus one contract, which meant that he had a deal for one year and Alpine had an option for another year. The two parties sat down for a chat as the renewal deadline approached. How long did it take them to agree on 2022?

“About one minute,” Alonso replied.

Alonso turns 41 on 29 July, and next year will be his 20th season in F1. And it won’t be his last. He plans to race in F1 for many years as long as he is competitive and not making mistakes.

Then he plans to compete in the Dakar again, and he will look into returning to the Indy 500 and the Le Mans 24 hours.

He already has victories in the Monaco Grand Prix and at Le Mans, so a win at Indy would mean he would become the second driver after Graham Hill to win motor racing’s triple crown.

Ever since Daniel Ricciardo left Red Bull at the end of 2018 the team has been looking for a driver who can run at the front with Max Verstappen.

Pierre Gasly and Alex Albon couldn’t get it done, so the team brought in Pérez this year. He has done a much better job – he has a win and a podium – but he is still getting up to speed. And he has made mistakes, such as sliding off the track and into the barriers on the reconnaissance lap at the Belgian Grand Prix.

The Red Bull RB16B is a twitchy car to drive, which suits Verstappen whereas Albon and Gasly struggled.

Pérez has adapted quite well, and the team expects its 2022 car will be easier to drive.

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

Bruce Williams

Editor-At-Large

Mark Fogarty

Deputy Editor

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Staff Journalist

Production

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F1 INSIDER

with Dan Knutson

NO VISIBILITY

Jason Crowe

Special Contributor Bruce Newton National Editor

Garry O’Brien

Historics Editor Online Editor

Mark Bisset Rhys Vandersyde

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

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Dan Knutson Mike Brudenell

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Image: Motorsport Images

IT WAS raining at the start of my first Formula Vee race.

This was back in the last century at a track in the U.S. called Brainerd International Raceway – aka Donnybrooke – which has a very long straight which is also used for drag racing. It was a rolling start behind a pace car, which pulled off into the pits, and the starter waved the green flag.

That was the last thing I saw. I was somewhere in the mid-pack of about 20 cars.

There was so much spray being kicked up by the other cars that it was like someone had turned the tap full on and aimed the end of a hosepipe directly at the visor of my fullface helmet. I could not see a thing.

I kept the accelerator pedal pinned down, and dared not move left or right. The visibility was barely better when I got to the sweeping right hand first turn. Again, I stayed in the middle of the track, judging where I was not by looking ahead and

seeing nothing but rather by looking right and seeing the edge of the track.

Now these were Formula Vees on thin tyres, which created a fraction of the muck kicked up by F1 cars on their fat tyres. So I have an inkling and a lot of sympathy for what the F1 drivers endured for those brief, soggy laps at Spa-Francorchamps for what ended up being the one lap Belgian Grand Prix.

The only driver who did not complain about the lack of visibility was pole sitter Max Verstappen. But even he moved to the side so as to be out of the spray from the safety car. Lewis Hamilton, in third place, could not even see the bright flashing red light on the rear of Verstappen’s car. The drivers further back in the pack saw virtually nothing. That included Daniel Ricciardo who was fourth on the track.

“I’m sure Max would’ve had some aquaplaning,” Ricciardo said. “But when you have visibility you can

WHAT’S IN THE NEXT ISSUE ON SALE SEPT. 23

see or be prepared for the aquaplaning and know a little bit which line to be on. The visibility helps and in a way diminishes the aquaplaning.

But anyone behind Max, we just could not see. So the visibility is one thing, and not knowing where the rivers are is the other. There was simply too much water.”

People say that these F1 chaps are the 20 best drivers in the world and they get paid a lot of money, so why not go out and have a race?

“I’m not trying to sound smart here,” Ricciardo responded, “but it is probably the easiest way for me to relay the message is that it is kind of like physics. It is just simple physics and the car just won’t stick, it won’t stay on the road. And that is with 100 per cent visibility let alone with literally five per cent. It gets to a threshold where it is no longer about skill, it is literally about the car not sticking to the track.”

The drivers managed to do three laps behind the safety

car without spinning off, so why not start the race and go at the same pace?

“We could,” Ricciardo said, “but then because we are so slow you will have some people probably trying to do something out of the physical realm of the car, and you will have a bigger incident because of closing speeds, or someone thinking they can go beyond the limit. In a way I think it causes more problems.”

But, ultimately don’t the drivers decide how fast they want to go?

“Yes, true,” Ricciardo said.

“But then take the physics out and put in visibility.”

As for my first ever Formula Vee race – once the cars spread out a bit and the visibility improved – I managed to keep the car on the track and finished fifth.

The car was a Caldwell D13, one of the best looking of all the Vees.

And I will forever relate to race drivers saying they had no visibility.

Australia’s own Formula 1 engine; Italian Grand Prix; Supercar calendar update; The Bend Classic; all the latest news & views

Mark rty garty withh Ma Foga rk Fo wit

THE FOGES FILE AA’s profound pundit pays tribute to a pair of iconoclasts who have influenced his long career FURTHER ALONG in

this issue, we celebrate pundit AA’s perturbed the achievements of struggles with the New Zealand legend Graham McRae, dilemma of needing to who died early this month at the ripe to go racing be vaxxed old age of 81. Our historian Mark Bisset again

recounts McRae’s career scrupulously, revealing an now, the federal and FOR WEEKS enormously talented state governments have been touting driver/engineer/ mass vaccination as the key to ending constructor.and border closures. lockdowns Certainly, McRae’s For motor sport fans, getting fully legacy is worthy of extensive i only inoculated is looking like the acclamation, especially so after way you’ll be able to attendlong events the peak of his accomplishments.

Not once racing resumes – whenever and much was heard of him in the past 40 wherever that will be. years or so and the passing of time In some cases, it will also be meant he was almost forgotten. necessary for competitors and officials His death was poignant to have had bothparticularly jabs, although neither –Supercars and sad –nor forMotorsport me. ForgiveAustralia the is at indulgence, but he had a profound this stage planning to make vaccination impact on my long career in journalism. compulsory.

Inisfact, I may not have my start It individual tracks orgot jurisdictions without him.

In early 1972, when which will mandate that you haveas to be a 15-year-old decided writing about fully vaxxed toI gain entry.

No double motor no racing was a way in, I identified dose, admission.

McRae as an interesting Sydney Motorsport Parkstory. has already He was at the peak of hisand powers, imposed this requirement others dominating Formula 5000 in the the are sure to follow to give venues Antipodes and nameevents, in the best chance of making holding aviable UK with his self-designed car. once restrictions are lifted.

In ’72,the hisrampant Leda GM1 – resplendent Amid spread of the Delta in Day-Glo pink STP livery – was the variant of COVID-19 in Sydney and F5000 to beat down under.

Melbourne, it is now abundantly clear McRae – nicknamed ‘Cassius’ for get that vaccination is the only way we’ll his showmanship – won the Tasman our freedoms back. championship threethat years It is a vexed issue hasrunning causedfrom ’71-73, beating – most notably – Aussie division and dissent. Reasonable F5000 ace Frank Matich. personal choice has been subjugated in Hisname success in hissafety. post-McLaren the of public Many argue M10B self-designed Leda,cost named for the social and economic will be his production deal with an English race much higher. car builder, seemed a logical subject While most accept vaccination, thereto explore. is a growing resentment of elected state So with dubious authority, I frontedwill governments ignoring the peoples’ McRae at Sandown in late February ’72 to end lockdowns and border closures. and announced I had been assigned They represent and work for us, not to write a story dictate to us.on him for Auto Action.

www.autoaction.com.au www.autoaction.com.au

I may have over-stated tthe vaguest interest of th then AA editor James L Laing-Peach…

Anyway, bold as, th this gangling teenager w with his primitive tape re recorder convinced Mc McRae. He invited me to joi join him in his car at the bac back of the old Sandown pits for the chat.

W With him was a glam glamorous woman in som some sort of fur coat. She was sceptical, he was iindulgent. d I’m in the back seat, microphone extended, asking questions Canberra’s targethim forearnest the country to about how the Leda GM1 came start opening up is 70 per cent ofabout. the A few weeks later, That my unsolicited eligible population. will be when contribution was published in AA. In lockdowns are deemed no longer hindsight, it was a very ordinary story. necessary and unrestricted movement But it launched my career and I will be within the nation is restored. forever grateful to McRae for indulging Once 80 per cent have had both that precocious jabs, the nationalkid. border is due to start Sadly, I never any meaningful re-opening andhad international travel will interaction with the head-strong Kiwi resume, with hotel quarantine also after that. ending.

Bycurrent all accounts, McRaerates, was these difficult to At vaccination the point of obstinacy.

But he was at a national steps towards COVID-normal level just short of F1 and excelled in life are likely to be achieved from the USA, winning the rich L&M series in ’72.

October to December.

The emphasis He disappeared in the ’80s, he is supposed to shift from dailybut case remained an historical figure.

Attempted numbers to living with the virus, with touring car comebacks didn’t do his vaccination containing hospitalisations talent justice. to a manageable level.

Our appreciation on pageson 32their - 37 Some states are wavering recognises Graham McRae’s stature commitment to fully comply until 90 per in theand/or goldenzero era cases, of big banger opencent but NSW and wheel racing.

Victoria seem determined to re-open in stages between 70 and 80 per cent.

AN AMERICAN LEGEND That looks like being October into ARDENT FOLLOWERS of Indycars November, with the proviso that the full over the past half century know who of benefits are only availablewill to those Robin Miller, perhaps the most forthright are fully vaxxed. and sport journalist Thisopinionated bodes wellmotor for Supercars to finish the world has ever known. its disrupted season in front of crowds 71,ofisyear certainly theVIC straightestinMiller, an end rush in and NSW. talking sports reporter I know – or have It is now almost certain the Bathurst ever met – and the pundit I admire 1000 will be further delayed until the most. first weekend of December, replacing

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the Gold Coast 500 as the season Getting QLD and Melbourne teams finale. into regional Victoria and NSW in Too many uncertainties the impactNovember/December willthe require the Graham McRae (above) hadmean a profound on Foges’ career, granting precocious Surfers Paradise street race event will sort of negotiations that have enabled 15 year old an interview which was subsequently published in Auto Action (far left). again beGavin cancelled. the AFL to hold its finals series in TAS, Images: Hatfield/AA Archives Supercars is determined to hold SA and WA. Unfortunately, hiscome exceptional insights impressed me. BJR He isaside, clever,the candid and the Bathurst 1000 what may.

Albury-based Victorian never appeared in Australian media. concise.

December 2-5 is the latest practicable and Queensland teams are prepared candour cost him to hisensure job at the However, in the internet era,and if you slot because of Fox Sports’ toHis quarantine in NSW the Indianapolis Star newspaper when he have been a dedicated fan of CART/ Seven’s broadcast commitment to the season can finish at SMP and Mount questioned – rightly – Tony George’s Champcar/IRL/IndyCar, you will have Australia versus England Test series – Panorama. leadership of theon Indy Racing League in readAshes and watched hisDecember unvarnished The – starting 8.

All this hinges VIC and NSW the midst of the CART versus IRL civil war. commentary of major American openAs currently scheduled, Mount relaxing restrictions on major sporting Miller rebounded as a writer/critic/ wheel racing’s civil war/reunification/ Panorama will host three events events by the end of next month – if not analyst on web sites and IndyCar revival. in November – the 1000, Bathurst sooner.

ARG and Motorsport Australia broadcasts.

In which case, like me, you will be Challenge and ARG’s Bathurst are also hostage to them.

He wasnot firmly in the Champcar camp, upset to learnSupercars that this iconoclastic International. supremo Sean While generally compulsory, but he acknowledged its flaws.

His word warrior has terminal cancer and, Seamer has indicated the 1000 has vaccination has become ‘weaponised’. forthright views got him banned to from by his own acknowledgement, is in his priority in December.

It is the controversial incentive regain writing for Champcar’s web site. last days.

To fulfill its broadcast agreement, basic freedoms.

Reunification finally happened in a2008, IndyCar has tofive his more plight rounds.

Supercars hasrallied to hold Despite the spectre of creating when IRL absorbed Champcar to create following a recent near-death incident Latest thinking is that Bathurst will be two-tier society, it remains your ‘choice’ the unified IndyCar Series. and he is held in such high regard that preceded by double-headers at Phillip to participate or not. It is your right to Throughout, Miller cajoled he hasand been inducted into the American refuse Island SMP in November.

– but you willcriticised, be excluded from and called out the bad management of Motor Sports Hall Of Fame, alongside Willing as it is, Winton looks doubtful most normal activities. both series. his heroes like AJ Foyt, Parnelli Jones because of the requirement for a crowd If you haven’t already been vaxxed He you was want right and continued as a hardand Mario Andretti. to make it viable.

It stays on stand-by, and to attend or participate edged analyst and news-breaker.

He isto Miller is friends with all the Indy greats, as does a return to The Bend if needs when racing resumes, you will have still the most connected media person in who recognise his uncompromised must. accede and get your jabs.

IndyCar, despite his debilitation. approach.

They have had famous runDespite being essentially COVID-free, COVID is not going away and we have his the enshrinement as –an ins, but came to appreciate his lack its of Queensland’s hard line on keeping toMiller learndeserves to live with Delta variant American motor sports legend because bias.

Everyone in racing was fair game border closed to NSW and VIC until and future virulent strains. heVaccination consistentlyiscampaigned for questioning. for ita is better there are no local cases, rules out QR not a cure, but the As a writer, Miller has always deal. and the GC500. most practical protection we have.

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TRACING THE EVOLUTION

Since it reverted to local technical regulations in 1993, Australian touring car racing has steadily evolved. Engineer Richard Hollway has been there from the start. He explains to BRUCE NEWTON how we’ve got to this point and why Gen3 is the logical next step.

Image: Motorsport Images/ARG ImagesDaniel Kalisz/Auto Action Archives THE INTRODUCTION of the Gen3 Supercars will mark the fourth distinct technical phase of Australia’s premier touring car category, since it reverted to local rules in 1993.

Back then Australian Touring Car Championship raced under Group 3A rules, essentially an Australian-isation of the old Group A tech-set to allow the Ford Falcon to battle door-to-door against the Holden Commodore, for the first time since Group C ended in 1984.

Then came Project Blueprint in 2003, a direct response to the constant parity battles in the category and the first coordinated step down the road toward commonisation of the two cars.

Car of the Future continued that trend in 2013, although the headline reason for its introduction, as stated by project leader Mark Skaife, was to “open the garage door” to auto manufacturers other than the red and blue staples. It was a temporarily successful goal.

Since then there’s been tweaks, the most significant of which was the introduction of Gen2 in 2017.

And now we are in the challenging throes of Gen3 development, a process battered by COVID’s many problems and what appears to be an optimistic introduction timeline in August 2022.

In post-local manufacturer Australia,

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Gen3 aims to retain the V8 rear-wheel drive ethos, commonise more than ever, cut costs and improve the racing. All laudable goals.

It essentially completes the category’s transition from modified road car to race car.

Richard Hollway has lived through every iteration of the Supercars technical

evolution and played his role in creating some of them. Originally an aviation engineer, he got a taste for motor racing at the Walkinshaw campus in Clayton, while working for HSV in the early 1990s, before going full-time at Brad Jones Racing in the Super Touring. He then joined the Holden Racing Team in 1995 in time for its golden era of success,

playing a key role in the development of the VE Commodore for racing.

In 2010 he shifted to Garry Rogers Motorsport as chief engineer, where he oversaw the development of the teams’ Holden Commodore and Volvo S60 CotF racers.

In his time at GRM Hollway also got to spread his knowledge base beyond

Richard Hollway was at the Holden Racing Team during its golden era, enjoying countless successes with the team including Bathurst in 2009 (above). Hollway also worked with Mark Skaife (right) and at GRM (right & bottom).

Supercars by working on the European TCR hot hatches and the rumbling TA2 V8s imported from the USA. Now he’s at Team 18 as head of engineering, part of a talented group including Phil Keed and Manuel Sanchez. While trying to extract more performance from the current Commodore ZBs, they are also preparing for the Gen3 era in which Charlie Schwerkolt’s operation will race Triple Eight-built Chevrolet Camaros.

As Supercars prepares for a new generation race car, Hollway’s deep well of knowledge and recollections formed from the last 28 years of technical evolution are worth tapping in to.

He’s also got strong opinions on what Gen3 should be and the quality of racing it has the potential to deliver

Group 3A – 1993-2002

Ford Falcon EB, EF, EL, AU Holden Commodore VL, VN, VP, VR, VS, VT, VX

Champions:

Glenn Seton 1993, 1997 Mark Skaife 1994, 2000, 2001, 2002 John Bowe 1995 Craig Lowndes 1996, 1998, 1999 Holden had competed in the international Group A touring car category, under which the ATCC was conducted, from 1985 to 1992. So had Ford, but with the Mustang and Sierra and not the local Falcon.

With Group A failing, the Falcon

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returned to the fray in EB guise to take on the Holden Commodore VP. The first cars appeared late in the 1992 season, but 1993 was when it got underway proper.

This was a transition year in which 2.0-litre Super Touring cars also competed in the ATCC, but by 1994 they had been evicted and the championship became an exclusively Holden v Ford 5.0-liitre V8 sedan rear-wheel drive battle.

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The rules were an adaptation of Group A, developed by local racing heavyweights of the time including Holden hero Larry Perkins and Ford icon Dick Johnson. While nominally a technical parity formula, there were lots of freedoms and grey areas. One brand or the other constantly felt hard done by.

There were numerous debates about so many aspects of the cars from front splitters to engine cylinder deck heights. Much of it centred around

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aerodynamics. The size of undertrays and wings was a constant debate and often adjusted.

A critical decision unrelated to aero was the introduction of a single tyre supplier in 1999, a rule which remains in place today.

The race cars were still very much based on the production cars and the bodyshells were built on the respective Ford and Holden assembly lines before being fitted with rollcages.

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“They were quite similar to a current TCR car now because there was so much retention of the standard bodyshell,” explains Hollway.

“You would get a standard bodyshell from Holden and spend a week grinding all the brackets off it making it right for racing.

“There is very little in common with what

we race today [CotF]. Today we have a shell with a fibreglass replica of the sheetmetal draped over a completely custom-made bespoke chassis that is identical for both manufacturers.”

The early to mid-1990s was also an era when computer aided design was only just starting to impact on race car design in Australia.

Richard Hollway is now at Team 18 (left) but his previously Supercars role was engineering at GRM (right) before it withdrew from the series.

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Just the time for some young and ambitious engineers to make an impact.

Which Hollway and his HRT compatriot Chris Dyer – later an engineer at Ferrari for Michael Schumacher and Kimi Raikkonen – promptly did.

