Hamilton claims 2019 Australian FF1600 title at Phillip Island

Tim Hamilton has taken out the 2019 Australian FF1600 Championship after a stellar performance at Phillip Island over the weekend. Hamilton secured the championship this year after a heartbreaking finale in 2018. "I've been working towards it for so long now. Absolutely awesome get the round win and seal the championship," said newly-crowned Australian FF1600 Champion Tim Hamilton. Jarrod Costello and Scott Tidyman completed the remainder of the podium in the Kent class at the end of the three-round championship. More than a dozen of Kent-powered Formula Fords arrived at Phillip Island this weekend in support of the Australian Formula Ford Championship, joining the CAMS Victorian FF1600 Championship. Tim Hamilton and Jarrod Costello shared race wins through the weekend, with the former claiming the Freem Racewear Pole Position award and winning race two and three, while Costello thrived in damp conditions to win race two. Race one was ideal for Hamilton, who captured the lead and edged away from his rivals to score maximum points. Former Australian Formula 2 Champion Richard Davison and Victorian Kent stalwart Brendan Jones took it right down to the finish line, after drafting lap after lap while gunning for second. Race two on Sunday morning saw damp and varied conditions to mix the game up, with Costello claiming the win over a hard charging Richard Davison. Tim Hamilton completed the podium some 21 seconds adrift. Brendan Jones, who is a regular front runner, found himself further down the pack and ended up in fifth. Race three saw a firey come back from Jones, who worked his way up to second after Hamilton had taken the lead and cleared away. Jones was forced to battle it out once again with Richard Davison, the duo were separated by 2 hundredths of a second when they crossed the finish line. Hamilton's win allowed him to wrap up the Kent National title in style. Brendan Jones grabbed his fifth CAMS Victorian FF1600 Championship in a row, while Peter Fitzgerald and Doug Williams finished second and third to give Spectrum a full podium in the FF1600 State Championship. The Australian FF1600 Championship will return next year, in an effort to provide the most affordable National championship in the country.