Australia’s most popular open-wheel category, the Australian Formula Ford Series, has attracted another strong field for this weekend’s second round at Wakefield Park Raceway – and a pair of young guns representing two of the powerhouse teams of the series are set to resume their contest.
Following their tight battle in the season opener at Sandown, Max Vidau (Sonic Motor Racing Services) and Jayden Ojeda (Borland Racing Developments) head to Wakefield Park tied at the top of the standings.
Paradoxically, Vidau was awarded the round win at Sandown by virtue of his higher finishing position in the weekend’s final race, but Ojeda leads the series standings on a countback, as a result of having more race wins (he won two races at Sandown to Vidau’s single victory).
Vidau’s Sonic team-mates Hunter McElrea and Courtney Prince are back in action; McElrea qualified on the front row at Sandown but had his races compromised by a few incidents; the son of Carrera Cup team owner Andy McElrea will be looking for a stronger points haul at Wakefield.
The Sandown polesitter Liam McLellan is another driver who demonstrated speedy form in the first round, but wasn’t able to convert it into a podium finish – look for him to be on the pace at Wakefield.
Conversely, Jordan Boys was just off the front-running pace at Sandown, but was still able to finish on the podium with a consistent, trouble-free approach to the weekend. If the Albury driver can find a bit more speed out of his privately-run Mygale at Wakefield, he is one who could take the fight up to the larger teams.
Another privateer who put together a quietly impressive performance at Sandown was Zac Soutar, who improved in every race and eventually finished the weekend in the top 10.
Other contenders include the Brett Francis Racing trio of Cameron Shields, Harrison Jones and Nathan Herne; Shields finished third in the first two races at Sandown before retiring from the final with a gearbox problem, Jones qualified on the second row, and Herne ended up just off the overall podium after a solid weekend.
A total of 27 entries have been received for the event, which will be held jointly with the opening round of the NSW Formula Ford Championship.
The race meeting will consist of open practice on Friday, followed by qualifying and Race 1 on Saturday, and Races 2 and 3 on Sunday.
National Formula Ford is proudly supported by Mazda Road to Indy, Shell Helix, Yokohama and Ferodo.
Formula Ford Fast Facts – Wakefield Park
- Wakefield Park has hosted six rounds and 17 races of national Formula Ford
- 13 drivers have won national Formula Ford races at Wakefield Park. The most successful is Cameron Hill with three race victories and he is also the only driver to “clean sweep” a round. Other race winners have been: Brett Francis, Thomas Randle (each with two race wins), Jamie Whincup, Marcus Marshall, Tim Macrow, Kristian Lindbom, Rob Storey, Paul Laskazeski, James Golding, Jayden Ojeda, Will Brown and Leanne Tander.
- Every round has been won by a different driver. Round winners have been:
- 2002 – Jamie Whincup
- 2004 – Bryce Washington
- 2008 – Kristian Lindbom
- 2014 – James Golding
- 2015 – Cameron Hill
- 2016 – Leanne Tander
- Three of those round winners (Whincup, Hill and Tander) went on to win the title.
- The most successful team at Wakefield Park is Sonic Motor Racing, with four of the six round wins.
- The current race lap record is 1:00.1986, set by Paul Laskazeski in 2008.