Anyone remember the Petty Bar introduced on HRT chassis #033 in 1996? These were the days when each new iteration of rollcage – inevitable lighter, stiffer and with a lower centre of gravity - was blasted onto the cover of Auto Action as the latest V8 from leading Holden or Ford team was unveiled.

In that case, the bar that ran diagonally from above the driver’s head to the left footwell was claimed to improve torsional stiffness by 35 per cent! Craig Lowndes drove that Commodore VR to his first championship win in 1996 and won Sandown and Bathurst with Greg Murphy that year as well.

“The knowledge we had then and the way the cars were developed was a lot lower,” Hollway told Auto Action. “If we had the freedoms now we had then the cars would be absolute rocketships.”

Hollway’s not kidding about the development methods. He recalls testing a splitter for the VP Commodore at high-speed in a road-going ute late at night on a Melbourne freeway!

Project Blueprint 2003-2012 Ford Falcon BA, BF, FG Holden Commodore VY, VZ, VE

Champions

Marcos Ambrose 2003, 2004 Russell Ingall 2005 Rick Kelly 2006 Garth Tander 2007 Jamie Whincup 2008, 2009, 2011, 2012 James Courtney 2010 Project Blueprint arrived after a sustained period of Holden success, winning the drivers’ championship five years in a row.

“The reason for Blueprint was all the pissing and moaning about parity [under 3A],” recalls Hollway. “It was parity, this and parity that. I can remember going into CAMS to have a meeting and Larry [Perkins] walks in and he’s got the trolley with piles of paper like the lawyers when they are going for a big case.

“Most of the paper was probably blank with a couple of bits on the top that said something!”

The Blueprint cars continued to use production bodyshells, but they shared the same 2822mm wheelbase, track, driving position and chassis pick-up points. The Commodore swapped from struts to the double wishbone front suspension of the Falcon, cylinder head

GRM’s Volvo S60 Supercar was controversial, and fast. And it focussed engineering activity on aerodynamics (above left & above). Hollway is engineering Mark Winterbottom’s Team 18 Irwin ZB Commodore this season (right).

porting was standardised and there was a concerted effort to standardise aero through independent testing.

As the decade went on, the technical tool box was standardised even more; engine component weight, a control camshaft, a sequential gearbox, E85 fuel, control brakes, testing restrictions.

A significant moment came when the VE Commodore road car arrived in 2006. The racing version had to have its wheelbase and body reduced from standard, meaning a more significant modification of the floorpan than ever before. Its rear doors were shortened and its roof lowered.

The FG Falcon also had to have its wheelbase cut, by 63mm, when it rolled out for the 2009 season.

“That was the first time we had to chop the thing up and use our own chassis rails. But … that series of cars were still basically production-based,” says Hollway of VE. “That’s when we introduced some of the smart things like a bolt-on front. You had a medium crash and you could unbolt your disposable front rails and bolt a new ones on.

Despite all the restrictions, massive amounts of money was devoted to numerous open areas. The location of the live axle rear-end was a huge area of expense. The state-of-the-art spaceframe rear-end created by Triple Eight earned legend status.

“That was the ultimate development of that type of car,” said Hollway. “It was the massive polishing of a turd I guess.”

Car of the Future 2013-2022 Ford Falcon FG, FG X Ford Mustang GT Holden Commodore VF, ZB Mercedes-Benz E 63 Nissan Altima Volvo S60 www.autoaction.com.au

Champions

Jamie Whincup 2013, 2014, 2017 Mark Winterbottom 2015 Shane van Gisbergen 2016 Scott McLaughlin 2018, 2019, 2020 Technically and philosophically, this was the biggest change in the history of Supercars.

The importance of all that accumulated knowledge from 20 years of productionbased racing was reduced. Now, there was a control floorpan and rollcage and a far longer list of control components, including independent rear suspension

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and a transaxle.

In 2017 the Gen 2 update arrived. This allowed bodyshapes other than sedans into the championship and engines other than V8s. Well, the hatchback Holden Commodore ZB and coupe Ford Mustang rolled out in 2018 and 2019, but the turbocharged V6 Holden wanted never materialised.

In 2020 the category closed another performance opportunity by shifting to a control damper, eliminating shock absorber internals as a tuning tool.

Under CotF, emphasis on engine technical parity also became more

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pronounced as dohc V8s arrived to challenge the traditional pushrods.

The aero parity challenge also became harder with more bodyshapes involved.

There were multiple ambitions for CotF, also known a for a whole as New Generation, but the headline act was to tempt more manufacturers into the category, an aim that temporarily succeeded. At GRM, Hollway was integral to the development of the successful Volvo S60.

He says CotF required a change of mindset.

“Until then we were always chasing

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Generational change. Scott Pye’s current COTY Holden Commodore ZB in action (above) and how Team 18 envisions its Gen3 Chevrolet Camaro will look (right). one percenters in terms of rollcage; lower the centre of gravity by a couple of millimetres, pick up however much percentage of stiffness. It continuously evolved.

“As soon as Car of the Future came along all that ended.

“It was smart, it all made sense. If you are not wanting the technical race, then commonising parts was all good stuff.

“You lose the cost of that bloke siting there trying to get one per cent lower and one per cent stiffer. That was all forgotten.”

Hollway’s regret is it never quite got finished. The front-end freedoms CotF still allowed encouraged massive expenditure. The T8 upright became a thing of almost mystical qualities … and a handy profit centre for the Brisbane engineering business.

“That was the half pregnant thing. We left the front-end, we left the roll bars and they have become the things that have become the development items.

“There is massive freedoms in the frontend geometry and sway bars and all that stuff. So to me it was never finished.

“There was enough left to keep the engineers occupied and that’s fine from an engineering point of view, but from the fans and show point of view, it’s not the right thing.”

Hollway says ease of maintenance is a step forward with CotF, citing innovations like the ability to drop the sub-frame out of the back-end and pull out the transaxle.

“If the car is easy to strip down and bang back together then that’s a good thing because it’s cheaper and the ability to maintain the show is better.”

Hollway says aerodynamics became an increased focus during CotF simply

30 AutoAction

because so many other areas of development had been closed off. That led to an increase in downforce, an increase in grip, speed and aero wash to the detriment of the racing.

“Over the journey it [downforce] has snuck up a fair bit,” says Hollway. “And supposedly we [GRM} were responsible for a fair bit of that with the Volvo.

“The biggest thing is everyone knows how to get the rake and body position you have to maintain to get the most out of them, more than the car itself.

“If the smart guys went back to the 2013 guys and got hold of them, I reckon they would have the same problem.”

Gen3 2022

Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 Ford Mustang GT As far as Hollway is concerned, Gen3 is CotF completed. The control upright, the elimination of driver-controllable sway bars are two key changes he heartily approves of.

“It’s definitely a step in the right direction. There is a lot more stuff that is tidied up.”

Supercars has confirmed a dramatic drop in downforce, a further effort to cut costs and new slightly depowered

Ford 5.4 and GM 5.7-litre V8 engines to replace the pushrod units that have been around since the 3A days and developed to a very high point.

“The current engines are the dumbest way to make 650hp there is,” he says.

They are highly strung, massively developed, expensive and highmaintenance. They are the result of 25 years of development by some of the best engine tuners in the world.”

One thing that’s stayed the same through all these generations of cars is the locked diff that plays an important role in defining the fundamental handling characteristic.

“It’s still understeer in and oversteer out and tricking the spool basically,” says Hollway.

Gen3 pushes Supercars even further away from the racing model where engineering resource is critical to success.

“In terms of the model that is designed to keep people like me out of it, it’s a tick,” said Hollway.

“The more we go down that path the more it becomes the ability of the driver and engineer to get the most out of it, to tune in that even smaller window.

“You have even less things to play with; your tyre pressures, your balance, your

aero, your rake. There are even less things, but you will still be honing that package.

“The biggest part of it is you want the technical regulations to enable small well-run teams like Matt Stone Racing with a couple of talented young drivers to have a shot at putting it on the podium. They won’t win the championship against the big budget teams, but they can leverage that into sponsorship.

“I just don’t think punters care about who is the smartest engineer, if you want to go and see that, go to Formula 1.”

If Gen3 delivers a real improvement in door-to-door racing then that will inevitably mean damage. Holloway says ease of repair has been a critically important part of the evolution and should be further improved for the new category.

“A full composite body and easy repair chassis means best practice in terms of repairability, ease of working on the car and quick turn-around to maintain the show with full grids.”

Gen3 will sever ties with now defunct Holden. The Commodore ZB is to be replaced by a Chevrolet Camaro being developed by homologation team Triple Eight, while the Ford Mustang is being

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SECOND WAU SEAT BEING DECIDED WALKINSHAW ANDRETTI outside, of the top 10. just helps you keep the United is in the process of WAU team principal Bruce momentum. deciding who its second Stewart explained that “It went reasonably well in driver will be alongside Chaz performances this year Townsville 2 and then you Mostert next season. will have a big factor in the kind of stop for a while, take Bryce Fullwood is currently decision. away a few of those wheels in the position; however many “Firstly, he’s a great young for a while, until you get overhauled to the new rulesseat by kid,” the current “Triple says theSo Camaro drivers are bidding for the Stewartmutant said onMustang a to go againEight in October.

DJR Ford Performance. introduced withvideo. the CotF Gen2 that looks fantastic, even at theand frontrunning Melbourne Supercars.com makes it a little bit better more than Importantly the rollcage update. the renderings, a real proper based outfit, next season.

“We want to see if we can difficult.” height has beenTerritorian lowered If Gen3 looksbegood, sounds tough race says Hollway.

The Northern grow him and that driver The team is car,” reportedly taking to ensure Camaro and great andChaz. can deliver genuinely other “I think Supercarsinto have finally has had a the difficult season alongside considerations Mustang fit properly and competitive racing, Hollway will account. got it right and I can’t wait to to date after what was a “But as we’ve said along therefore look better thanin the the regard as a always success. start racing them.” at those promising debut season way,itwe’ve got to “We’re just looking Supercars Championship last look at the results and keep scenarios right now,” he said. performance over the There’s a large influence year. looking at performance, “Butyear. ideally Bryce is just TCR and TA2 vs Supercars of politicking andsuch the boardroom!

It’s abloke sort ofand Late last year Fullwood because we want to keep a great young Hollwaya says Supercars successfullyand consistently disguised success ballast. scored podium at Theracing Bendhas improving great talent, he’s awesome walked the Park, middlehowever ground between improving TCR and TA2.

“Technical - equalised performance of aero Motorsport with the top few Parityfor us culturally around the former is too it too and engine - is a place, true fairthat fight.” thatThe momentum didroad-based, not carry making teams.” is a huge part of expensive maintainofand like about TCR is the into the firsttoportion therepair.

Stewart was askedOne to thing Hollway thedoes consideration.

Theseason. latter is too far from the base,on whether dramatic look of the cars, which he thinks outdoes 2021 Meanwhile, hisproduction elaborate on track “We’ve got five rounds to go. almost cartoonish lack of doors and are stick-on the current teammate Mostertwith hasits been results key to whether theSupercar.

Unfortunately, it’s all pushed He says TA2 also lags Supercars for Series“The minute thatback Renault [atthree GRM] it a headlights. championship contender, 2019 Super2 winner intoturned thoseup last repairability. that? It’s tough. And then you’d taking two wins in the first half keeps his seat. was ‘how cool is months.

“Right in the middle we are the best,“Always,” because we up at our and itmore didn’t look of the season. he said.look “Always in Boost “ItCommodore makes it a little maintain the essentials the look but we are good.to get it done. But yeah, Fullwood has had an of upturn regard toalso how youanywhere perform.near ashectic to repair. are a seriously looking things too, but inheaps speedeasier during the last four It’s unfortunate, we “TA2s haven’t we’re cool looking at all those “Don’twhich get me wrong, TCR is a great category, theyand are just too remote production car to rounds have seen him had events but in August things from rightanow.” the parts arefighting expensive you have to sourcebecause attract Dan interest.”

McCarthy consistently in,when or just September, thatmanufacturer them from overseas and you don’t have factory support.

“We used to get truckloads of grilles and stuff from Holden. Those things add up.”

TCR competition parity is also based on the Balance of Performance WALKINSHAW ANDRETTI United (BOP) handicapping formula.

For all Wildcard driver Kurt Kostecki admitted to its challenges, the to the team Auto Action heHollway is notprefers wedded and is ablesystem. to look elsewhere for a full-time Supercars Supercars Championship seat in 2022.

“BOP means that there is definitely Image: Insyde Media The 23-year-old West Australian has strategy in foxing and controlling already completed of his your speed in terms oftwo winning a three Wildcard appearances thismay year and hopefully I’m on the grid full-time next year. championship,” he says. “You impressed withraces a top finishyour in Darwin.

“It’s all business. So for them (WAU), decide to throw to 10 optimise The result at Hidden Valley Raceway they’ve got to put themselves in the best Motorsport Images Hollway TA2 cars arefor seriously cool to look at, but are too remote from a production car tome attract was the says besttheever finish a Wildcard position, whether that’s with or not.” manufacturers (below).

And he’s a fan of the Renault TCR cars too (above) from his stint at GRM. The humble Kostecki is grateful for the driver and turned heads up and down the opportunity that has been presented to Supercars paddock.

Kostecki hopes that these strong Wildcard him this year and feels that he is improving every time he gets behind the wheel. results will give him a leg to stand on when “I’m just grateful that I’ve got this hunting for a seat in 2022. opportunity,” he said. We’re just working “Having done these rounds in the main hard and trying to get my foot in the door, series recently, the aim is to put me in and this puts me in the best position. the frame and put my hat in the ring for “They’ve (WAU) been awesome with me next year,” Kostecki explained to AA. so far and we’ve been working hard to put “We’re working really hard to try and get a good product out on the track every time something there and I hope that having a we get into a session.” good result in Darwin puts me in a good In Darwin, Kostecki was often ahead of position.” regular driver Bryce Fullwood, not bad Kostecki admits that while Walkinshaw for someone who has only contested 15 Andretti United has given him the Supercars Championship races. opportunity this year, it was agreed that he “The number one comparison are your could spread his wings and find a full-time teammates, so if I can do what Bryce drive elsewhere. is doing in the car and even what Chaz “With how tough it is, a lot of drivers (Mostert) is doing at the next round, it wanting to get into Supercars, we’re definitely puts me in a good position.” looking around as much as we can at the Kurt Kostecki is expected to be announced moment, we’re starting talks,” he said. as a Matt Stone Racing co-driver in coming “The goal for Walkinshaw was to help me weeks alongside his brother Jake. get a leg up and get into the series next Dan McCarthy year, we have to see how it pans out and

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MAGIC MALLALA:

60 YEARS YOUNG

IMAGES: Autopics.com.au/Ray Berghouse-Chevron Publishing/Auto Action Archives/John Lemm/Tony Johns/M Finney/Sporting Car Club of South Australia.

Mallala has been the heart and soul of motor racing in South Australia since 1961. Mark Bisset looks at its birth, great days and the challengers it has seen off NO LESS a figure than South Australian Premier, Sir Thomas Playford opened Mallala Racing Circuit on August 19, 1961.

Magic Mallala is still with us 60 years on, and celebrations were held over the August 28-29 weekend to mark the occasion.

Many of us have made the interstate trip to the circuit, 55km to the north of Adelaide, situated between the hills and the sea, to experience Mallala’s wonderful hospitality as a competitor or spectator.

The South Australian motor sport community had to rustle up a circuit el-pronto when CAMS (now Motorsport Australia) black-balled Port Wakefield as the Sporting Car Club of South Australia’s proposed ’61 AGP locale.

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It was too short, tight, narrow and too far from Adelaide, 100km away. After nine successful years – including the ’55 AGP won by Jack Brabham, and several Gold Star rounds – scrubby, windswept Port Wakefield’s time had come.

After plenty of huffing and puffing about CAMS’ decision, SCCSA’s Racing Circuit SubCommittee (Steve Tillett, Keith Rilstone, Ken Walker, Dud Dansie and President Geoff Berry) got cracking. After consideration of the possibilities they settled on the RAAF’s 24 Squadron City of Adelaide operational airbase at Mallala as ideal.

With the winds of global conflict blowing, the government acquired land to teh north of Mallala’s village

“It’s my win!”: Lex Davison is emphatic (top).

This Cooper T51 Climax liked Mallala, it’s the same chassis Bib Stillwell used to win Mallala’s Premier Meeting feature a couple of months before. Happy-chappys! Davison and crew post race (above). Davison wasn’t necessarily the quickest in his four AGP wins but in each he was quick enough, well prepared, a finisher and lucky. (Chevron)

David McKay’s bolter of a start ... #9 Bill Patterson in a Cooper T51 Climax, #6 Bib Stillwell in a Cooper T53 Climax, #19 Doug Whiteford in a Cooper T51 Climax, #4 Lex Davison, in a Cooper T51 Climax and Keith Rilstone’s front-engined Zephyr Special. The sportscar is John Ampt’s Cooper T38 Jaguar (above Chevron).

Rear of the grid: #5 is John Youl in a Cooper T51 Climax, #11 John Ampt, # 15 Murray Trenberth in the front-engined Alta Holden, alongside Alan Jack’s # 26 Cooper T39 Climax Bobtail, and #3 Laurie Whitehead’s Ausper T2 Ford FJ (right Sporting Car Club of South Australia). in 1939. After a speedy construction process, the No 6 Service Flying Training School opened for business in 1941.

It provided medium-proficiency skills to cub-pilots, quickly becoming SA’s biggest airbase. By 1942 it was a small city with 19 Bellman (temporary pre-fab) Hangars and 1900 people, including 285 trainees flying Ansons, Oxfords, Moth Minors and Tiger Moths. Over 2000 trainees graduated before the unit ceased in December 1945.

From 1947 the RAF Transport

Command ran weekly Hastings aircraft services between England and Mallala to supply their atomic bomb program at Woomera Rocket Range. Bristol Freighters shuttled the Mallala to Woomera leg.

In 1951 a Citizens Air Force training squadron was formed, operating Tiger Moths, Wirraways and Mustangs for nine years before being wound down in favour of RAAF Edinburgh, at Salisbury.

Post-war immigration was the making of The Great Brown Land’s diversity. New Australians’ culture shock was softened by the provision of basic English tuition on arrival, with part of Mallala was converted for that purpose. Unfenced active runways mixed with small kids ensured this

activity was short-lived.

Geoff Berry’s discussions with the Fed’s Department of the Interior brought forward the auction of the property, which was acquired by the Mallala Pastoral Company, partowned by club-member/racer David Harvey’s family.

