Astuti and Gatenby win 2022 AFFS Titles R7 R3 report
Round 7 – Sydney Motorsport Park - Race 3 report
The racing remained fantastic and thrilling right through to the end with an up-front battle the would determine the round results after 3 drivers in the Duratec class finished on 48 points, Valentino Astuti, Zak Lobko and Ryder Quinn
It was Ryder Quinn who was the man to catch for the first 5 laps of the race with positions behind him changing on a lap by lap basis. Valentino Astuti, Zak Lobko and Winston Smith exchanging 2nd, 3rd and 4th position until a racing incident with Ryder Quinn saw him drop down the field to 9th place on lap 6 of 10 and handing the lead at first to Lobko before Astuti took the lead on Lap 8 and held it till the end.
Eddie Beswick had his best national round of the year finishing 6th, 4th and 3rd in the final race with a lap or two in 2nd place during the finale. After starting the final race in 6th place Xavier Kokai also turned his year around holding onto 4th place for the last 5 laps.
Cameron McLeod started 16th and was 9th by the end of the first lap working his way up to 5th for the final 4 laps. This was significant for the 2022 Formula Ford Series results as it allowed McLeod the finish third in the Championship which was the position held by Ryder Quinn after the start of race 3.
In the Kent class Mitch Gatenby and the Anglo Motorsport team took this car to it’s 30th consecutive win in the Kent Series and Mitch was the Driver in 9 of those wins this year. He defeated Queensland driver Tim Hamilton for second place in the round, and fellow National Driver and New South Welshman Jason Liddell for third. For Gatenby it was a well-earned National title to add to his State Title in 2019.
“ It means a huge amount to be the 2022 National Formula Ford Champion in the Kent Class. To win any Australian category should be a dream come true for anyone in Australian Motorsport, and to do it in a category like Formula Ford is a dream come true for me. It’s takes plenty of effort from the entire team and it is a good feeling. I really have to thank Tim from Anglo Motorsport for his hard work and dedication all year, he really is the reason we can take a clean sweep of the National series. Mum and Dad for all their support and the great team at the Formula Ford Association, we couldn’t do it if you guys didn’t run the series. Hopefully next year we can have more rounds and more cars for the Kent Class next year.”
Meanwhile Valentino Astuti was crowned National Champion in the Duratec class after a strong display here at SMP. “ It’s absolutely amazing, Formula Ford is such a great category and I have learnt most of my race craft driving a car here. Every round this year there has been someone else and Pole and another person in front, it’s just such a great competition and I couldn’t be happier to be on top. I would really like to thank the team at Sonic and Maria and Michael who are so much like my Mum
and Dad in the way they support me. Hopefully next year I will on a grid somewhere it’s up to me know to get out there and get the budget I need to race.”
2022 Formula Ford Series points results.
Duratec Kent
Valentino Astuti 274 Mitch Gatenby 183
James Piszcyk 237 Jason Liddell 96
Cameron McLeod 226 Mark Zellner 90
Ryder Quinn 217
Winston Smith 214
2022 Leading Manufacturer – MyGale
2022 Leading Privateer Duratec – Cameron McLeod
2022 Leading Privateer Kent – Jason Liddell
2022 Hard Charger of the Year – Valentino Astuti
2022 John Blanchard Rookie of the Year – Ryder Quinn
