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RACE REPORT
March 6-9, 2003
FRANCIS WINS AGAIN AT GRAND PRIX
Brett Francis and Kurt Wimmer have completed a Queensland Van Diemen quinella in today’s exciting Formula Ford race at the 2003 Foster’s Australian Grand Prix at the Albert Park circuit.
Victoria’s Cade Southall won a thrilling battle for third to secure a trifecta for the Van Diemen brand.
"I started from pole after winning yesterday’s first race and I got away to a good start so I’m hoping to repeat it tomorrow," said Francis.
Wimmer had a poor start, allowing South Australia’s Bryce Washington (Van Diemen RF03) into second place with Mygale driver Greg Woodrow in third.
By the end of the second lap, Francis had pulled away to a three second lead and, with Wimmer, Washington, Woodrow and Southall battling for position, it didn’t appear he would be challenged.
After accidents yesterday the Sonic Motorsport trio of Glen Hastings, Tony Pugliese and Michael Trimble starting from the rear of the grid, and quickly made up ground
Wimmer overtook Washingon on the first corner of lap three for second place, and Southall passed Woodrow for fourth.
Former Formula Vee champion, Southall moved into third place on the fifth lap ahead of Washington, and an intriguing battle for third followed.
The jostling for positions between Southall, Washington and Woodrow allowed Francis to clock the fastest lap of the race (2:08.981) on lap nine with Hastings moving into sixth.
Francis took his second checkered flag in two races, over two seconds ahead of Wimmer with Southall beating Washinton and Woodrow to the line for third.
In an impressive drive, Trimble made up 20 places to finish in sixth ahead of Mark Ceveri and Steve Baxter.
Tony D’Alberto was another hard charger, making up 21 places to finish in ninth with Queensland’s Chris Gilmour rounding out the top ten.
The final Formula Ford race is at 12.25pm tomorrow, and will be screened nation-wide on Channel 10. Eastern Australian Time.
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It is pleasing to hear about the excitement and preeminance Formula Ford garners in Australia.
It comes as a refreshing surprise to discover, for, in The United States, Formula Ford gets no such attention, and no such veneration as being the prelude race to a Formula One Grand Prix.
Hell, in the US, it would take an act of God to have Formula Ford open for a premier race series. We can barely get into a racing or formula car publication, here. My cousins in Scandinavia know Formula Ford, my girlfriend here in America has never heard a mention.
Salut, FF racers in Australia. You guys got it good!
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I suppose you should be thankful for small mercys. We have often thought that we are hard done by as Ford Australia has really cut off their involvement, and this has cut off TV coverage.
The press today only ran one FF story, and that was focusing on Brett Francis's budget compared to Ferrari. His budget was 0.01% of theirs. Most of the press is not surprisingly covering the F1 drivers and cars.
Nevertheless, his times were better than some of the other support catogries - Nations Cup Ferraris, Vipers and Porsche GT3 RS. If I had spent $300,000 on a Ferrari 360GT I would be a little pissed if a $40,000 FF beat my time. I think that Brett Francis is Member #910.
I raced last weekend against some of the guys who came 19th and 20th in this race. I thought they were fast, so these front runners are really going.
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That sounds like FF in the US.
Ford, heh, they don't help us one bit.
Come to think of it, we should change the name.
We could sell the naming rights.
Humm....