The property was immediately subdivided and sold; the 200-acre airfield site was bought by Steve Tillett on behalf of (his) Brooklyn Speedway Ltd, which was renamed Mallala Motor Racing Co Ltd. Capitalised at £30,000, shares were offered to club members and punters alike. Mallala, and the SCCSA were away … but time was ticking, settlement was in April, the GP in October.

The club got a head-start as existing

Commonwealth Aircraft Corp built Avro 694 Lincoln Mk30A, Mallala Aircraft Show 1956 (M Finney). The first Mustangs at Mallala were P51Ds or Commonwealth Aircraft Corp built CA-18s of the City of Adelaide Squadron in 1956 (M Finney). Aerial shot of RAAF Mallala during the war (left and below). The scale of activities indicated by circa 100 aircraft posed for the occasion (RAAF).

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Local boy Malcolm Ramsay rockets through Clubhouse Corner - the former Officers Mess - during the 1970 Gold Star round, Elfin 600C Repco V8 (J Lemm). Greg McEwin’s Morris Cooper S looking lonely in 1966 - take in that period vista! The timing box was an original building chopped in half, then carried onto concrete blocks by 60 SCCSA club-members during ‘Operation Uplift’ (J Lemm). Pete Geoghegan’s immaculate ‘Castrol’ Ford Mustang en-route to the 1969 Mallala round win, and the ATCC crown (J Lemm).

infrastructure was retained, including roads, the Officers Mess as an admin centre, a large hangar to be used as a covered pit area/workshop and the control tower; the rest was sold or demolished.

Operation Uplift mobilised club members to dismantle and move Port Wakefield’s grandstand, pits, conveniences, and fences 50km to Mallala over the June 4 weekend.

The all-important 40-feet wide, 2.1-mile track used existing roads, but the airstrip needed hairpins, elevation, banking and re-surfacing.

Again, club members came to the fore. Gavin Sandford-Morgan, in

34 AutoAction

the earth-moving business, and the local council, provided the necessary heavy equipment and expertise.

After the burning of much midnight oil, the track was race ready.

Sydney motor-dealer Arnold ‘Trinkets’ Glass bagged Mallala’s first big-one title when he destroyed his just arrived, totally rebuilt ex-Graham Hill BRM P48 GP car during Friday practice for the Premier Meeting’s when the car got away from him.

At 11am on Saturday August 19, a crowd of 15,000 watched Playford’s Roller cruise onto the circuit and open the meeting. The Mallala Trophy feature race was won by Bib Stillwell’s

Cooper T51 Climax.

CAMS were happy with the conduct of the meeting, so was the SCCSA. “The Mallala circuit is a realisation even beyond our dreams. We might even thank the State Government for banning racing on public roads because otherwise we would probably never have had a place where we could race at any time we wished,” club-secretary Brooks said at the AGM a week after the meeting.

The October 9 AGP was won in torrid heat, in contentious fashion by Lex Davison driving Stillwell’s older Cooper T51 Climax. Contentious in that David McKay, Cooper T51

Climax, was pinged with a “one minute penalty for a controversially brilliant start” – unjustifiably so in the minds of many.

The new track’s melting tar and loose gravel was challenging to drivers, so too the official lap-timing, but these teething problems were sorted.

Bill Patterson looked a likely winner, then Stillwell, Davison and McKay at different times, but Lex won from Bib’s new Cooper T53 and David McKay. Mallala held its first Australian Touring Car Championship in 1963.

Bob Jane’s quick 4.1-litre Jaguar Mk2

Brian Foley’s Alfa Romeo GTAm leads Jim McKeown’s Porsche 911S during the 1971 ATCC round (above J Lemm). Club-racing was and still is the lifeblood of Mallala. Tony Johns and Trevor Cole, in Austin 7 Specials, charge through Woodroofe’s/Club Corner in 1965 (right, Tony Johns)

Moffat’s epochal Mustang Trans-Am. The track was reduced to 2.601km in late 1964. The Bosch Curve was moved closer to the Dunlop Curve grandstand, removing the circuit’s north-eastern leg.

In March/April 1965 Andy Brown’s all-Adelaide Elfin T100 Clisby V6 GP machine made history when it was first tested and first raced. This little-known engine, built by Harold Clisby’s Clisby Engineering team at Prospect, had its last race at Mallala too, in October 1965.

The track hosted Gold Star rounds from 1961-1971, many heroes of the day winning there including Lex Davison, Bib Stillwell, John Youl, John Harvey, Spencer Martin and Leo Geoghegan.

The Australian Tourist Trophy for sportscars was contested among the surrounding wheat-paddocks in 1962 and 1968. Stillwell’s Cooper Monaco easily won the 40-lap race by two minutes from Bob Jane’s Maserati 300S. Bob’s old-school front-engined Maser was no match for Stillwell’s Climax midengined machine.

Frank Matich obliterated the January 1968 opposition in his Matich SR3 Repco 4.4-litre V8. He finished four laps ahead of the second-placed Geoff Vercoe’s Cicada Ford. Matich’s domination of sportscar racing was bad for the category, but the Sydneysider was razorsharp having raced a pair of SR3s in the ’67 Can-Am Cup. Frank’s win was a warm-up for confrontations with Chris Amon’s Scuderia Veloce Ferrari P4/Can-Am 350 in the Australian support races, during the summer of ’68 Tasman Series. Matich won those tough scraps.

Mallala hosted an Australian Sportscar Championship round in 1971 when the other top-gun sporty of the era, Bob Jane’s 5-litre McLaren M6B Repco, disappeared into the distance driven by John Harvey.

Keith Williams shifted Mallala’s tectonic plates when the Surfers Paradise Raceway owner built Adelaide

triumphed over 25-laps. Ern Abbott, and later circuit owner, Clem Smith were second and third in Chrysler Valiants, with Harry Firth fourth in an early Ford Cortina GT outing.

When the ATCC was a multi-round title, Pete Geoghegan won at Mallala in his Ford Mustang back-to-back in 1969 and 1970. Bob Jane’s awesome 7-litre Chev Camaro ZL-1 triumphed in 1971 after a bit of biffo with arch-rival Alan

Bob Jane’s Camaro ZL-1 leads Pete Geoghegan’s Mustang during the 1971 ATCC round.

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International Raceway at Virginia, closer to town. He sought to maximise market success by acquiring Mallala in 1971 and eliminating its use as a track, by placing a covenant on the title preventing future racing.

Chrysler Australia, 70km away in Tonsley Park, and Garrie Cooper’s Elfin Sportscars, continued to test there. Much to the Cooper family’s disgust, Garrie floated buying the facility as a home, but not for long, such was the flack he copped around the kitchen table!

Fittingly, the great man’s only Gold Star win was on home turf aboard an Elfin 600C Repco V8 in October 1969.

Cooper’s 1962-1964 Elfin Mallala sportscars were so named after the circuit at which the model first won a race; McKay was at the wheel that day.

Big, brutish, bellowing F5000s raced there only once in period. John McCormack won the October ’71 Gold Star round – his first of many – in Cooper’s new Elfin MR5 RepcoHolden.

Mallala came out of the darkness when local businessman/racer Clem Smith bought it in 1977. Williams’ covenant was deemed unenforceable, and Mallala Motorsport Park reopened in 1982.

National level motor sport gradually returned to the popular venue.

Dick Johnson won the first ATCC round held there in the modern era aboard a Ford Sierra RS500 in 1989.

It was the positive turning point in his season.

Colin Bond won in 1990 with backto-back Sierra RS500 wins at Lakeside and Mallala thanks to some just quick enough, and very durable Toyo tyres which didn’t require the pit-stop of others.

More impressive that weekend, Formula Holden Gold Star round 1998.

Simon Wills inside Scott Dixon, both in Reynard 92Ds. That’s Brenton Ramsay in the blue 891D and Todd Kelly’s 92D on the outside. Dixon took the race win.

36 AutoAction

Look at that crowd in 1994! Jim Richards, VP Commodore heads Alan Jones’ EB Falcon during the ATCC round (above, John Lemm) Mallala’s ‘guvnor, Clem Smith, in his beloved Chrysler Charger leads Mick Monterosso’s Ford Escort out of Club Corner in 1983 (below, Autopics.com.au)

open-wheeler pilot too, his first Formula Holden win was the 1990 Mallala Gold Star round aboard his SPA, enroute to 1991-93 titles. He spoke about the Mallala touring car and 3.8-litre 325bhp Formula Holden driving challenge.

“It was a quirky little track, a difficult place to do a really good lap time.

From a driver’s perspective it took real accuracy to do it really well.

Mallala wasn’t as fast as most and wasn’t so aero dependent.”

Notable Mallala Formula Holden Gold Star winners include Paul Stokell, who set the lap record at 1:02.57 in a Reynard 90D in August 1994. He, Simon Wills and Jason Bright, tested local-boy Malcolm Ramsay’s Birrana Racing Reynards there regularly. Mark Noske and Rick Kelly won too, not to forget Oz Indy winners; Scott Dixon wins in 1998, and Will Power in 2002.

After Clem Smith’s death the Peregrine Corporation, owners of

Tailem Bend’s The Bend Motorsport Park, bought the facility.

Managing Director, Sam Shahin was inspired by Mallala when he visited it as a youngster.

“There were grandstands full of spectators and a genuine buzz that left me dreaming of being part of that exciting world one day,” he said.

Skaife was a big fan too, he raced there on 10 occasions and was successful on four.

“Sincere gratitude is due to Clem Smith and his team which ran and looked after Mallala. We were there a lot, we did a huge amount of testing, we loved going there. We were able to get our brain around what was needed to make the car work well.

A high level of commitment was required to get the best from yourself and the car.”

Russell Ingall wins the very last ATCC at Mallala in 1998 in a Perkins Engineering Commodore VS.

Peter Brock leads winner Colin Bond, both in Ford Sierra RS500s in the 1990 ATCC round (top, John Lemm). The Mallala circuit overlaid on the wartime airfield (above). The track used a mix of aircraft taxiways and site roads. and a portent of future ferocity, was Mark Skaife’s debut of Godzilla – the Gibson Motorsport’s Nissan GT-R R32.

He battled braking problems in practice and didn’t finish the race due to front hub failure, but the inner rocket was clear. “When I hit it with 4WD, it went ‘ppfffeew’ and I thought wow, this thing is going to be pretty handy in terms of being able to come off the slow corners compared to the Sierra!” he recalled.

Skaife driven Godzillas won in 1991-92. Glenn Seton’s Ford Falcon EB won in the first of the Group 3A Supercar years in ‘93. Skaife won in a VP Holden Commodore in 1994, while Seton won again in 1995

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aboard an EF Falcon.

The final three Mallala V8 Supercar rounds from 1996-98 were Commodore benefits. Craig Lowndes was the victor in a Holden Racing Team VR before Greg Murphy’s HRT VS took the 1997 race on an emotional, celebratory day that 30,500 fans filled the place to the brim to see Peter Brock’s final South Australian race; an attendance record which stands.

One-time Adelaide boy Russell Ingall won in 1998 aboard a Perkins VS. Skaife proved an adept

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Xx

SURPRISE PACKET

Reef McCarthy has gone from strength to strength in his debut Super3 season, teasing potential success in the main game. The Erebus Academy rising star talked to JOSH NEVETT about his outstanding 2021 and open-wheeled origins AS REEF McCarthy rolled around the undulating tarmac ribbon of Mount Panorama, he took a seond to absorb the moment.

The Victorian has had a whirlwind few years to reach the Super3 Series, rapidly climbing the karting and Formula Vee rungs of the motor sport ladder.

McCarthy is now excelling in Super3, sitting third overall whilst also in his final school year.

The achievements of McCarthy had perhaps escaped him, until one rewarding moment of reflection on Australia’s most iconic circuit.

“The highlight would be second qualifying at Bathurst on the Sunday,” McCarthy recalls to Auto Action.

“I didn’t even get a split second to think to myself, but in the second qualifying after my hot lap I just had a roll around lap and was really able to let the moment sink in.

“I really understood that I’m at Bathurst, I’m in a Supercar doing what I love.

“It was a real awesome feeling to be able to experience what’s just been a dream of mine for a very long time.”

At that point the rookie was in the midst of his first event, but had already exhibited experience beyond his years.

Since the first round in Bathurst, McCarthy has been on the podium in every race, calling third place his home across the doubleheader in Townsville.

Evidently McCarthy is a fast learner,

38 AutoAction

and this has driven his development dating back to his karting beginnings.

“I started in the kart, I’m guessing around 10 or 11. No one in my family had a motor sport background,” McCarthy remembers.

“It was really good for me to learn lines and race craft. But I never had a passion for staying in karting, the dream was always to try and hop in a racing car as soon as possible.”

It was not a long wait for the driven youngster, who leapt out of karts at 14 into an entry open-wheeled Formula Vee series.

This category has stuck with him since, providing numerous victories and highlights.

“We were really looking for a pretty low budget starting category, either Hyundai Excels or Formula Vee,” McCarthy said.

“We chose Vees because I really liked the look of the close open wheel racing, where you had to respect the drivers around you.”

In 2018, his first season, McCarthy finished 14th in the Victorian Formula Vee Championship.

A change in machinery from an Elliott Mk.1 chassis to a Sabre 02 in 2019 ensured results only improved in 2019, producing a fifth-place finish.

After a COVID-caused year off, McCarthy has well and truly risen to the top of the Formula Vee crop this year, placed first in the

Victorian competition with six wins from nine races.

Furthermore, McCarthy achieved two podiums from his three races in the 2021 Formula Vee Australia Series, cementing himself as a leading competitor in the category.

“Formula Vee, it’s such a good community and it was such a good learning experience for me,” McCarthy said.

“When I first got involved, I was very young, racing some very mature drivers. So, it was awesome when I was finally able to get up the front.

“All the test days and all the hard work that everyone’s put in, I was finally able to give back a little bit and show I’ve got what it takes.”

McCarthy attributes much of his recent success to to

Reef McCarthy began his career in karting at age 10 (left) and four years later stepped into Formula Vee (above) where he is now a front runner.

success to experience and Greg Beacham at Beacham Racing, who has mentored the driver through his whole Formula Vee period.

“I think a big part is definitely seat time and also the people around me,” he expressed.

“Beacham Racing and Greg Beacham have been coaching me pretty much all throughout my Vee years, even since I was in the Elliott.

“I’ve be able to learn from the best.”

Beacham was also a key player in catapulting McCarthy into the national tin top scene through the Super3 Series.

The relationship between Beacham and Image Racing founder and principal Terry Wyhoon was central in landing McCarthy’s seat for the team.

“I was really fortunate that Image Racing gave me the opportunity to test and race this year,” a grateful McCarthy shares.

“It was last minute, they were really

happy with my ambitions and where I wanted to go to this year.”

The first time in a Supercar is significant for any driver, to experience that at Bathurst is the stuff of childhood dreams.

That was the situation McCarthy faced in February this year for Round 1 of the Super3 Series.

“My first time racing the Supercar, being at Bathurst, it was very daunting at the start,” McCarthy admitted.

“But as soon as I got in the seat, and I was out there, I was just loving every second of it, and just really trying to learn and adapt to the car.

“Trying to absorb as much of it as possible over the weekend and just get quicker and quicker, with the main aim hopefully staying out of the wall.”

One would be forgiven for succumbing to the pressure of a new competition at a historic venue, but the teenager shone in the hot seat to

qualify third for Race 1.

The #61 Ford Falcon was slow off the line, but an impressive McCarthy fought back to finish fifth before improving to fourth in Race 2.

With lessons learned and confidence bolstered, McCarthy has not been off the podium since and is thrilled with the season to this point.

“So far, it’s been an amazing experience,” McCarthy says with gratitude.

“Leading to Townsville if someone told me, you’re coming out of this with third and fourth place finishes, I would be pretty happy. But on the weekend, there’s always more I think I could have done.

“I’m very fortunate. I’ve got two great teammates that race Super2, Jordan Boys and Jaylyn Robotham.

“They’ve been a really good help giving me tips on each track and looking over data and videos with me, teaching me little techniques to get quicker and adapt to the car better.”

McCarthy now has his eyes set on a maiden race win to cap off an undoubtedly successful season.

“For the rest of the season, I’m hoping to make my way a bit closer to that podium, even hopefully try push for a couple of wins,” said the title challenger.

Between test days and race events, the Year 12 student fills his weeks

with schoolwork, especially with final exams approaching.

It has been tough to strike a balance, but McCarthy has kept a cool head throughout a hectic 2021.

“It’s definitely been a bit of a struggle this year, trying to manage it all and get the most out of racing and also the best I can out of school,” McCarthy confirmed.

“Weekends I work at least once or twice and if I’m not working then I’m doing a test day in the Vee or the Supercar.”

The hard work is not without direction, and a path to Australia’s motor sport pinnacle is clearly laid out from Super3 up to the Supercars Championship, McCarthy’s targeted destination.

Before then, he looks to bridge the gap through the Super2 Series.

“Next year I want to continue with Super3 or otherwise, move into Super2,” an aspirational McCarthy revealed.

“I’m very fortunate to have been drafted for the Erebus Academy. They’ve been helping my career and where I want to go.

“One day driving main game with Erebus would be the dream.”

Regardless of where Reef McCarthy takes his talents from here, it would be foolish to place ultimate limits on this rising star.

Reef McCarthy raced a Supercar for the very first time earlier this year, making his debut at Bathurst! It was a dream come true for the Melbourne youngster, who has been signed by the Erebus Academy.

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55 North Terrace Hackney, SASA 5069 Email: admin@nttgroup.com.au P: W: www.drexler-motorsport.com.au Ph: (08) 8113 0600 www.penskeshocks.com.au 55 North Terrace Hackney, SA 5069 Email: admin@nttgroup.com.au 55 North Terrace Hackney, 5069 Email: admin@nttgroup.com.au Phone: 9544 3323 Phone: (03) 9544to 3323 Ph: (08) 8113 0600 www.penskeshocks.com.au Ph: (08) 8113 0600 www.penskeshocks.com.au with the VCM suite range of of tuning tuning software software programs, programs, possible to license combination with the VCM suite range itit(03) isis possible license Ph:(08) (08)8113 81130600 0600 www.penskeshocks.com.au 55InNorth Terrace Hackney, SA 5069 Email: admin@nttgroup.com.au Ph: Ph:(08) (08)8113 81130600 0600www.penskeshocks.com.au www.penskeshocks.com.au Ph: www.penskeshocks.com.au Ph: (08) 8113 0600 www.penskeshocks.com.au vehicle currently currently supported supported by

by HP HP Tuners.

