Australian Formula Ford Championship contender Tom Sargent has admitted he learned some valuable lessons in Round 3 of the Australian Formula Ford Championship at Winton on the weekend.
Despite enduring his toughest event of the season so far, Sargent banked a solid points haul and maintained a top-three position in the series standings, well in touch with the points leader.
The Young driver’s struggles started on Friday, when his CHE Racing Team struggled to find a suitable setup for the changeable conditions at the technical Winton circuit – he qualified in 11th position.
Sargent was presented with an opportunity for redemption when showers of rain fell during the opening race, and he charged to second place in the slippery conditions.
Race 2 was also going well for Sargent until he was penalised for a Safety Car restart infringement, the subsequent penalty dropping him from second on the road to 12th. He recovered to finish eighth in Race 3.
“We always knew this was going to be one of the tougher rounds for us, as we were up against Victorian teams with more experience at Winton,” Sargent said.
“In that respect, it was an exercise in damage limitation and Race 1 was a very good result for us, after our qualifying struggles on Friday.
“Unfortunately, I made a mistake in Race 2 when I misjudged the restart and overlapped the car in front before the start-finish line. It’s something I’ll learn from, and won’t repeat.
“In the final race, the car was the best it had been in dry conditions, but it’s difficult to overtake at Winton due to the short braking zones.
“The next round is at Tailem Bend, a circuit where I had some really good results last year, so I’m looking forward to heading there next month,” Sargent concluded.
Round 4 of the Australian Formula Ford Championship will be held at The Bend Motorsport Park as part of the Australian Motor Racing Series, 21-23 June.
Round Results Summary
Qualifying: 11th
Race 1: 2nd
Race 2: 12th
Race 3: 8th
Overall: 7th
Top 10 Points – After Round 3
1. Angelo Mouzouris – 131
2. Callum Hedge – 122
3. Tom Sargent – 117
4. Zac Soutar – 104
5. Cody Burcher – 92
6. Jay Hanson – 82
7. Lachlan Mineeff – 77
=8. Courtney Prince – 72
=8. Cody Donald – 72
=10. Liam McLellan – 68
=10. Jake Donaldson – 68
