FAST AND FURIOUS - FAWCETT TAKES OUT ROUND 3 HONOURS AT SYDNEY
Australian Formula Ford Spectrum driver JOE FAWCETT has taken out round honours, at an incident packed ROUND 3 of the 2025 Australian Formula Ford Championship, at Sydney Motorsport Park in Sydney.
Changing weather conditions - from full sunshine to rain - and night racing - along with multiple safety car interventions across the event meant the pace was flexible with the whole field facing challenges.
In the end, it was Fawcett who held on to claim top points for the round, over JAMIE ROWE and KOBI WILLIAMS.
Australian Formula Ford driver Joe Fawcett is seen at Sydney. PIC BY:Armstrong Rider Photography
QUALIFYING:
After a dry and hot 4 sessions of Practice on Day 1, overnight rain drenched the circuit, leaving the track green for an early morning Qualifying session, on Saturday.
By the time the field headed out, the track was beginning to dry and it was the number 94 of Spectrum driver KOBI WILLIAMS who set the pace, taking POLE position with his final flying lap in a time of: 1.49.0806
Pole position winner KOBI WILLIAMS
RACE 1
Pole winner WILLIAMS grabbed the lead early and led the field for the first 3 laps, however a tussle with NSW State runner Will Lowing saw Williams entangled and running off, the contact dropping him back down to 10th.
Lowing would subsequently receive a ’back of the grid’ penalty for Race 2 and was stripped of race points for the incident by stewards.
FAWCETT saw his opportunity and with Williams heading to the grass, the No 23 driver grabbed the lead into turn 2.
From here, he was never headed.
Close behind Fawcett, a race long fight between LACHIE MINEEFF and JAMIE ROWE remained tight, both drivers at times taking the podium spot.
In the end, the No 48 of ROWE held on to take second by a comfortable margin. Mineef remained in 3rd, meaning a solid starting position for Race 2.
Mid pack, Marcos Ambrose Motorsport driver, BRAD JAMES had fought his was up to 4th with 2 laps to go - a very solid opening result after starting 7th, whilst stablemate TABITHA AMBROSE also kept her nose clean in the challenging conditions, getting home in 6th after starting 8th.
KALEB BALEK toiled all race, home in a commendable 7th place.
GIUSEPPE IMBROGNO showed his skill and speed, charging towards 5th, to split the 2 Marcos Ambrose Motorsport runners and ASHTON GEALY completed the AFFC runners, home in 9th.
WILLIAMS managed to recover and made it across the line in 8th to score much needed points.
NSW State runner Will Lowing claimed that race and Gavis Dumas took out the Kent race.
Australian Formula Ford Spectrum driver JOE FAWCETT is seen at Sydney Motorsport Park. PIC BY: Armstrong Rider Photography
RACE 2
On Saturday mid afternoon, Race 2, and by this time the sun was shining and with the better track conditions, the pace quickened.
It was FAWCETT who led the charge into Turn 1 but this time, he had ROWE and MINEEF in close proximity.
As expected, WILLIAMS also grabbed a fast start and began his move early - up an incredible 6 spots on lap 1 - to sit in 4th, the first time around.
GIUSEPPE IMBROGNO found trouble
GIUSEPPE IMBROGNO however found trouble and a wild spin saw him find the fence, off at the fast Turn 1. Imbrogno was thankfully unhurt.
An immediate Safety Car was called.
Upon resumption, the mid pack was where things really began to heat up with BRADLEY JAMES, KALEB BALEK, AHTON GEALY and TABITHA AMBROSE all fighting - nose to tail, lap after lap.
Initially, up to second, a last lap lunge by WILLIAMS saw him slide on the last corner, an unfortunate way to end his hard work, and this saw the multiple race winner tumble back to end up 6th at the conclusion.
FAWCETT was again the star, cruising home to take his second victory.
Solid and clean races by both MINEEFF and ROWE saw them take out the remaining two Australian Formula Ford championship podium places.