Tuners. ItIt gives gives you you the the ability ability to to optimise optimisevehicle vehicle and tune any vehicle

performance, fuel economy, economy, and more. more. and Australian owned && operated Australian owned operatedsince since1930 1930 *HAND *HAND CRAFTED CRAFTED MPVI2+*with with VCM Suite for the the most most comprehensive comprehensive scanning, scanning, logging loggingand andcalibration calibration Combine the MPVI2+ VCM Suite for *MADE MADETO TO MEASURE MEASURE “Setting thethe standard forfor Quality && Value” “Setting standard Quality Value” market. Whether Whether you you are are building building aa dedicated dedicated track car, next level streetcar, streetcar,or orjust justwant want tools on the market. track car, aa next level more fuel efficiency efficiency or or better better towing towing fromr fromr your your daily daily driver, driver, HP HP Tuners Tuners has has the the tools toolsto toget getthe themost mostout RESTORE. RESTORE.REPAIR. REPAIR.REBUILD. REBUILD. out of your vehicle.

It also serves as aa fault fault diagnostic diagnostic tool tool which which can can read read fault fault codes, codes, monitor monitor vehicle vehicleperformance, performance,or or read from your various various vehicle vehicle control control modules. modules.

PRODUCTS New features on the screw the MPVI2+ MPVI2+ include: include: Bluetooth Bluetooth low low energy energy 5.0 5.0 transfer, transfer, M8 M8 Motorsports Motorsportsstyle stylePRODUCTS screw Contact Bruce Williams for bookings Contact Bruce Williams for bookings in connector, faster USB and faster USB connector, connector, and aa RGB RGB LED LED that that confirms confirms Bluetooth Bluetooth paring paringand anddevice devicestatus. status. and on 555 or Forinformation further information on MPVl2+ and information on the the349 MPVl2+ and the very very latest latest in in vehicle vehicle tuning tuning packages, packages,visit visit and information on 0418 0418 349 555 orthe 11 Brewer Street. Clontarf. QLD 4019 | 07 3284 3785 11 Brewer Street.

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Or visit instore at 1634 Ferntree Gully Road, vcmperformance.com.au or call 03 9763 7599.

Or visit instore at 1634 Ferntree Gully Road, Bruce@autoaction.com.au 11 Brewer Street.

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QLD | 07 3785 Bruce@autoaction.com.au 11 Brewer Street.

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Formula 1

Round 12 Belgian Grand Prix

MAX VERSTAPPEN WINS THE SHORTEST F1 RACE IN HISTORY

QUALIFYING WAS the race in this year’s Belgian Grand Prix as relentless rain washed out the main event on Sunday afternoon. The qualifying order, therefore, essentially became the race finishing order.

Report: Dan Knutson Images: Motorsport Images POLE SITTER Max Verstappen won his 16th grand prix in his Red Bull, while George Russell (Williams) did a superb job to qualify and finish second.

Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) joined them on the podium, and Aussie Daniel Ricciardo had his best result this season with a fourth place in his McLaren.

“This is of course not what you like,” Verstappen said, “especially not for the people at the side of the track, the fans.

They expect a race. But the conditions today were not good. It just kept raining all the time. I think from 3 o’clock onwards it just got worse and worse, and when you already start that late in the day there is not much room to move around, even though we still waited for like three hours. Unfortunately it didn’t improve.”

The start of the 44-lap race was delayed by 25 minutes because of the rain. At the end of the formation lap the safety car led the 20 drivers into pitlane.

The safety car led the field back out on the track after a delay of two hours and 52 minutes, and the “race” was officially underway.

This went on for two laps and then during the third lap the race was red flagged.

The official results and the

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record books will show that the 2021 Belgian Grand Prix lasted one lap.

“The third lap was

completed as the cars (coming into the pits) crossed the control line in the fast lane,” the FIA’s F1 race director, Australian Michael Masi, explained.

“And then the classification for points is taken on the penultimate lap before the lap when the signal was given.”

The 1991 Australian Grand Prix in Adelaide was the previous record holder of the shortest grand prix, lasting 14 of 81 laps due to heavy rain.

Only a lucky few of the 70,000 fans were in covered grandstands at Spa. The rest were in open grandstands getting soaked along

with the rest standing in the mud. They stuck it out until the end of the cold, wet day without getting to see a race.

Perhaps the happiest person at the Spa-Francorchamps circuit was Russell, as he celebrated his first F1 podium.

“Obviously not the way I’d have liked to have scored my first podium,” he said.

“A little bit of a strange feeling achieving it in this way but at the end of the day we’ve been rewarded for such a fantastic job yesterday. Such a shame for all the fans here. Even though I was in second behind Max, anything over 200kph and I could not see a single thing. I may as well have been closing

Rain drenched Belgian marshalls head home after a disappointing and dispiriting day (above). Daniel Ricciardo scored his best-ever result for McLaren (below left) with fourth after an impressive qualifying run in wet conditions. Having been re-signed by Red Bull for season 2022, Sergio Perez blotted his copybook on the formation lap (below right) however the long start delays enabled his crew to repair the damaged car.

my eyes down the straight and was having to lift off the throttle. So, it wasn’t safe at all to race. I think the FIA made the right decision.”

Hamilton was one of the first to say that the fans should get a refund. That’s something that the Spa organisers and Formula 1 are looking into. Only half points were awarded because less than 75 per cent of the race distance was completed. Hamilton’s lead over Verstappen in the drivers’ world championship was cut from eight to three points.

“I love racing in the rain,” Hamilton said, “but today was something else. You couldn’t see the car ahead, there was aquaplaning, it was so, so tricky out there. It’s a shame because of course I wanted to race and I love this track as well. I think it would have been a great race if it hadn’t rained so hard, but unfortunately it just didn’t stop.”

Like the other drivers, Ricciardo agreed with Masi’s decision to stop the race.

“Crazy, crazy day, crazy circumstances,” Ricciardo said. “It’s lucky we don’t get these situations very often but it is what it is. Sorry to the fans and everyone that stayed out here all day to watch us race, they were awesome. We were really hoping to get a race and obviously it didn’t happen, but

it’s no-one’s fault, it’s just the situation and circumstances today.”

Sebastian Vettel qualified and finished fifth in his Aston Martin.

“It is a frustrating day for all of us and an anti-climax, especially for the fans, who were outside in the wet and the cold all day waiting to see a race,” he said.

“I feel sorry we could not give them the entertainment they deserved to see. The rain just never stopped and, when we did go out, the spray was very bad with low visibility.

The FIA had to make some tough decisions today. It is not easy for them, but safety has to be the priority, and even though their decisions may not have been popular, they were probably the right ones.”

AlphaTauri’s Pierre Gasly rounded out the top six.

“I don’t think I’ve driven in conditions worse than this before,” he said. “I think that the problem was that if anyone spun in the first lap, there was absolutely no visibility and there would’ve been a big accident. We know how dangerous it can be to race here, so this was absolutely the correct decision.”

The shortest ever grand prix was a memorable one, but for all the wrong reasons. The good news was that no drivers were injured.

2021 BELGIAN GRAND PRIX 1 LAP Pos Driver Team 1 Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing 2 George Russell Williams 3 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 4 Daniel Ricciardo McLaren 5 Sebastian Vettel Aston Martin 6 Pierre Gasly AlphaTauri 7 Esteban Ocon Alpine 8 Charles Leclerc Ferrari 9 Nicholas Latifi Williams 10 Carlos Sainz Ferrari 11 Fernando Alonso Alpine 12 Valtteri Bottas Mercedes 13 Antonio Giovinazzi Alfa Romeo 14 Lando Norris McLaren 15 Yuki Tsunoda AlphaTauri 16 Mick Schumacher Haas 17 Nikita Mazepin Haas 18 Kimi Raikkonen Alfa Romeo 19 Sergio Perez Red Bull Racing 20 Lance Stroll Aston Martin Results were taken from lap 1 on countback

Laps Margin 1 1 +1.995s 1 +2.601s 1 +4.496s 1 +7.479s 1 +10.177s 1 +11.579s 1 +12.608s 1 +15.484s 1 +16.166s 1 +20.590s 1 +22.414s 1 +24.163s 1 +27.109s 1 +28.329s 1 +29.507s 1 +31.993s 1 +36.054s 1 +38.205s 1 +44.108s

Points: Hamilton 202.5, Verstappen 199.5, Norris 113, Bottas 108, Perez 104, Sainz 83.5, Leclerc 82, Ricciardo 56, Gasly 54, Ocon 42, Alonso 38, Vettel 35, Tsunoda 18, Stroll 18, Russell 13, Latifi 7, Raikkonen 2, Giovinazzi 1 Constructors’: Mercedes 311, Red Bull Racing 304, McLaren 169, Ferrari 166, Alpine 80, AlphaTauri 72, Aston Martin Racing 53, Williams 20, Alfa Romeo 3, Haas 0

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Formula 1

Round 13 Dutch Grand Prix

ORANGE HAZE Just about every single one of the 70,000 fans who attended the first Dutch Grand Prix since 1985 were cheering for a single driver: Max Verstappen Report: Dan Knutson Images: Motorsport Images THE FANS, most of them wearing orange and cheeringly lustily, set off orange smoke flares that sometimes covered the grandstands and corners of the Zandvoort circuit in a smoky haze.

The fans at Zandvoort had plenty to celebrate as Verstappen earned his 10th pole and his 17th win in Formula 1.

“Of course the expectations were very high coming into the weekend and it’s never easy to fulfil that,” the Red Bull Honda driver said, “but the whole crowd has been incredible, and I am so happy to win here.”

Born in Belgium but a Dutch citizen, Verstappen won both his home grands prix on consecutive weekends.

The Belgian round – two laps behind the safety car – can hardly be considered a race, but the points Verstappen earned in both rounds put him back in the lead ahead of Lewis Hamilton in the drivers’ championship, by three points.

Mercedes teammates Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas started second and third and finished second and third respectively in Holland.

“It was quite a tough race,”

44 AutoAction

Verstappen said. “Lewis was really putting the pressure on and both Mercedes’ had really good pace, but we managed to have that three second buffer.”

Hamilton saw things differently.

“He (Verstappen) was a rocket off the start,” Hamilton said. “He was gone. Literally nothing we could do to answer that. They (Red Bull) have made a big, big step forward this year with their engine.

Last year they weren’t the greatest with starts. They obviously have improved their power, just the whole power unit’s massively better this year on all aspects for them – and naturally their drivability and their starts. They’re the quickest

starters this year overall. So, we’ve got some work to do in lots of different areas.”

Mercedes made a mistake by bringing Hamilton in too early for his second pit stop (at the end of lap 39 of 72) and by fitting a set of Pirelli’s medium compound slicks on his car.

Red Bull called Verstappen in one lap later, for the hard compound tyres, and that three second buffer helped him keep the lead.

Hamilton, in Verstappen’s dirty air, complained over the radio that his tyres would not last to the finish.

Max Verstappen was the man they all came to see, and he didn’t disappoint with pole position and victory (top & above). Also in orange, but for McLaren-Mercedes, Daniel Ricciardo outqualified his teammate but clutch problems, team strategy and a general lack of pace left him 11th.

The revamped Zandvoort circuit delighted drivers and fans alike. Banked corners at turn three and the final curve created a great spectacle. Charles Leclerc navigates turn three (above) ahead of teammate Carlos Sainz, who crashed there in practice. Leclerc was fifth, Sainz seventh.

“Today we probably needed everything to be perfect to even have the slightest chance of getting past him through strategy, for example,” Hamilton said. “Pit stops needed to be on point, strategy needed to be on point and traffic also – but none of those three were ideal today.”

The one-stop strategy Mercedes picked for Bottas also didn’t work out.

“That needed too much management really and proved tricky,” Bottas said. “It definitely wasn’t as fast as the two-stop. We ended up stopping late in the race for safety as we had the gap behind, and I was starting to get some tyre vibrations.”

Fellow Finn Kimi Räikkönen, who had announced a few days earlier that he will retire at the end of the season, was unable to race after testing positive for COVID-19.

Alfa Romeo’s reserve driver Robert Kubica took his place and finished 15th. His teammate Antonio Giovinazzi qualified an excellent seventh but a minor collision and a puncture sent him back to 14th.

No doubt Alfa team principal Frédéric Vasseur will take that into consideration as he decides if the team will retain Giovinazzi or bring in a new driver as teammate to Räikkönen’s replacement.

Daniel Ricciardo had strong pace in Q1 and Q2 in qualifying, but his McLaren lost grip in the final Q3 session. He started 10th and finished 11th.

“There were some stressful moments,” the Aussie said. “We have two clutch paddles.

If you are right-handed you would probably choose the right hand one for the start. That one chose not to work. I was on the grid stressing because it was not engaging. So I thought I had a gearbox problem. I was waving my hands and thinking I would have to get pulled off the grid.

“I tried the left one and it worked. I was trying to figure out how to do this start with my left hand. So I was prepared for a pretty poor start. As expected, (George) Russell got me straight away. But actually I managed to get him back, and then Antonio Giovinazzi as well in Turn 7. So I gained a position on lap one when I thought I was going to lose many.”

The McLarens simply could not match the pace of AlphaTauri, Ferrari and Alpine at Zandvoort. That was something that McLaren hoped would change at the next race – Ferrari’s home Grand Prix of Italy at Monza.

Monza, of course, is famous for the tifosi – the avid Ferrari fans. And now Zandvoort is known for Verstappen’s enthusiastic Orange Army.

“The crowd has been insane all weekend,” Hamilton said. “The British crowd is naturally my favourite but these guys, the energy here has been crazy. Where this track is probably better than Silverstone is that at Silverstone the grandstands are so far away.”

Race winner Verstappen said: “I’ve never experienced anything like this before in my life.”

Verstappen gapped the field with a lightning start, leaving both Mercedes drivers in his wake.

2021 DUTCH GRAND PRIX 72 LAPS Pos 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 DNF DNF

Driver Max Verstappen Lewis Hamilton Valtteri Bottas Pierre Gasly Charles Leclerc Fernando Alonso Carlos Sainz Sergio Perez Esteban Ocon Lando Norris Daniel Ricciardo Lance Stroll Sebastian Vettel Antonio Giovinazzi Robert Kubica Nicholas Latifi George Russell Mick Schumacher Yuki Tsunoda Nikita Mazepin

Team Red Bull Racing Mercedes Mercedes AlphaTauri Ferrari Alpine Ferrari Red Bull Racing Alpine McLaren McLaren Aston Martin Aston Martin Alfa Romeo Racing Alfa Romeo Racing Williams Williams Haas AlphaTauri Haas

Laps 72 72 72 71 71 71 71 71 71 71 71 70 70 70 70 70 69 69 48 41

Margin +20.932s +56.460s +1 lap +1 lap +1 lap +1 lap +1 lap +1 lap +1 lap +1 lap +2 laps +2 laps +2 laps +2 laps +2 laps +3 laps +3 laps Retirement Hydraulics

Points: Verstappen 224.5, Hamilton 221.5, Bottas 123, Norris 114, Perez 108, Leclerc 92, Sainz 89.5, Gasly 66, Ricciardo 56, Alonso 46, Ocon 44, Vettel 35, Tsunoda 18, Stroll 18, Russell 13, Latifi 7, Raikkonen 2, Giovinazzi 1 Constructors’: Mercedes 344.5, Red Bull Racing 332.5, Ferrari 181.5, McLaren 170, Alpine 90, AlphaTauri 84, Aston Martin 53, Williams 20, Alfa Romeo Racing 3, Haas 0

Pierre Gasly starred for Alpha Tauri, storming to fourth.

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45

BIKES

QUARTARARO PULLS AWAY Report: DAN McCARTHY Images: MOTORSPORT IMAGES ROUND 12 of the 2021 MotoGP season, the British Grand Prix at Silverstone was dominated by Frenchman Fabio Quartararo.

While he claimed his fifth win of the season, his closest rivals all failed to finish near the top five, and as a result the factory Yamaha man further increased his championship lead.

Australian Jack Miller scored his best result since the Catalan Grand Prix in June, fighting for a podium finish on the final lap.

After a challenging start to the season, Pol Espargaro emerged as the surprise polesitter on Saturday, just the third of his MotoGP career and first with the factory Honda team.

However, during practice Espargaro showed legitimate pace and performed when it counted most, in the closing minutes of qualifying.

The 30-year-old took pole by the slender margin of 0.022s from factory Ducati rider Francesco Bagnaia.

Quartararo rounded out the front row ahead of rookie sensation Jorge Martin, eight-time champion Marc Marquez and Aprilia rider and brother of Pol, Aleix Espargaro.

Miller was seventh from MotoGP legend Valentino Rossi, championship contender Johann Zarco, the Suzuki pair of Alex Rins and Joan Mir, and Austrian Grand Prix winner, KTM's Brad Binder.

Enea Bastianini looked set for a Q2 appearance, but he was pipped

by Rins and Zarco in the closing seconds.

On Sunday when the lights went out Pol Espargaro made a blinding start and comfortably led into Turn 1.

Bagnaia’s front wheel lifted almost immediately and caused him to drop to fourth and allow Quartararo into p2.

There was a lot of aggression on the first lap, Aleix Espargaro stormed

forwards and shuffling Quartararo back.

Martin and Marquez collided on a couple of occasions, the final time when the pair making contact at Club corner and knocking each other out of the grand prix!

After the race Marquez accepted responsibility for the collision.

At the end of the first lap, it was an Espargaro brothers 1-2 with Pol leading Aleix, Bagnaia was now third ahead of Quartararo, however the Frenchman was not fazed.

On lap 3 Aleix briefly took the lead from his brother at Stowe but ran wide and handed the place back.

On the same lap Quartararo began to march forward, firing up the inside of Bagnaia at Village to take third, then overtook Aleix Espargaro on the following lap, before taking the lead on lap 5 with a brave but bold move up the inside at Farm corner.

From there the Frenchman put his head down and quickly gapped the field and went on to take a

Report: DAN McCARTHY Image: MOTORSPORT IMAGES

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showed great race pace, the South African charging forward late to finish sixth.

Notably this meant that all six MotoGP manufacturers finished in the top six positions.

Binder's brand mate Iker Lecuona finished seventh, from Alex Marquez and reigning champion Joan Mir. Despite finishing ninth, the Suzuki rider moved up to second in the championship.

Danilo Petrucci was 10th ahead of Zarco, who struggled for pace all weekend on his Pramac Ducati.

A soft tyre gamble for Rossi did not pay off as he plummeted down the field to 14th after running as high as sixth.

Standings: Quartararo 206, Mir 141, Zarco 137, Bagnaia 136, Miller 118, Binder 108, Vinales 95, Oliveira 85, A Espargaro 83, Martin 64 Fabio Quartararo celebrates a dominant British MotoGP victory and extending his points lead (left). Jack Miller and Aleix Espargaro battle for third (top).

