WILLIAMS SECURES NATIONAL TITLE AT PHILLIP ISLAND

8 Oct

Spectrum driver KOBI WILLIAMS has become the 54th national Australian Formula Ford Champion, after taking 3 wins in 3 races, at the final round of the 2025 Australian Formula Ford Championship, at the Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit in Victoria.

Fine and sunny conditions across all three days meant the speed was hot right from the outset and it was the number 94 of WILLIAMS who set the pace, taking a commanding POLE position on Saturday.

However, fellow front runners LACHLAN EVENNETT and JOE FAWCETT were never far behind, with the title decider going right down to the final race of the season.

Spectrum driver KOBI WILLIAMS has become the 54th national Australian Formula Ford Champion

QUALIFYING:

On Saturday morning, it was the Number 94 of KOBI WILLIAMS who took pole by 9 tenths of second over JOE FAWCETT and LACHLAN EVENNETT.

RACE 1

In arguably the race of the season, it was WILLIAMS who grabbed the lead early but a five car breakaway fight would soon ensure.

ASHTON GEALY stumbling off the line meant and early safety car was called but with marshals quick to clear that car, it was WILLIAMS, FAWCETT, EVENNETT, SETH BURCHARTZ and JAMIE ROWE who began the epic battle.

Multiple lead changes and fastest laps were exchanged - all at well over 200kmhr - and all only inches apart - at the high speed, fast and flowing Victorian circuit.

*JAMIE ROWE, JOE FAWCETT and LACHLAN EVENNETT battle hard at Phillip Island - PIC: Deanos Race Pics*

In the end with an incredible last lap - and even last corner lunge - it was WILLIAMS who managed to barely hold on and take the win over EVENNETT by a mere two one hundreths of a second, FAWCETT too only a further eight one hundredths of a second behind in third and keeping his championship title hopes alive.

The Top 5 all home within an incredible ‘half a second’ of each other.

Mechanical dramas to ASHTON GEALY and JACK JOHNSON saw them fail to get across the line.

In the KENT Class, it was Queenslander ANDREW TORTI in the No 55 BFR machine who was in full command - taking a solid and comfortable victory over CRAIG ARNOLD and PETER FITZGERALD.

Victorian Championship leader RICHARD DAVISON battled through an uncharacteristic slide into the tight Honda hairpin to come home in 16th, which again keep that championship open.

KOBI WILLIAMS takes victory over LACHLAN EVENNETT and JOW FAWCETT at Phillip Island

RACE 2

On Sunday morning, WILLIAMS again came out punching, taking an early lead and despite further competition from FAWCETT and EVENENTT, in the end the #94 ACMF Finance/Siclids Spectrum of WILLIAMS would see more championship points banked.

The fight for second was tight all race with FAWCETT just managing to hold off a confident EVENNETT, with a number of position changes all race between the two.

BRAD JAMES had his best race of the season, holding off a pack which included BURCHARTZ, JOHNSON, JARED HURST, JAMIE ROWE, KALEB BELAK, TABITHA AMBROSE and ASHTON GEALY - all within a second of each other.

ROWE and BURCHARTZ would eventually climb their way up to 5th an 6th respectively, as BELAK and JOHNSON also moved past JAMES who by this time had had an engine cover come loose.

Up front WILLIAMS was never headed and cruised to victory but importantly, it was the second place effort of LACHLAN EVENNETT who, with that result, secured the 2025 Victorian State Race Series Duratec championship.

In the KENT Class, again it was TORTI in the No 55 BFR machine who just managed to hold off a fast charging RICHARD DAVISON, PETER FITZGERALD rounding out the podium.

*LACHLAN EVENNETT crosses the line ahead of the pack at Phillip Island PIC: Deanos Race Pics*

RACE 3:

Race 3 on Sunday afternoon again saw the top three go at it from the outset, but unlike the first two races, this time WILLIAMS got away well, knowing the championship was on the line.

Again, EVENNETT, ROWE and FAWCETT began a race long battle.

BELAK unfortunately stalling on the grid, saw the field bunch up as he was wheeled away.

BURCHARTZ and JAMES joined the party up front with HURST and AMBROSE in a tense battle just behind.

Mid-race WILLIAMS cleared out, taking a 4 second lead, but the fight for the podium was still very much on, with 5 cars in the hunt.

In the end, it was the championship leader WILLIAMS who cruised home in emphatic style to take a 5 second victory and to claim the title of the 2025 Australian National Formula Ford Champion.

In the Kent class, it was all smiles for RICHARD DAVISON as he managed to take his first victory of the weekend and in doing so, securing the 2025 Victorian State Kent Championship, home ahead of CRAIG ARNOLD and NDREW TORTI.

*Formula Ford driver Kobi Williams crosses the line to win the 2025 Australian Formula Ford Championship - PIC : Deanos Race Pics*

*2025 AFFC CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL PODIUM - (l-r) LACHLAN EVENNETT, KOBI WILLIAMS and JOE FAWCETT*

DRIVER FOCUS HARD CHARGER AWARD

The DRIVER FOCUS HARD CHARGER AWARD was taken out by the number 45 driver TABITHA AMBROSE.

In awarding the prize, FFA National Category Manager Jack Atley said:

‘As always in Formula Ford it is close racing and number of the competitors deserved this award but over the whole weekend, we felt that despite a few setbacks here and there, or in fact because of it - it was the fighting spirit - combined with pure driving skill - and a ‘never give up’ attitude which shone through for TABITHA AMBROSE.

She has fought hard all year and improved alot as a driver throughout the course of the season, in a highly competitive and tough environment.

She is a much deserving winner of the HARD CHARGER award’.