NSW State runner Will Lowing claimed that race and this time, John Pereira took out the Kent race.
JOE FAWCETT leads the field into Turn 2 at Sydney Motorsport Park PIC BY:Armstrong Rider Photography
RACE 3:
Race 3 on Saturday night - under lights - again saw the top three go at it from the outset, but unlike the first two races, this time WILLIAMS saw his chance and charged towards FAWCETT and ROWE, sitting 2nd to ROWE by the end of the opening lap.
Despite the team’s amazing work in fixing his car after race 2, IMBROGNO’s night came to an early finish with his number 5 grinding to a halt out on circuit. Again, the safety car was deployed. And again, IMBROGNO was unhurt.
A shortened race meant a last lap ‘shootout’ was on the cards and the top 3 didn’t disappoint.
WILLIAMS was ready to pounce and the Spectrum driver kept it all together, snatching the top spot over FAWCETT with 3 laps to go, and in the end, just managing to get home by a mere tenth of a second over the number 23.
ROWE, not far behind with another solid third place AFFC finish, ensured more than just a podium.
Two rollovers at the last 2 rounds meant he had been looking for a clean and solid weekend and the points finishes here in Sydney showed just how much he has rebounded.
It would also eventually be ROWE’S best ever round result in the National championship.
Spectrum Australian Formula Ford driver KOBI WILLIAMS is seen at Sydney Motorsprt Park - PIC BY:Armstrong Rider Photography
KALEB BALEK produced his strongest race of the weekend, home in a very commendable 4th place.
BRAD JAMES and fellow Marcos Ambrose Motorsport driver TABITHA AMBROSE fought inches apart all race, eventually the number 61 of JAMES getting the result, home by just under a second over AMBROSE.
ASHTON GEALY toiled hard and would later finish with yet another top 10 result, home in 7th place.
Prior podium getter MINEEFF found issues with his number 15 machine and unfortuantely retired early, but the pace was strong all weekend for the Anglo Motorsport driver, a strong sign of things to come in the back half of the season.
NSW State competitor Will Lowing took out that category whilst John Pereira produced another strong result to claim victory in the Kent class.
Australian Formula Ford championship ROUND 3 Podium - (L-R) KOBI WILLIAMS, JOE FAWCETT and JAMIE ROWE
FOCUS DRIVER PERFORMANCE HARD CHARGER AWARD
The FOCUS DRIVER PERFORMANCE HARD CHARGER AWARD was taken out by the number 61 of Marcos Ambrose Motorsport driver, BRAD JAMES.
In awarding the prize, Formula Ford National Category Manager Jack Atley said:
‘there were a number of outstanding performances across the weekend, as there always is in Formula Ford.
In tough and changeable conditions, the drivers showed true courage and skill right throughout.
Some standout performances came from Lachie Mineeff, who bounced back from Queensland with podiums here in Sydney, and in particular, a mention to Tabitha Ambrose - who also had a great weekend. She showed real fighting ability and also strong pace - moving up from her qualy position to, at one stage, be in the top 5 and she should be proud of her weekend.
So there are many that were deserving of the award, but overall, we found that the driver of No. 61 - BRAD JAMES - showed true hard charging abilities all weekend.
Again, in challenging conditions, Brad not only kept his nose and his racing clean, he also battled - having to come back from a sluggish start in race 3 - along with moving up the field after his qualifying in races 1 and 2.
In the end, he began to really mix it with the front runners and actually finished fourth overall for the round in the National competition, which is a fantastic result. He is a much deserving winner of the award”.
JAMES receives a training and performance session from FFA category partner, Focus Driver Performance for the award.
The number 61 of Australian Formula Ford driver BRAD JAMES is seen at Sydney Motorsport Park.
The next Round of the Australian Formula Ford Championship - ROUND 4 - will take place at the ‘Home of Horsepower’ - Sandown - in Melbourne on 22 - 24 August.