GARDNER WINS BRITISH DUEL AUSSIE REMY Gardner rebounded after two tough races to take victory in the British Moto2 Grand Prix at Silverstone, while his teammate and championship rival Raul Fernandez crashed out.

Gardner finished both races at the Red Bull Ring off the podium, however, refreshed and focussed, not even a flying Marco Bezzecchi could stop the Australian from taking his fourth victory of the season.

It was his first win since June and

comfortable 2.6s victory.

The 2019 British Grand Prix winner Rins put on an overtaking masterclass to move up the field and score his first MotoGP podium of the season.

Jack Miller also worked his way forwards from seventh and fought for third on the final lap of the race against Aprilia’s Aleix Espargaro.

The Australian briefly took third at Village, however Espargaro fought back at the next corner to retake the final podium position.

Once there the Spaniard defended strongly and held on to take Aprilia Racing’s first-ever MotoGP podium, and his first since 2014.

After leading early Pol could not sustain the pace, he steadily dropped back and was just out of reach of the fight for third, coming home fifth, still his best result with Honda.

As always KTM rider Brad Binder

throughout he fought off VR46 rider Bezzecchi to take the win by just 0.4s.

Bezzecchi led from pole position early, however he was soon overhauled by home hero Sam Lowes.

At the end of lap 1 it was Lowes who led Bezzecchi, Jorge Navarro, Fernandez and Gardner.

Turn 1 on lap 2 Gardner dispensed with his teammate and continued to

march forward, overtaking Navarro on the same lap.

On the following lap Bezzecchi reclaimed the lead from Lowes and was followed through by Gardner soon after.

Over several laps Gardner and Bezzecchi exchanged positions several times in what was a high-quality fight for the lead.

Bezzecchi then made a mistake throwing him out of the seat and this handed Gardner back the race lead.

Now out front Gardner set the fastest lap of the race, but with a good tow the following lap Bezzecchi swept back up the inside at Stowe with 10 laps to go.

Gardner and Bezzecchi had pulled out a small lead, so it was now a two-horse race.

On lap 12 Gardner made the decisive move diving up the inside at Turn 13,

and the KTM Ajo rider was back in front.

Further back his teammate Fernandez was not faring so well, and with four laps to go had a huge crash. The Spaniard was able to get onto his feet, but gingerly walked away from the scene, his title hopes taking a battering.

The fight up front intensified once again when Bezzecchi set his fastest lap of the race on the penultimate tour.

However, Gardner did not falter on the final lap. The Australian held on to take the win from Bezzecchi.

Navarro not only set the fastest lap, but also scored his first podium since 2019. Lowes was fourth, with Fabio di Giannantonio fifth.

Standings: Gardner 231, Fernandez 187, Bezzecchi 179, Lowes 127, Canet 92

PETRONAS SRT TO CEASE OPERATIONS

RAZGATLIOGLU WINS CLASH OF THE TITANS Report: Josh Nevett Images: Motorsport Images CHAMPIONSHIP FRONTRUNNERS Toprak Razgatlioglu and Jonathan Rea have dominated the Superbike World Championship round at Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours, sharing the top two podium places across three races.

Turkish rider Razgatlioglu took winners honours in both Race 1 and Race 2, taking the outright leader title from Rea who topped the SuperPole Race.

It was Pata Yamaha man Razgatlioglu who took the early ascendency, winning Race 1 by a comfortable 4.467s margin to set the tone for the weekend.

Rea finished second in the 21-lap affair, while the other Pata Yamaha rider Andrea Locatelli came home third.

Despite starting strongly, British rider Alex Lowes crashed out of the race on lap 17, allowing Michael Ruben Rinaldi to finish fourth.

Michael van der Mark of BMW Motorrad claimed fifth place from ninth on the starting grid.

Team HRC rider Alvaro Bautista was a further 2s back in sixth place, ensuring all manufacturers were represented in the top six.

Chaz Davies secured seventh place on the final chicane ahead of Alex Bassani, Tom Sykes and Leon Haslam, who rounded out the top 10.

Title contender Scott Redding struggled to find pace, finishing 12th on his Aruba.it Racing Ducati.

Razgatlioglu and Rea renewed their rivalry in the SuperPole Race, which was won by six-time WorldSBK champion Rea after a last-lap penalty to the Yamaha rider.

Fighting aggressively for victory on the final lap, Razgatlioglu infringed on track

Toprak Razgatlioglu and Jonathan Rea battled for superemacy (above) at Magny-Cours, with honours pretty evenly divided. The Yamaha man (left) celebrates one of his two victories.

limits at Turn 10 and was consequently dealt a one position penalty by WorldSBK Stewards.

This gifted Rea the win, earning him maximum points in the 10-lap sprint.

Lowes redeemed himself after a Race 1 crash to complete the podium for Kawasaki.

Locatelli finished just outside the top

three, ahead of an improved Redding and van der Mark.

Further back, Bautista, Davies, Haslam and Rinaldi rounded out the top 10.

History repeated itself in Race 3, Razgatlioglu and Rea a clear class above the field battling it out at the front.

Razgatlioglu had the last laugh, leading the British icon to the line by 2.908s.

Redding built on his SuperPole efforts to clinch a much-needed podium finish, a distant 8.406s off the winner.

Locatelli completed a consistent weekend by finishing fourth, ahead of GoEleven rider Davies and Team HRC’s Bautista.

Rinaldi, van der Mark, Garrett Gerloff and Sykes were the other top 10 place getters.

Round 9 will be held in Catalunya from September 17-19.

Points: Razgatlioglu 370, Rea 363, Redding 298, Locatelli 186, Lowes 176

VINALES TO MAKE APRILIA DEBUT AFTER MISSING just two races, factory MotoGP squad Aprilia has confirmed that Maverick Vinales will jump onto one of its machines for the remaining six rounds.

The Spaniard will replace Italian test rider Lorenzo Savadori who has struggled to score points in his debut season in the premier class.

Vinales and the factory Yamaha outfit elected to go their sperate ways with immediate effect on August 20, after the former Moto3 champion was suspended for deliberately overrevving an engine.

Vinales had already signed up to race for Aprilia and last week completed at two-day test at the Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli, his first test on the RS-GP. The nine-time MotoGP race winner impressed with some consistently fast times and is looking forward to

finishing the season with Aprilia.

“I feel great,” Vinales said. “It's a big opportunity because we have six more races to understand the bike and try to return in 2022 in a good way.

“I have no objective there (at Aragon the first race), I want to ride the bike, I want to approach that weekend with an open mind trying to collect a lot of information because I need to ride many laps, I need to learn a lot.

“The riding style is not easy to change, but I think I can do something good for sure.”

In the last round at Silverstone Vinales’ Aprilia teammate Aleix Espargaro scored the brand's first podium in the MotoGP era.

However, Vinales explained the team understands he needs time to get up to speed.

“Aprilia is at a really good point,” he said. “I'm so happy for Aleix and Aprilia for their first podium.

“I found a really positive atmosphere, really calm, we all understand that I need the laps on the bike, so before I try to change the seat or to find a different setup, I just took the bike (setup) from Aleix.

“At the end I tried to give good information, which is the most important.

“For me, what makes me really calm is that I can be already fast, but I have a lot of room to improve, so I can’t wait to do more laps to understand a little bit better.” Dan McCarthy

AT THE end of the current MotoGP season satellite Yamaha team, Petronas Sepang Racing Team will cease operations in the premier class in its current guise, with a new era set to begin in 2022.

It was announced several weeks ago that the team would no longer contest the Moto2 and Moto3 championships in 2022 as Petronas confirmed it would not continue as the naming rights sponsor.

However, the Petronas Yamaha Sepang Racing Team has now confirmed that it will conclude all activities at the end of the year.

Although in its current form will th team won't be around, Petronas Sepang Racing Team Principal Razlan Razali and the outfit’s director Johan Stigefelt will continue in MotoGP in 2022 with a new entity.

Details of the new team along with its title partner will be announced at the Misano World Circuit on September 16.

Since Petronas SRT joined the premier class in 2019, both Fabio Quartararo and Franco Morbidelli have delivered multiple victories, the latter finishing second in the standings last year.

Stigefelt expressed his happiness to see the small team rise into a front-running and race winning MotoGP squad, and is excited for the future.

“Thank you also to Sepang International Circuit with whom the relationship goes back to 2015.

Together we grew from a small tworider Moto3 squad to one of the biggest teams to have ever existed in the MotoGP paddock,” he said.

“For the future we have a new and exciting project. We remain in the paddock in MotoGP with new shirts to wear.

“But more of that later; for now, we have the remaining races of the 2021 season to race as hard as possible. Thank you all.”

In recent days the Managing Director of Yamaha Motor Racing Lin Jarvis revealed plans to have three-time MotoGP Championship runner-up Andrea Dovizioso racing for the new team. More on that in News. Dan McCarthy

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TITLE BECKONS FOR BELGIAN PAIR Report: JOSH NEVETT DRIES VANTHOOR and Charles Weerts became the provisional drivers’ champions while Team WRT extended its record to eight Sprint Cup titles, in an eventful round of GT World Challenge Europe at Brands Hatch.

The Belgian driving pair have all but ensured their second consecutive drivers’ championship, only needing to participate at September’s Sprint Cup finale to guarantee the triumph.

The squad won Race 1 before finishing second in Race 2, in which they were beaten by the #6 Mercedes-AMG Team Toksport WRT of Luca Stolz and Maro Engel.

In Race 1, the #32 Audi R8 LMS GT3 duo of Vanthoor and Weerts were victorious over Engel and Stolz, who finished second in front of the third placed #31 Team WRT Audi pair of Ryuichiro Tomita and Frank Bird.

Early in the race Ben Barnicoat

was the man to beat in his #38 JOTA McLaren overtaking polesitter Timur Boguslavskiy to lead. The home nation driver racked up a 16s gap over Boguslaviskiy’s #88 Mercedes-AMG after 25 minutes, before pitting at the half-hour mark.

With drivers swapped, Raffaele Marciello in the #88 MercedesAMG rapidly narrowed the gap to Barnicoat’s teammate Oliver Wilkinson, drawing just about level with 10 minutes remaining.

Wilkinson defended well, holding up Marciello while also inviting Vanthoor into the leading pack.

At that point lapped traffic had also become an issue, creating an incident where Marciello was sandwiched between Wilkinson and the #93 Sky Tempesta Racing Ferrari of Giorgio Roda with five minutes left.

Contact was made between the cars, sending Wilkinson’s McLaren off-track and spinning the Ferrari.

Marciello recovered to cross the line first but was deemed

Images: Motorsport Images

responsible for the incident and demoted to 17th overall. Wilkinson and Barnicoat could not finish the race, and were classified 28th.

Behind the top three, Ezequiel Perez Companc and Rik Breukers were fourth for Madpanda Motorsport.

In Race 2, Marciello started well from pole to lead early ahead of Engel.

Just after the halfway point, the Italian handed over to Boguslavskiy for the final 25 minutes with a 7s advantage. Stolz quickly caught up but could not squeeze past the Russian.

The status quo remained until the last lap, when with just a few

corners left Boguslavskiy ran off the track, dropping to third below resulting winner Stolz and a cautious Weerts.

Petru Umbrarescu was third with teammate Jules Gounon in the #89 AKKA ASP Mercedes-AMG, while Boguslavskiy crossed the line sixth due to damage sustained on the final lap.

In Silver Cup, Ryuichiro Tomita and Frank Bird finished first in the #31 Audi in Race 1 before Oscar Tunjo and Juuso Puhakka won in Race 2 for MadPanda Motorsport.

In the Pro-Am competition, Miguel Ramos and Henrique Chaves secured a double in their #77 Barwell Motorsport Lamborghini.

WEERTS AND VANTHOOR SEAL CHAMPIONSHIP Frey Racing Lamborghini cars.

The #163 beat the #114 home after the pair were relatively inseparable throughout proceedings.

Weerts and Vanthoor were officially crowned GT World Challenge Europe champions thanks to a sixth-place finish in the #32 Team WRT Audi.

Having earned the title of Sprint Cup winners, they will now look to add the Endurance Cup to their achievements at Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya.

The squad standing in the way of that accolade is the #51 Iron Lynx Ferrari shared by Alessandro Pier Guidi, Côme Ledogar and Nicklas Nielsen, who finished seventh at the Nurburgring.

The #14 Silver Cup Emil Frey Racing entry of Alex Fontana, Rolf Ineichen and Ricardo Feller finished eighth outright and first in class, adding to Lamborghini’s dominance.

Report: JOSH NEVETT

DRIES VANTHOOR and Charles Weerts have successfully negotiated the Nurburgring round of GT World Challenge Europe, to clinch the overall drivers’ championship with two rounds to go.

The Belgian pair alongside Robin Frijns finished sixth in the Main Race in their Audi R8 LMS GT3, also extending the teams’ championship buffer for Team WRT. Images: Motorsport Images It was Orange1 FFF Racing which

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took the race day victory, Mirko Bortolotti, Marco Mapelli and Andrea Caldarelli saluting by a narrow 1.228s in their Lamborghini Huracan GT3 Evo. The Chinese team survived a chaotic final hour to win ahead of the #88 AKKA ASP Mercedes-AMG driven

by Raffaele Marciello, Felipe Fraga and Jules Gounon, who put strong pressure on Orange1 FFF nearing the finish line.

Gounon matched Bortolotti’s lap times in the closing minutes but could

not crack the cool and composed Italian.

It was ultimately a superior start to the race that set up victory for the #63 Lamborghini, which started on pole.

Orange1 FFF enter the Endurance Cup finale at Circuit de BarcelonaCatalunya within reach of the title.

HRT Team drivers Maro Engel, Luca Stolz, Nico Bastian secured third in their #4 Mercedes-AMG GT3.

Lamborghini were the dominant manufacturer in the top tier Pro Cup, completing the top five with both Emil

The #16 Grasser Racing Lamborghini dominated much of the race from pole, only to hit disaster during the final 30 minutes.

The Silver Cup podium finishers also rounded out the overall top 10, the #99 Attempto Racing Audi finishing second in class ahead of the #7 Toksport WRT Mercedes-AMG. Orange1 FFF Racing made it a Lamborghini clean sweep in Pro-Am, the #19 team of Phil Keen, Stefano Costantini and Hiroshi Hamaguchi leading the #93 Ferrari to the line.

SUTTON EXTENDS TITLE LEAD

HAMLIN OPENS PLAYOFFS WITH VICTORY Report: Josh Nevett DENNY HAMLIN came good at the right time in the NASCAR Cup Series, claiming his first victory of the season in the opening round of playoffs at Darlington Raceway.

The 40-year-old held his nerve to edge out regular-season champion Kyle Larson by 0.212s in a thrilling final green flag sprint in South Carolina.

The last lap was layered with drama as Larson made contact with Hamlin’s #11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota close to the finish line.

Hamlin showed supreme car control, blocking the top lane to protect his lead and earn a first triumph of the year after 26 winless races, as well as an automatic berth into the Round of 12 in the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs.

Despite his time off the winners list, Hamlin now has four wins at Darlington and 45 career wins in total.

Larson was the main challenger throughout the entirety of the race, he won the second stage and led 156 of the 367 laps to Hamlin’s 146.

Non-Playoff driver Ross Chastain finished third in the #42 Chevrolet.

Joe Gibbs Racing driver Martin

Truex Junior finished fourth in the #19 Toyota, recovering from a penalty and loose wheel.

Playoff drivers inhabited the positions below, Kevin Harvick, Kurt Busch, Brad Keselowski and Joey Logano were fifth through eighth.

Two-time series champion Kyle Busch was not among the top 10 after exiting the race prematurely.

His #18 Toyota collided with the #3 Chevrolet of Austin Dillon, slamming into the wall at Turn 2 causing irreparable damage.

Busch was classified 35th and will now struggle to qualify for the Round of 12.

Reigning series champion Chase Elliott faces a similar situation, only managing a 31st finish after crashing on Lap 327 in a three-wide tangle with Bubba Wallace and Christopher Bell.

Michael McDowell also retired from the race after his car was destroyed on lap 31.

Bowman, Kyle Busch, William Byron and McDowell all fell below the current cut line for the Round of 12.

The next Cup Series playoff race is at Richmond Raceway. Two events remain in the three-race Round of 16.

Josh Cook, Ashley Sutton and Adam Morgan all tasted success in the British Touring Car Championship round at Thruxton.

The trio claimed a win apiece as Sutton extended his championship lead over Tom Ingram to 30 points.

Ingram struggled throughout the weekend, finishing 10th, 12th and fifth to slide back into the title chasing field.

In Race 1, BTC Racing’s Josh Cook secured a seventh career BTCC victory at Thruxton, maintaining an unparalleled run of results at the track.

The 30-year-old rose to triumph from third on the grid, hitting the front early before holding off the competition.

Cook took the initiative in his #66 Honda Civic Type R on lap one, overtaking Jake Hill’s Ford and polesitter Dan Rowbottom.

Hill finished second and Team BMW’s Tom Oliphant was third to complete the podium.

Rory Butcher came home fourth, while championship leader Sutton finished fifth in the Laser Tools Racing Infiniti.

Rowbottom struggled to replicate his qualifying pace, dropping down the places to finish sixth.

Rounding out the top 10 were Morgan, BTC Racing’s Senna Proctor, Jason Plato and Ingram.

Reigning champion Sutton returned to his winnings ways in Race 2, advancing from fifth spot on the grid to win Race 17.

Much like Race 1, the victor’s work was done early as he had already made it second by lap 4.

This created a battle for first place honours between Sutton and Thruxton Circuit specialist Cook, who led after his first race win.

The defining moment finally came on lap 11 of 16, when Sutton made his pass just before Turn 1.

Behind the leading pair, Oliphant claimed his second consecutive podium in front

of MB Motorsport driver Hill in fourth.

Ingram was a shoe-in for fifth until he suffered a last lap puncture, resigning him to 12th.

Butcher benefited from Ingram’s ill fortune to finish fifth, Colin Turkington jumping to sixth.

Proctor, Morgan, Plato and Daniel Lloyd were the final top 10 place getters.

Rowbottom and Gordon Shedden failed to finish due to mechanical failures in their Honda machines.

In the final race of the weekend Morgan overcame three safety car disruptions to lead from lights to flag.

Starting from pole, the 32-year-old defended his position grimly as Team BMW driver Turkington challenged for front spot.

Any momentum the race generated was quickly stymied, however, as Jade Edwards, Shedden, Ollie Jackson, Carl Boardley and Sam Smelt were all involved in race disrupting incidents.

The greatest challenge to Morgan’s lead was self-inflicted when he overshot the final chicane with three laps remaining.

The #33 car was undamaged though, and Morgan regained his composure to cross the line ahead of Turkington and BTC Racing’s Proctor completed the podium.

Hill finished in the familiar position of fourth, while Ingram won a fierce battle with Butcher to finish fifth.

Butcher was sixth in his Toyota, rounding out the top 10 with Cook, Plato, Chris Smiley and Ingram.

Sutton, Cook and Oliphant were the big winners of the Thruxton event, taking race wins and podiums to aid their championship efforts.

The Touring Car Championship will resume at Croft Circuit in North Yorkshire from September 18-19. JN

LAWSON EARNS A+ IN AUSTRIA Report: Josh Nevett KIWI LIAM Lawson has had a dream weekend in the Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters, topping qualifying before sweeping both races at the Red Bull Ring in Austria.

The 19-year-old junior made a significant dent in the gap to championship leader Kelvin van der Linde, who finished fifth and sixth over the weekend.

German pair Maximillian Gotz and Marco Wittman were also around the mark in Spielberg, both featuring on the podium.

In qualifying, Lawson set the pace in his Red Bull Ferrari with a time of 1m 27.851s.

The New Zealander was 0.271 seconds faster than Gotz, who was second in the HRT Mercedes.

Indian Arjun Maini qualified third with the GetSpeed MercedesAMG, his best grid position to date.

DTM’s youngest driver continued

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his strong form in Race 1, claiming top honours in a see-saw encounter.

Gotz was second across the finish line while Swiss driver Philip Ellis completed the podium in his WINWARD team Mercedes-AMG. Alex Albon was fourth in the AlphaTauri Ferrari, ahead of Kelvin van der Linde in his ABT Audi and Maini. Wittman, Lucas Auer, Vincent Abril and Timo Glock completed the top 10.

Lawson went back-to-back in Race 2, exploiting his pit-stop to triumph in a strategic display.

Keen to complete a clean sweep of the round, the youngster won the race from German frontrunners Wittman and Gotz.

Despite finishing outside the podium places, Albon was arguably the pick of the drivers throughout a chaotic race. The Thai driver rose from sixth to fourth, engaging in several hardfought battles with the likes of Kelvin van der Linde and Ellis.

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Auer finished sixth, ahead of Maini, Abril, Maximillian Buhk and Glock who completed the top ten.

Lawson entered the final encounter with a ballast handicap of 25kg but was able to slot in behind Wittman from the start.

Wittmann pitted early on lap five along with most of the field.

Alternatively, Lawson decided to box one lap later and subsequently re-joined the track well clear of the German, a move that would earn Lawson 2.5s between the pit-stop and his inlap.

This moment would be crucial, as only 0.215s separated Lawson and Wittmann at the finish line.

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Speaking after a successful round, the former Toyota Racing Series champion was elated with his results.

“With the 25 kilograms of success ballast from the Saturday, it wasn’t an easy race,” Lawson said.

“The team did a super job during the pit stop, that was the key to victory. We knew that this track suits the Ferrari, but such a result with a pair of victories is a dream.

For the championship, we have made a big step forward too.”

Points: Kelvin van der Linde 147, Lawson 135, Gotz 131, Wittman 121, Ellis 99

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DOOHAN DOMINATES FIA F3 AT SPA Report: Josh Nevett Images: Motorsport Images

AUSSIE JACK Doohan had a weekend to remember in Belgium, winning two of the three FIA Formula 3 Championship races at Circuit de SpaFrancorchamps.

In the face of consistently challenging wet conditions, the Trident driver excelled and ended the round just 25 points shy of championship leader Dennis Hauger in the overall standings.

Hauger himself struggled with a best finish of eighth in the Feature Race, while Lorenzo Colombo was the other race winner from Round 5.

Doohan began the round in style, qualifying fastest in a rain-soaked session to earn a first career Formula 3 Championship pole for Race 3.

The 18-year-old set the best time

with his first lap of the session, a 2m 21.953s.

Victor Martins would start alongside Doohan on the front row, qualifying second after a disappointing run of race results, clocking a 2m 22.657s.

In a sodden Race 1, Colombo took a lights-to-flag victory, comprehensively leading from the front to stretch out a 13.471s gap to second place finisher Jak Crawford.

Roman Stanek completed the podium for Hitech, a further 2.016s behind Crawford.

Colombo had sat on pole next to Crawford, but start that was eventually initiated by safety car.

Frederik Vesti finished fourth, ahead of Victor Martins who was one of the big movers of the race.

Martins and MP Motorsport teammate Caio Collet showed confidence in the wet to promote themselves up to fifth and sixth, but Collet received a 5s penalty for exceeding track limits.

After Collet was demoted, Johnathan Hoggard was awarded sixth for Jenzer Motorsport.

Clement Novalak, Logan Sargeant, Collet and Alexander Smolyar rounded out the top 10.

David Schumacher finished in front of Doohan in 12th, who neither rose nor fell throughout the shortened encounter.

The other Aussie in the race, Calan Williams, finished 24th.

Doohan took advantage of his reverse grid pole position in Race 2 to charge to a commanding lights to flag victory.

Doohan’s Trident teammate Schumacher took advantage of a drier track, starting on the front row and holding on to finish second.

Sargeant also relished the improved conditions, pushing through into a podium position.

Despite a break in the rain, the conditions were still tricky and Amaury Cordeel spun at the top of the Raidillon hill before copping contact from Australian Williams.

As a result, the race finished under safety car.

Collet and Novalak completed the top five.

Smolyar started poorly from the second row, plummeting to eighth behind Vesti and Martins.

Prema rounded out the top 10 with championship leader Hauger making up four positions to finish ninth ahead of Arthur Leclerc.

In the Feature Race, Doohan took his second consecutive win to further narrow the points gap to Hauger.

The in-form driver survived a mid-race

HAUGER CLOSES IN ON F3 TITLE DENNIS HAUGER has closed in on the FIA Formula 3 championship title after Aussie hopeful Jack Doohan failed to make inroads at Zandvoort.

Doohan did not make the podium in any race during the penultimate round, settling for sixth, 18th and fourth place finishes.

Hauger had struggles of his own during the Dutch round but fought back to secure a season-defining win in Race 3.

Arthur Leclerc and Victor Martins were the other drivers to stand atop the podium, winning Race 1 and Race 2 respectively.

Leclerc held off a persistent Logan Sargeant to win Race 1 for Prema Racing. Ayumu Iwasa completed the podium for Hitech.

Behind the podium getters were Jak Crawford and Caio Collet of MP Motorsports.

Doohan was sixth, finishing just in front of his rival Hauger.

Victor Martins, Frederik Vesti and Olli Caldwell rounded out the top 10.

After his early incident, Russian Images: Motorsport Images Smolyar could only manage 24th place.

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In the 50th race of the modern FIA Formula 3 era Alexander Smolyar provided early drama, catching the rear tyre of Amaury Cordeel which spun him out of contention.

As a result, Smolyar was dealt a 10s stop-go time penalty, which he served after repairing a damaged front wing.

A safety car was called on lap 16 while the stricken cars of Johnathan Hoggard and Hunter Yeany were cleared from the track, bringing the field together for four final laps of green flag racing.

From the restart Leclerc held his lead and ultimately could not be caught, celebrating his second victory of the season.

Martins claimed his first career Formula 3 win in Race 2 at Zandvoort, which saw neither of the top two drivers in the championship score points.

The French rookie fought his way

up from fifth on the grid, claiming the victory over Novalak and Vesti who made it onto the podium.

Collet was the best of the drivers outside of the podium.

Schumacher crossed the line fifth ahead of Caldwell and Race 1 winner Leclerc.

Rounding out the top 10 were Crawford, Nannini and Sargeant.

Williams, the other Australian in the field, crossed the line in 22nd.

Meanwhile, championship leaders Hauger and Doohan had a race to forget.

Both drivers were positioned to score points until the penultimate lap when Hauger was taken out of contention by a collision with reverse grid polesitter Ido Cohen.

Doohan dropped to 18th after venturing into the gravel on the final lap.

scare to win from Martins, who finished second.

Smolyar and Collet began the race third and fourth and would finish in those same positions.

After the race start was delayed the field began the race with a rolling start.

The key moment of the race came on lap 5, as Martins took an aggressive wide line to squeeze by Doohan.

The Frenchman thought he had executed a potentially race winning move, only to be told by his team that all four of his wheels had left the road.

Martins was subsequently told to give the position back to Doohan, removing the risk of an unnecessary penalty.

Doohan then set the fastest lap of the race after passing Martins and led from that point on.

Trident teammate Novalak completed the top five, ahead of Vesti and Sargeant.

Hauger ended the race in eighth in front of Schumacher and Leclerc, who rounded out the top 10 points scorers.

Title hopeful Caldwell finished 11th, his best result from a disappointing round.

Points: Hauger 158, Doohan 133, Vesti 101, Martins 96, Smolyar 92 Hauger coasted home for his fourth win of the Formula 3 season in Race 3, establishing a large points gap over Doohan heading into the final round at Sochi.

The Prema Racing driver started from pole and was never troubled, extending his lead throughout the race.

Clement Novalak scored his second podium of the weekend finishing second, ahead of Smolyar who completed the podium from eighth on the grid.

Doohan finished just outside of the podium positions in fourth.

Behind the podium getters and Doohan, Martins’ teammate Collet finished fifth.

American pair Sargeant and Crawford were sixth and seventh, ahead of Vesti, Leclerc and Martins who completed the top 10. Williams finished 18th.

Sitting in second throughout the race, Schumacher would be dealt a cruel blow on lap 22, dumped out of the race by an aggressive Martins who attempted an inside move before making contact with Schumacher’s rear left tyre, sending the latter into the wall.

MP Motorsports driver Martins was subsequently handed a 10s time penalty for his poorly executed move, dashing his hopes of a podium finish.

Points: Hauger 193, Doohan 150, Novalak 122, Martins 117, Vesti 117

MCELREA HUNTS WINS STATESIDE Report: Josh Nevett KIWI HUNTER McElrea had his best round of the IndyPro 2000 Championship season in 2021, taking victory in Race 3 after a pair of second place finishes at New Jersey Motorsports Park.

McElrea is now just 45 points shy of Christian Rasmussen in the overall standings, sitting third with one round to go.

Fellow championship contenders Reece Gold and Artem Petrov picked up wins in Race 1 and Race 2 respectively, but it was the consistency of McElrea which shone across the event.

In Race 1, Gold was victorious after a season of near misses, less than a week shy of his 17th birthday.

The American Juncos Hollingers Racing driver led from lights to flag to secure his maiden race win, ahead of McElrae and Danish driver Rasmussen, who completed the podium.

Gold led by as much as 2.4s after nine laps but McElrea gradually closed to challenge the leader with seven laps remaining.

With the carrot of a breakthrough victory Gold held his nerve to win by just under a second.

Rasmussen held off a late challenge from Jack William Miller, the pair finishing third and fourth.

Jacob Abel climbed from eighth on the grid to come home fifth.

The second day of racing began with Petrov dominating Race 2 in wet conditions.

While McElrea started on pole but was powerless to stop the Russian who completed the first racing lap with

Hunter McElrea took his third win of the 2021 IndyPro 2000 Championship campaign to move into title contention with one round to go, a double-header at Mid-Ohio.

an advantage of almost two seconds, which he extended to nearly half a minute by the race’s completion.

McElrea doubled up his podium finishes for Pabst Racing, leading Braden Eves of Exclusive Autosport to the line.

In the third and final race the New Zealander thrived in dry conditions to snare his third win for the 2021 season.

Starting from pole, McElrea surged clear early to romp the 25-lap affair by over 12s.

The 21-year-old was thrilled with his performance.

“That was the best race ever,” McElrea said.

“I knew I had to win this weekend and I knew I was fast, but when you can win by 12.5 seconds, that’s awesome.

“I was having so much fun, I didn’t want it to end.

“P3 in the championship, so some good points this weekend. I’ll be smiling for a bit after this.”

Eves finished second ahead of teammate Petrov and well clear of Abel, who was demoted to seventh after a penalty.

Irishman James Roe was fourth and Wyatt Brichacek rounded out the top five.

Jay Howard Driver Development title leader Rasmussen suffered suspension damage in an incident with Roe, consigning him to a ninth-place finish to end a tough weekend.

With one round left Rasmussen now leads Eves by just 18 points, who is 27 ahead of McElrea.

The championship deciding double-header will be held at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course from October 2-3.

DAMAGE CRUELS TAYLOR IN EXTREME E Report: Josh Nevett AUSTRALIAN MOLLY Taylor and teammate Johan Kristoffersson finished fifth in the Final of the Extreme E Arctic X Prix, after sustaining damage while fighting for the win with eventual victors Timmy Hansen and Catie Munnings.

The Rosberg X Racing pair could do nothing as their car ground to a halt and Andretti United Extreme E cruised to a 4.159s win over second placed JBXE pair Kevin Hansen and Mikaela Ahlin-Kottulinsky.

ACCIONA Sainz XE Team consisting of Carlos Sainz Senior and Laia Sanz claimed third place, a further 18.707s back, while X44 drivers Sebastien Loeb and Cristina Gutierrez also finished in front of Taylor’s Rosberg X Racing.

In the first ever five-car Extreme E Final, Taylor made a great start, running three cars wide with Sebastian Loeb and Munnings through the first turn in Greenland.

From there, nine-time World Rally Champion Loeb held front spot through the single-file section of the course and past the lake.

Former Australian Rally Champion

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KIWI JAXON Evans has endured a tough run of results recently in Porsche Supercup, finishing 12th at Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps and 10th in Round 6 at Zandvoort circuit in the Netherlands. As a result, Evans lost ground on championship leader Larry ten Voorde, who is now 25 points ahead with two races to run, both at Monza in Italy. Dylan Pereira took winner’s honours in Belgium, while German Laurin Heinrich came home first at Zandvoort. Heinrich also finished third in Belgium, placing pressure on Evans for second spot in the standings. JN

CAITLIN WOOD has finished fifth as Emma Kimilainen mastered the wet conditions, to win Round 5 of W Series at Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps. In just her second appearance for PUMA W Series Team, Wood achieved a top five result after qualifying a career best third. Wood has moved up to 14th in the overall standings after just two race starts. JN

Image: Motorsport Images Taylor completed her section of the Final in second as the tightly bunched field entered the Switch Zone.

Despite leading into the changeover, X44 were delayed by a tyre puncture which allowed Andretti United to lead from the Switch Zone with Hansen at the wheel.

Having taken over from 33-year-old Taylor, Kristoffersson set his mind on overtaking fellow World Rallycross Champion Hansen.

The Swede drew alongside Hansen and attempted to take the lead through the largest jump on the

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course, but damaging his machine in the process.

Rosberg X Racing’s ODYSSEY 21 could not be moved after the series of overenthusiastic jumps, providing a clear path to victory for the measured Hansen.

The win was the first for Andretti United Extreme E in the 2021 series, taking the team to third overall on 76 points.

Taylor and Kristoffersson still sit atop the series standings for Rosberg X Racing on 93 points, but their gap to second placed X44 has shrunk to 9 points.

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MARCOS FLACK was just out of the points at Thruxton in the British Formula 4 Championship, managing a best finish of 11th across three races. The 15-year-old finished 13th in Race 1, before failing to finish in Race 2. Flack rebounded in the final encounter to finish midfield in 11th.

Commenting on Twitter, Flack said: “Tough weekend, we were really close to the points in that last race. Taking the positives forward into Croft in a few weeks’ time.” JN

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p ra w S L A N NATIO

BOTH TA2 and the Excel enduro were dominated by young drivers on their way up the ranks, at Queensland Raceway for the QR Drivers Championships round six on August 21-22.

TA2 MUSCLE CARS

THIRD GENERATION driver Jett Johnson not only won his first race, but all four events in the second round as the 16-year-old led every lap.

Mustang drivers dominated with Chris Pappas second ahead of Russell Wright and Karl Begg.

After qualifying fastest Johnson led lights-to-flag with Wright second 1.5s away and Pappas a similar distance third in race one. It was restarted after a first corner incident seen Wright turned around. Begg was fourth until passed by Murray Kent (Camaro) on the last lap.

Pappas initially had second in race two before relegated to third by Wright. Adam Hargraves (Mustang) worked through to pip Begg for fourth. Wright held second from the start of race three until Pappas slipped past on lap three, and then Begg five laps later.

Johnson finished 2.1s clear as a similar margin covered the next five with Hargraves and Kent close behind.

The last race was Johnson’s biggest win where Pappas was second throughout while Wright just held off Hargraves.

Begg would have been next but had a 30s penalty for contact with Kent.

TRACK ATTACK EXCEL CUP

OVER THE three races of round six there were three different winners, and not one of them was Brett Parrish.

However third and two seconds gave him the round win over Darren Whittington and Bradi Owen.

From pole position, Cameron Bartholomew took out the first race ahead of Ryan O’Sullivan and Parrish, with Connor Roberts fourth ahead of Treigh Mashotta, Owen and Luke Pink.

Bartholomew led the second for the first two laps before he and Maschotta touched at Turn 2. Parrish took over the lead but was soon relegated as O’Sullivan passed him and won.

Whittington, who was 13th in race one after early contact, finished next in front of Connor Roberts, James Simpson and Bartholomew, who would be penalised 60s and relegated to 31st.

O’Sullivan led race three at the start before being embroiled in an incident where he came off worse. Whittington came through to win ahead of Parris, Owen, Simpson and Ryan Casha.

Kai Allen was next but copped a 30s penalty, which elevated Maschotta to sixth.

Bartholomew failed to start due to a fuel pump failure.

EXCELS 175 ENDURO

THE 175km event ran 57 laps where Morris and Feeney emerged dominant 11.8s winners over Whittington and Tim

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YOUNG GUNS STAR AT QR Third-generation driver Jett Johnson, won his first race at QR in TA2 Muscle Cars. The 16-year-old dominated all four events in his Mustang (above). There were three different winners in the Excels however, plus an Enduro with some well-known names (left). Images: MTR Images

SUPERKARTS

Slade, with Parrish and Cam Wilson a close third.

The co-drivers had their own preliminary race which Wilson won ahead of Feeney, Slade, Declan Fraser, Darren Currie and Jeremy Hassell.

Morris grabbed the initial lead in the enduro before a miscue at Turn 5 dropped him to seventh. Bartholomew/ Harris mainly led until their driver changeover on lap 24. Jordan Macnamara/Michael Tuckwood and then Brooke and Todd Wanless took over the lead, as they were the last two stoppers.

From there it was Feeney in front while it was tight for the minors, as Owen and Fraser just missed the podium.

Casha and Pink finished fifth. They were the first to pit, just before the only clampdown, and dropped from second to 22nd before a strong comeback.

REPLICA TOURERS/HOT HATCHES

AARON HODGES in his Replica Tourer 5.0 litre Ford Escort won the two Saturday races but missed Sunday due to another commitment. Leonard Meiers (Holden Commodore) was second in both, and he too didn’t figure on Sunday.

After two thirds Brian Smallwood (Toyota 86) won the last two. Dave Hinton (Toyota Corolla) was second in race three, just in front of Abu Baker Ibrahim (Toyota 86). The latter pair was third and fourth in the last, as Rex Scoles (Holden Commodore VH) was second.

Among the Hot Hatches, Trent Laves (Hyundai Getz) was a three-race winner, narrowly over Dylan Cothill (Mazda 2) who took a win off Lavers in race three.

Sean Evans (Honda Jazz) netted third in three and Jamie Dixon (Getz) placed third in the other.

OUTRIGHT HONOURS at round four were shared over the four races.

First timer Ewen Burg (250cc PVP) snatched race one off Tim Weier (250cc Anderson) at the final corner. Weier struck back with two solid victories, ahead of Burg, who was a DNF in the third. Weier failed to finish the last where Burg was third and the class winner.

Under 2s covered the top three in the 125cc class in race one where Tim Philp (Avoig) eclipsed Chryss Jamieson (Stockman) and Doug Amiss). There was a similar finish in race two, although Amiss beat Jamieson and missed a win over Philp by 0.07s. Amiss won the last two contests, the last being a narrow outright victory.

The TAG class went to Peter Nuske (Peter Woodgate Racing) with three tight results ahead of David Dyson (IWT Scorpion) before the latter snuck one the last. Ben Longland (Arrow X1) was a close third twice but beaten in the last by Paul Buckley (Intrepid).

HQ HOLDENS

THE LONE single driver entry of Jake Madden won the enduro race ahead of the combinations of Joe Andriske/ Tim Boyle and Brandon Madden/Scott Andriske.

Brandon Madden missed qualifying and started each of the preliminaries off the back and won both. In the first it was ahead of Scott Andriske and Jake Madden, and the second from the latter and Bruce French.

From the start of the enduro the two Maddens ran nose-to-tail up until Jake Madden made his mandatory pitstop on lap 15.

Brandon Madden handed over to Scott Andriske three laps later as Brad Superkart honours were also shared over four races which featured some great action.

Schomberg/Ben Simpson assumed a brief lead before the Nick Rangeley/ Ashley Jarvis Gemini led for two laps.

Jake Madden led for the remainder while Andriske was second until passed by the Joe Andriske/Tim Boyle HQ three laps from the end. French and Kyle Lovering were less than a second behind, while Schomberg/Simpson were next ahead of Rangeley/Jarvis.

QLD TOURING CARS

IN ROUND five on Saturday, Chris Brown (Holden Commodore VT) won the three races ahead of Matt Haak (Commodore VL) and Lee Gravolin (Holden Monaro CV8). Gravolin was second through the first half of the opener before Haak pushed him back to third. BMW drivers Sax Moyes (E36) and Robert Bellinger (E46 M3) were the next best.

After a similar result in race two, Gravolin held off Haak in the last for second, and again the BMWs chased.

Out of Group B Les Hanifin (Commodore VK) was the best ahead of Rob Droder (Commodore VE) in race one, before Simon Winters (Commodore) toppled them in the next two. In Group C it was Murry Reilly (Commodore VE) all the way ahead of Sam Allen (E36).

After Brown won race one on Sunday’s sixth round, his 11th in a row, he led the first half of race two before he became a casualty.

Haak, who was third in race one behind Gravolin, picked up the win. The latter won the last and took the round as Haak scored a DNF. Hanifin took B honours over Droder and Reilly, while Alessandro Vosolo was (E36) was the C winner over Paul Bonaccorso (Ford Falcon XE) and Matt Devitt (E46). GOB

LOTS OF VARIETY AT MORGAN PARK WELL OVER 140 entries in 12 categories were at Morgan Park for the Warwick 1000 meeting on August 28-29, the third round of the Queensland State Circuit Championships.

CIRCUIT EXCELS

LUKE PINK took out three of the four races, including the 20 lap finale. As the weekend progressed, the wins came easier, and he took the overall result over Riley Beggs and Nash Morris.

In the first race Pink led all the way from Morris. Connor Roberts passed Jackson Faulkner and then Beggs for third. Following them were Bradi Owen and Ryan Casha, while Brett Parrish was last after a clash with Jeff Johnson who finished 19th.

Morris led all the way in race two while Pink was second until a moment at Turn 10 allowed Beggs through. Faulkner was fourth briefly and ended up eighth behind Roberts, Owen, Casha and Kai Allen.

Race three went to Pink after he took the lead on lap three. The battle for second heated up when Morris and Roberts clashed at Turn 1. That allowed Beggs to take second as Roberts retired.

Morris finished eighth behind Faulkner, Casha, Allen, Darren Currie and Gautier.

In the last Pink won by 8s as Faulkner overcame Casha for second. Allen nabbed Beggs, and Morris was sixth in front of Gautier, Currie and Parrish.

IMPROVED PRODUCTION

IN TAKING out three of the four races, Zak Hudson (Mazda RX7) was the round winner over Troy Marinelli (Nissan 200SX), with third going to Kyle OrganMoore (Holden Commodore VS).

After they finished that way in race one, Marinelli won race two ahead of Hudson, who laboured after the second lap with a broken trailing arm.

It was Marinelli’s turn to have dramas in race three with a diff issue. He held onto second while Jason Grimmond (Commodore VY) edged out OrganMoore for third. After DNFs in the earlier races, David Waldon (Mazda RX3) came through to fifth. Behind race four winner Hudson, Organ-Moore was second ahead of Marinelli, Waldon and Simon O’Dell-Fontana (RX7).

PRODUCTION SPORTS

THE OUTRIGHT and Class 2X win went to Darren Berry (Ginetta G50Z) over Steven McFadden (Porsche 997), while third outright was the Class 2B winner Grant Sparks (Porsche). Shane Plohl (Mazda MX5), who was 14th of the 28 entries, took out Class 2F. Berry led McFadden all way in race one as Greg Waters worked his way from sixth to third and then the Chev Corvette had an electrical fire. Sparks finished in position three ahead of Gerard Murphy (Porsche), Michael Learoyd (Corvette) and Lachlan Harburg (Porsche).

McFadden jumped Berry early in race two before the latter took the lead and won. Sparks was third until he was

Darren Berry’s Ginetta G50Z was the class of the Production Sports field (above), winning multiple times. Cameron McLeod (below) was third in Sports/Racing, while Brandon Madden (right) won several times in HQs. Images: Trapnell Creations

passed by Murphy on the final lap.

Learoyd was overtaken by Harburg on first lap and Shane Wilson (Porsche) on the last.

In race three Berry led McFadden, Sparks and Murphy throughout. Harburg was next after Wilson was an early casualty.

PRODUCTION TOURING

AT THE helm of Beric Lynton’s BMW M3, Dalton Ellery scored four wins from as many starts to take the overall round ahead of Brad Carr (M3) and Richard Beggs (Holden Clubsport R8).

Ellery led race one throughout. Coleby Cowhan (Ford Mustang) took second off Carr on the first lap, while Tristan Ellery (M3) progressed from eighth to fourth before a mechanical issue put him out. Scott Dean (Mercedes Benz A45) regained fourth until relegated by Beggs.

In the second outing Ellery had to overcome Carr to win while Beggs was fourth behind John Harris (Mitsubishi EVO). Electrical dramas kept Cowham from finishing.

However the Mustang was firing for race three, as Cowham stormed to a third place behind Dalton Ellery and Carr, and ahead of Tristan Ellery, Harris, Beggs and Ben Gersekowski (BMW E46).

The last race produced the same top four with Gersekowski next in front to Beggs and Harris.

HISTORIC TOURING CARS

EVEN THOUGH he did not have it all his own way, Matt Clift (Mazda RX2) won the four races ahead of Russell McDowell (Ford Falcon GT) and Sean Karger (Holden Torana XU-1).

Pole sitter Graeme Wakefield (Ford Mustang) appeared to get the upper hand in race one when he grabbed the lead on lap two, but lost out on the final lap. Third was McDowell ahead of Ian Mewett, who did a swap deal with Craig Allan and raced the latter’s XU-1. Allan (Mustang) was a DNF. Clift led from the outset of race two until Wakefield grabbed the lead with two laps to go. However Clift regathered for the win from Wakefield, McDowell, Mewett and Karger.

Wakefield was out from there which left Clift well ahead of McDowell, Mewett and Karger in race three.

McDowell had the lead in the last outing until he spun at Gumtree and dropped to sixth, before he finished second ahead of Mewett, Karger and Guy Gibbons (Porsche).

SPORTS SEDANS & INVITED

A QUICK pitstop early in the last race denied Geoff Taunton (MARC II V8) a clean sweep, yet he was still the weekend winner.

He easily accounted in the other races and finished second in race four. Chris Donnelly (Falcon/Chev) finished third in race one, then collected a pair of seconds, before he took victory in the last.

Grant Donaldson (MARC Focus V8) was third overall after a two fourths, a fifth and a third. Colin Smith (Monaro/ Chev) placed second in race one and scored a couple of fourths but DNF’d out of race three along with Shane Hart (Mazda RX7), after contact. Taunton’s biggest challenge should have come from Daniel Crompton, but the Ford

Mustang’s gearbox blew in qualifying.

QLD TIN TOPS

SALOON CAR driver Shayne Hine (Ford Falcon AU) won all four outings, leading each throughout while Jamie Manteufel (Holden Commodore VT) was second.

After starting out of fifth for the first race, Cameron Klee (VT) finished third and backed up with another three, as Tony Shanks (AU) with two fourths, was fourth overall.

Among the Holdens HQs and Geminis, Brandon Madden (HQ) saw off an early challenge from Justin van Twest (HQ) to win the first. Madden led van Twest in race two before the latter reversed the result in the next. Madden won the last over Joe Andriske (HQ) while van Twest was a non-finisher.

SPORTS & RACING CARS

IN HIS Dallara F304, Blake Varney was a cut above the diverse field and won the four outings comfortably.

Second and third in each were Grant Green (Radical SR3 Supersports) and Cameron McLeod (Spectrum Formula Ford).

The battle for fourth in race one was a tight one where Kyle Evans (Spectrum) was just ahead of Tom McLennan (Mygale FF), Ryder Quinn (Mygale) and Tom Davies (Van Diemen FF).

Nick McLeod (Spectrum) was next and edged out Davies for seventh in race two, before progressing to fifth and fourth in the last two.

Tim Hamilton (Spectrum) clean swept in Kent FF over Dylan Fahey (Van Diemen). GOB

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NATIONALS wrap n compiled by garry o’brie

COLLIE’S COLLECTION OF CATEGORIES THE COLLIE Motorplex race meeting on August 21-22 was the fourth that involved state championship categories this year, and the two-day outing split many across the two days while some competed on both.

EXCEL CUP

VICTORY IN round seven has put Brett Sherriff in the box seat for both the Cup and State Championships. He had two race wins and took the overall points ahead of Anthony Jewell and Brock McGregor.

Sherriff led all way in race one to head off Tayla Dicker by 0.25s while McGregor was third clear of Jewell, Jake Passaris and Harrison Douglas. The wet second outing went to Jewell which was his first in two years in the category.

Sherriff had led early but had a spin and ended up sixth. Dicker had a sluggish start and was tagged by McGregor at Turn 1. Dicker was left stranded in the middle of the road and was hit by Craig Charnley and Ruano Stumpf. Passaris was a close second ahead of Douglas, McGregor and Cameron Atkins.

Sherriff jumped to the lead in the last race and led each lap for a handy win. McGregor was second well clear of Jewell who edged out Passaris as Douglas finished a distant fifth.

HISTORIC RACING

THE COMBINATION of two classes had four races with Ricky Virago unchallenged in his FCR Ralt RT5 while Martin Bullock was similarly set in HRA, aboard his Chevron B20. Virago was the lone entrant in his category, Bullock had quite a few to deal with and took the class ahead of Lance Carwardine (Jane Brabham). Third was Leone Magistro (Ralt RT4) as Allan Ould (Aztec Formula Ford) and Robert Creasy (RT4) scored a couple of fourths each.

FORMULA VEES

IN THE two classes it was Rod Lisson and Andrew Lockett who came out the respective victors in 1600 and 1200cc although they did not it all their own way.

In the first two outings for the later cars, David Caisley (Jacer) recorded handy wins over Lisson (Borland

Ricky Virago was unchallenged at Collie Motorplex in his Ralt RT5 in historic racing. Images: Sports Pixx Sabre). Franz Esterbauer (Mako) was third in the first but trailed the class at the start of race two as Jason Fowler (Jacer) was third. In the last only Lisson and Fowler finished while Caisley and Esterbauer were race casualties.

Lockett (Ajay) was a clear class winner over Jarrod Vening (Mako) in race one after Brett Scarey (CD-Vee) led and stopped on the last lap with a flat battery, and Mackenzie Matthews (Gerbert) was penalised 60s. Scarey struck back with a narrow second race win over Lockett and Matthews. It was on again in the third where Lockett took the laurels ahead of Scarey and Matthews.

PRO-AM SALOON CARS

AMONG A fleet of Holden Commodore VNs, it was Michael Holdcroft in his Ford Falcon EA who was the overall winner. He easily accounted for Justin Chaffey, Michael Koberstein, Brock Ralph and Damien Stephens in race one.

The latter was second across the line in race two, behind Koberstein and ahead of Holdcroft who both incurred 5s penalties. Koberstein was relegated to second, and Holdcroft to fourth behind Chaffey, and with a broken gearbox to change. Holdcroft came back to edge out Koberstein in the last for the win while Chaffey was next ahead of Ralph and Stephens.

STREET CARS

IN EACH of the three races, Paul Kluck (Nissan Skyline R32) was a dominant victor over the small rollup.

Ben Peachey (Datsun 200B SSS) placed second in the opening race before third placed Chris Cheverall (BMW E36 M3) beat him for second in race two. The difference between the pair in the last was 1.28s in favour of Peachey.

FORMULA FORDS

COMPETITORS AT the nonchampionship round raced in memory of the late Margaret Hardy with Mark Pickett the overall winner after three outright race victories. Second all day was Ben Leslie who had his Stealth RF93 less than a second behind the leading Van Diemen RF01 in races one and two. The gap was extended to almost 3s in the last.

Craig Jorgensen (Van Diemen RF93) was edged out of third in the first by Jack Sheldon (Stealth) but turned the tables in the next two outings to be third overall and in the Gold Star class.

Meanwhile the Silver Star (for older cars) went to John Van Leeuwen (Van Diemen RF80) over Simon Matthews (Royale).

the Chev Camaro driver was a comfortable winner of the three races.

Mark Cates (Ford Falcon XY) was second across the line in race one with Stuart Young (Holden Torana XU1) next ahead of Peter Pisconeri (Ford Mustang). However both Ford drivers had to relent their spots with post-race 5s penalties.

Cates was second in race two ahead of Young and Posconeri who again had 5s added to his race time that put him behind Morris Cooper S pilots Cono Onofaro and Blake Watson. In the last Cates and Young filled the minor spots as Onofaro was fourth ahead of Don Behets (Ford Galaxie).

PRO SALOON CARS

AN UNBLEMISHED run gave Clinton Rayner overall round honours as

COMMODORE DRIVERS finished first, second and third for the round, with Grant Johnson again leading the way. He was the winner of all races and he won them well. Second overall went to his teammate Matt Martin while Brock Boley was third.

Boley was second in race one after passing Martin on lap two. Fourth was Michael Bond ahead of the best Falcon steerer in Greg Dyson. Martin was second in race two, just in front of Dyson and Rick Gill (Falcon). Boley trailed the field after a drama on the first lap. In the last it was Martin second from Gill, Boley and Dyson.

GOB

to mildly modified on a street tyre. Street is as per Club, but allowed semi slick tyres. Modified is like Open, very much modified.

Sixth overall was drift competitor Scott Wyman with his Honda Integra Type R, third in Modified and the quickest FWD.

Then came Phil Hooper (Skyline), third in Club, Richard Thimm (Mazda 3), second and third in Street, Michael Watt (Mazda 3 MPS), Ashley Bell (Mitsubishi Lancer), Troy Wood (Modified Ford Falcon) and Leigh Ford (Club Integra).

GOB

HISTORIC TOURING CARS

SUCCESSFUL ATTACK FOR HOOPER WITH HIS regular Subaru mount stuck in Melbourne, Liam Hooper drove a freshly built Nissan Skyline GTST R32 to outright fastest in the 2021 Cradle Mountain Wilderness Village 2021 Time Attack Tasmania at Baskerville Raceway on August 22.

Super GTA racer Hooper’s best effort was a 56.0239s flyer on the 20th of the 24 laps he completed. He was also fastest of the Modified class RWDs by 2.47s, where Ayrton Richardson was outright second in his Aurion Aussie Racing Car. Third quickest on the day was regular

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circuit racer David Walker aboard his Super GTB Datsun 1200 Ute. Walker was also first and best of the RWDs in the Club class, 0.5s ahead of class rival Peter Norwell (Skyline).

Just 0.02s behind was the Street class winner Omar Hasan at the helm of a BMW M2.

The annual event was promoted by the Hobart Sporting Car Club and attracted 37 entries. Time Attack Tasmania uses World Time Attack Challenge rules for its three classes. The Street class followed WTA Clubsprint, from standard vehicles

JOHNSTON’S NUMBER FIVE AT MALLALA CELEBRATION ON AUGUST 28-29 the highlight of Mallala Motorsport Park’s 60th Anniversary celebration was the sixth running of the Ryan Pannowitch Memorial Trophy for Hyundai Excels, won for the fifth time by Asher Johnston.

Established in 2016 to remember the legacy of Ryan Pannowitch, a member of the South Australian Excel Racing community who lost his life in a road accident, this year’s final was the closest ever.

Johnston held out Jayden Wanzek by just 0.28s after 15 laps, while Lee Stibbs was a distant third ahead of Andrew Hobby and Ethan Fitzgerald.

Starting from pole, Johnston was slow away but had the lead before the end of lap one, after which they raced nose-to-tail throughout.

Fitzgerald was third initially ahead of Brad Coleman, Mitchell McGarry and Stibbs, before the battle became a three-way joust between Coleman, Hobby and Stibbs. They swapped places several times until Coleman spun off at Turn 2.

Seventh place went to Shayne Nowickyj, ahead of Ryan’s brother Sean Pannowitch, Nick Scaife and Brad Gartner, who completed the top 10.

The grid was made up with the top 20 from the six heats going

Asher Johnston (top) won the Ryan Pannowitch Memorial Trophy for a sixth time.

Combined Sedans (above) were supports for the Excels, while a collection of historically significant cars celebrated Mallala’s 60th anniversay. Images: John Lemm

straight into the final, while the remainder was determined from the finishing order of a preliminary heat.

Johnston won his three heats, firstly ahead of Wanzek, then Stibbs and Fitzgerald.

Wanzek won two heats, where he beat Brad Vaughan in both, while Stibbs took the other ahead of Hobby.

The preliminary was easily won by Skaife.

Excel support races were for Combined Sedans where Greg Faggotter (Improved Production Nissan Bluebird) won the first two before a DNF in the third.

David Lines (Holden Commodore VT Saloon Car) and Wayne Williams (Ford Falcon V8 Ute) split the wins in races three and four.

Darren Jenkins led home the HQ Holdens on Sunday after Lee Smith and Corey Bradley posted firsts on Saturday.

The Anniversary celebration also included supersprint sessions, drifting demonstrations, and parades of classic sports and muscle cars.

There was also a show and shine plus a collection of historically significant racing cars and displays from the South Australian Aviation Museum. GOB

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NATIONALS wrap n compiled by garry o’brie

Image: WARC Tim Allott

KARRI RALLY WIN PUTS O’DOWD IN TITLE RACE WITH STAGE wins in three of the five contested, John O’Dowd and Toni Feaver took out the WA Car Club Karri Rally, round four of the Dunlop Tyres WA Rally Championship, around Manjimup and Nyamup on August 21.

Conditions were very tricky with some big water crossings that were tough to negotiate, with the scheduled sixth stage cancelled for being too boggy.

At the end of stage five O’Dowd/ Leaver in their Skoda Fabia R5 were 12.1s in front of points leader Ben Searcy and Daymon Nicoll (Mitsubishi EVO 9). The victory puts O’Dowd back

in title contention, now only 26 points in arrears with two rounds to go.

In his first rally season in 10 years, Jack Flanagan along with Camden Puzey were just 0.8s away in third spot at the helm of a Subaru Impreza WRX STi. O’Dowd won the opening stage ahead of Craig Rando and Stephen Wade (WRX), while Searcy, Dave Thomas and Paul Helm (WRX) were equal third. Stage two had O’Dowd first from Rando, Flannagan and Searcy.

The latter took the next ahead of Rando and Thomas. O’Dowd was next

Image: Angryman Photograpy

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The other stage winners in the 2WD ranks were eighth outright Max McRae and Bill Hayes (Ford Fiesta ST) and Mark Travers and Jeremy Edwards (Toyota Sprinter) with 10th overall, behind Gary Mills and Mitch Gray (Fiesta).

Clubman Cup entrants completed three stages for 48 competitive kilometres where Mathew and Jenny Gerdei (Ford Escort MkII) finished 46.3s ahead of Michael Connor and Eden Hughes (Hyundai Excel).

A further 6.8s behind were Glenn Cawood and Murish O’Connell (Mitsubishi Lancer). GOB

Image: Bob Taylor

CLOSE WIN AT LONG HILL THERE WAS just five seconds in the result of the first round of the Dunlop Cup Rallysprint, which Marcus Walkem and Ian Wheeler won in the Long Hill Pine Forest on August 14.

They crewed together in a Hyundai i20 R5 and took victory over Stephen Maguire and Stuart Benson in their Mitsubishi EVO 9. There was a further 1 min 10.3s to third placed Ben Newman and Steve Glenney, the pilots of a Subaru Impreza STi. Held on closed public roads in the north of Tasmania near Sassafras, the event comprised two competitive stages of 3.5 and 4.5km, run concurrently.

The winner was determined by

and then proceeded to win stage four over Searcy. Thomas and Rando were the next two but both were stuck on stage five and became retirements, after they held fifth and second outright respectively.

Fourth in the end were Razvan and Ioana Vlad (Peugeot 208) from Garry Whittle/Stephen Vass (WRX). Next were Glenn Alcorn and Jonathan Charlesson (Ford Escort), who took out 2WD with three stages to their credit. They were over 42s ahead of seventh placed class rivals Alex and Lisa White (Nissan Silvia S13) who took one stage.

the team which achieved the lowest aggregate elapsed time over 12 runs which totalled 63km. Of the 20 entrants, 14 managed to complete the dozen runs.

Fourth place went to Byron Murfet and Callan Randall (EVO V), ahead of Ed Maguire and Zak Brakey (EVO 9), Lee Peterson and Mitchell Newton (Subaru), and Tyler Page and Ryan Sheehan in their Subaru Impreza Spec C version.

Eighth place went to Les Walkden who took on the event in his off road Mitsubishi Pajero, and he finished ahead of Subarus in the hands of Peter Nunn/ Keith Johnstone and Aidan Peterson/ Mitchell Newton. GOB

FAMILY ONE-TWO AT COLLINGROVE IN THEIR shared Hayabusapowered White Formula Libre entry, Derek and Allan Foster finished first and second in the fourth and final round of the Sporting Car Club of South Australia’s Winter Cup Hillclimb at Collingrove on August 29.

Of the available 10 runs for the 67 competitors, Derek Foster only needed four to post his FTD of 29.60s, while brother Allan tried a fifth fling to better his 30.70s, although unsuccessful.

Third spot behind the two Formula Libre 1.3-2.0 litre cars went to David Pfeiffer (up to 1.3 lt Talbot RF) 1.0s

adrift and four tenths up on class rival David Walsh (Ninja GA7).

After them it was Brad De Luca in a Sports Cars up to 1.3 lt Mallock U2 21B ahead of the best of the tin tops, where round three overall winner Paul Healey (Mitsubishi EVO 8) was half a second quicker than David Coombe (EVO 7). They were both in the 4WD Road Registered class, while Brenton Byfield Subaru (WRX Sports Wagon) was eighth in his 4WD Rally Car. Completing the top 10 were Peter Panopoulos (up to 3.0 li 2WD Road Registered Porsche Boxster S 981) and Alex Wilson (Improved Production Audi A4). GOB

SPEEDWAYnews EGEL CLAIMS CHARIOTS OF THUNDER SERIES

Words: Paris Charles Images: Nakita Pollock THE OSTOJIC Group 2021 Chariots of Thunder Sprintcar series blasted into action for three huge successive nights of racing at Darwin’s 7Mate Northline Speedway.

The format over each night kicked off with hot laps and the qualifying run against the clock to secure a starting position for the heat races.

With a total of 44 teams, the field was split into four heats of 11, the top two placings from each transferred straight into the Top Eight Dash, while positions three and four transitioned into the main race. The remainder worked their way through the alphabet shuffle in the C and B Mains in an attempt to qualify into the top 20 for the all-important 30-lap A Main.

NIGHT 1 - EGEL SWOOPS TO VICTORY THE HEAT race victors were Robbie Farr, Ryan Jones, Jamie Veal and Lachlan McHugh, while runner ups Jock Goodyer, Taylor Milling, Matt Egel and Callum Williamson also joined them in the dash.

Farr would claim the dash to start from pole position alongside McHugh. At the drop of the green, Farr jumped to lead McHugh and Veal, who was quickly challenged and relegated two positions back to fifth by Egel and Ryan Jones as they made early inroads on the front runners.

However, the race was halted on the second circulation when Tate Frost rode the wheel of Jake Smith and rolled out of contention.

Farr again led the field as the top five remained unchanged. Farr stuck to the bottom side while McHugh charged around the fence line as many close fought battles transpired throughout the field. Nearing the halfway mark, Farr and McHugh hit lapped traffic, adding another equation into the high speed game of chess and if that wasn’t enough, Egel closed in as Farr and McHugh remained committed to their lines.

Egel swooped, catching the lead duo by surprise, splitting the pair as he hit the lead. McHugh mounted a strong challenge but would quickly get on the defensive as Farr delivered a stout reply for second place through traffic, allowing Egel a small margin until the yellow lights were ablaze when West Australian James Inglis departed from the race.

Restart: Egel made the most of clear track ahead, bouncing his way off the turn two cushion and low through turns three and four, while McHugh and Farr jockeyed for the minors. The battle behind was a beauty as Williamson, Jones and Goodyer jostled in a threeway dance with five laps to run. McHugh made ground on Egel and with three circulations to run challenged for lead, however Egel held on for the victory and Farr who would join the duo on the dais.

Goodyer, Jones and Veal were next relegating Williamson to seventh, who was wrestling a wounded car in the closing stages. Darren Mollenouyx was next followed by Ben Atkinson, Cody

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The Chariots of Thunder A Main field gets ready to rumble.

Maroske and rounding out the top dozen were Jack Lee and Brock Hallett.

After a two year hiatus Danny Reidy returned with a 13h. Jake Smith, Taylor Milling, Paul Solomon, Todd Moule and Jason Pryde rounded out the 18 finishers.

The B-main was won by Maroske who finished strong despite a minor crash earlier in the evening and the C-main was claimed by Chase Karpenko.

NIGHT 2 - THE EGEL FLIES AGAIN IT WAS as if the pause button had been pressed when the chequered flag fell on night one. Matt Egel picked up where he left off having won the dash to place the Whyalla Earthworks S52 on pole for the feature alongside the consistent Farr.

At the launch Farr would slingshot around the top side to lead, followed

by Egel and Chris Solomon, but it was Ryan Jones who set the pace as he manoeuvred his way to the front and opened a handy gap.

With over a third of the race behind them Jones looked comfortable with a handy lead, Farr and Egel followed but the movers were Jamie Veal and Lachaln McHugh, creating a thrilling four way dog fight.

Farr’s run would come to an end on lap 15 when he hit the fence and was tagged

by Ryan Davis, who flipped on his side from the impact. Both cars were unable to restart.

Jones led the restart, McHugh continued around the top, snatching the lead from Jones who tried his best to stick with the Queenslander as he ran the bottom, only to fall back into the clutches of Egel and Veal.

Disaster struck McHugh on the penultimate lap, blowing a right rear tyre, taking him from certain victory to out of contention.

Egel would inherit the lead and for the second successive night parked his ride in victory lane, sharing the podium with Veal and a very happy Atkinson, who had barnstormed his way from 17th position.

Goodyer, Jones, Jack Lee, Darren Mollenouyx, Solomon, Jason Pryde, Callum Williamson, Brock Hallett, Tate

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Frost, Jamie Inglis and Andrew Priolo were the final drivers on the lead lap.

Jake Smith won the C Main, Atkinson the B and the heat victories were shared between Veal, Jones, McHugh and Solomon.

NIGHT 3 – VEAL TAKES BATTLE BUT EGEL WINS THE WAR! THE TEAMS were keen to end their northern venture to Darwin on a strong note. For the first time this series we saw West Australian Daniel Harding set the cat amongst the pigeons as he claimed pole position alongside Jock Goodyer for the final stanza.

At the green light, Goodyer jumped to the lead, while Lachlan McHugh was on an early charge and he challenged for second but touched the turn two wall and rolled. Callum Williamson was left with nowhere to go and slid into the out of control McHugh as he tumbled through the air. McHugh was done for the night while Williamson restarted with a wounded car from the back of the field.

Goodyer again led the field away followed by Jamie Veal, Harding and Jack Lee. Goodyer led comfortably working the top side of the track until fellow Tasmanian charger Tate Frost crashed out in the closing stages, bringing the field back together for the final 6 laps. Goodyer remained in charge until tapping the wall several times on the final lap, then tried to evade the stranded car of Darren Mollyenouyx and engaged in a drag race to the line with Veal.

The yellows were thrown, and things looked set for an exciting final page of the story to be written only for the rear tyre of the Goodyer entry to deflate, ending his chances of winning the race and the series with it.

Veal inherited the lead with three laps remaining, while Lee, Harding, Cody Maroske, Matt Egel and co left to slug it out in a race that would go down to the wire.

From this point Egel would have to climb to third to win the series as he worked overtime at the wheelhouse of the S52, splitting the cars of Maroske and Lee on the final corner for third to take the series win.

Veal won with Harding second. Ben Atkinson again was the best of the locals in fourth. Maroske, Chase Karpenko, Jack Lee, Robbie Farr, Ryan Jones, Williamson, Brock Hallett, Jason Pryde, Chad Ely, Jy Corbet, James Inglis and Ryan Farrell were the last of the finishers.

Hallett, Goodyer, Harding and Lee secured the heat wins. The C and B Mains were won by Ryan Davis and Egel.

Matt Egel was crowned Chariots of Thunder Series Champion over Jamie Veal, Ben Atkinson, Ryan Jones, Callum Williamson, Jock Goodyer, Brock Hallett, Jack Lee, Darren Mollenoyux, Jason Pryde, Cody Maroske, Daniel Harding, Robbie Farr, Lachlan McHugh, James Inglis, Chad Ely, Tate Frost, Chase Karpenko, Chris Solomon and Jy Corbert rounding out the top 20.

Matt Egel was too good on Night 1, lucky on Night 2, and took the title on Night 3.

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57

We take a look back at what was making news in Auto Action 10, 20, 30, 40 and 50 years ago 1971: THEN AUTO ACTION columnist Allan Moffat jumped behind the wheel of F5000 at Calder in Melbourne and was impressed.

The designer of the Elfin MR5, Garrie Cooper, was looking for potential buyers for the new Australian-designed F5000 machine. It was also being reported that Colin Bond, gun rally and race driver, would depart the Holden Dealer Team.

1981: FRONT RUNNING French Formula 1 driver Jacques Laffite announced he would travel Down Under to contest the 1981 Australian Grand Prix at Calder. Allan Grice was announced as one of the drivers in the stillborn John Player Special backed Formula Pacific outfit. Alongside this, JPS was running its BMW 635 CSi in the Australian Touring Car Championship, while the dropping its Sports Sedan program.

Name: Complete the crossword puzzle below 1 2 3 6

7

5

8 9

13

4

10

11

12

14

15

16 17

18

19 20

21

22

23

24 25

1991: WITH THE Group A Touring Car regulations set to be replaced in Australia in 1993, competitors and organisers of the Australian Touring Car Championship were yet to agree on a new formula. The deadline for a decision was July 1, however in mid-September there was still no direction. The fourth edition of Rally Australia was set to take place, in which Juha Kankkunen would attempt to win his third Rally Oz in succession.

26

27 28

29

2001: STONE BROTHERS Racing were on the lookout for a Bathurst 1000 co-driver for Marcos Ambrose. After a disappointing race at Queensland Raceway Greg Crick and the team elected to go their separate ways, leaving the Tasmanian without a co-driver. Further south in Victoria, Calder was told it had lost its 2002 V8 Supercar round, as AVESCO Chairman Tony Cochrane claimed that venue owner Bob Jane had not paid the circuit’s sanctioning fee.

2001: FIVE YEARS after the passing of Peter Brock, AA did an extensive Peter Brock tribute.

It was reported that a V8-Powered Holden Adventra had been built for Brockie to contest the legendary Dakar Rally. Foges spoke to Craig Lowndes about some of his greatest memories with his idol, while Dick Johnson jumped behind the wheel of Peter Brock’s 1979 Bathurst 1000 winning Holden Torana A9X for four laps at The Mountain.

Created using the Crossword Maker on TheTeachersCorner.net

Across

4. Who did Broc Feeney pip to the Super3 Series title in 2019? (surname) 6. Who won the 1981 Indianapolis 500? (surname) 9. Picture C shows which former Formula 1 driver beaming away in his McLaren overalls? (surname) 13. With what team did Broc Feeney make his Supercars Championship debut?

15. How many times did Mallala host the Australian Grand Prix?

17. Who won the first Australian Touring

Car Championship race at Mallala in 1963? (full name) 18. Broc Feeney made his Bathurst 1000 debut last year, who did he co-drive with? (surname) 20. Driving what brand of car did Allan McNish win his first Le Mans 24 Hours?

21. For what team does Reef McCarthy race in the Super3 Series?

23. Who is the most recent driver to race an F1 with the number 27? (surname) 25. The F1 race in Belgium was the shortest in history, but how many laps will the record books show were completed?

26. Who debuted the legendary Nissan GT-R ‘Godzilla’ in 1990? (surname) 27. In picture A Martin Brundle is signing to race for which Formula 1 team?

28. How many MotoGP races did Colin Edwards win?

29. In what state is the Mallala race circuit? (abbreviation)

Down

1. What brand of car did Neil Crompton and Gregg Hansford drive to victory in the Bathurst 12 Hour in 1994?

2. Who was the last F1 driver to race with the famous number 27 on a Ferrari? (surname) 3. Who was Chaz Mostert’s co-driver on his Bathurst 1000 debut in 2013? (full name) 5. What is the name of Chaz Mostert’s race engineer? (surname) 7. How many race wins did Broc Feeney take in the Toyoya 86 Racing Series in 2017?

8. Picture B sees the late Murray Walker standing in pit lane, at what track was the photo taken?

10. How many turns make up the Winton Motor Raceway?

11. At what track did Marcos Ambrose take his first Cup Series victory?

12. How old is Triple Eight prodigy Broc Feeney?

14. Who am I? I raced in F1 for Surtees, I finished third at Bathurst with Allan Moffat and won Le Mans five times. (full name) 16. Who won the Monaco Grand Prix in 1981? (surname) 19. Who did Dick Johnson win the Bathurst 1000 with in 1981? (surname) 22. Who won the final Supercars round at Mallala? (surname) 24. What national Formula 3 Championship did Russell Ingall contest in 1992?

26. George Russell claimed Williams’ first podium at Spa-Francorchamps, who was the last driver to score a podium for the team in 2017? (surname)

1818 Crossword answers 1 down – Toyota, 2 across – Bathurst, 3 down – Holdsworth, 4 down – six, 5 across – Ocon, 6 down – three, 7 down – zero, 8 down – Jason Bargwanna, 9 across – SMP, 10 down – Martin, 11 across – third, 11 down – The Bend, 12 across – Castroneves, 13 across – second, 14 across – Joey Mawson, 15 across – Sachsenring, 16 down – Hamilton, 17 down – Vinales, 18 down – Aprilia, 19 across – Heimgartner, 20 across – Indianapolis, 21 down – Leclerc, 22 across – Hill, 23 across – GRM, 24 down – Randle, 25 down – five, 26 across – eleven, 27 across – Bagnaia, 28 across – Austria, 29 across - Perez

58 AutoAction

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