Competitors at this weekend’s second round of the New Zealand Formula 1600 Championship will not only be targeting winning but also keeping young rookie driver Liam Lawson at bay. Christchurch’s Mike Pero Motorsport Park hosts over 20 entrants for the three race weekend which also doubles as the fourth round of the South Island Formula 1600 Championship (SIFF).
Driving last season’s championship winning Mygale SJ08a, Lawson has dominated the last two F1600 meetings setting fastest lap in qualifying and winning six races on the trot. But Lawson sees Christchurch rival Michael Collins (Van Diemen RF91) as having an advantage heading into the meeting.
“It’s Michael’s home track so we expect him to be very fast,” commented Lawson. “I haven’t raced on the full track at Ruapuna so we will have to learn quickly in practice and qualifying.”
At the opening SIFF round in October at Ruapuna, the Pukekohe teenager lined up in pole position for the first race only to be thwarted by engine trouble and having to retire from the weekend, missing out on both points and valuable lap time at the Christchurch circuit.
Collins, competing in an older Class 2 car, doesn’t see this weekend as straight forward.
“We’ve got a bit of work to do to catch him (Lawson),” commented Collins. “We are doing pretty good with an older car, we are right there on the pace waiting for any mistake, but we don’t have the car to beat him. We proved this at Teretonga (Invercargill) when he made mistakes we got passed but he is quicker.”
Also ready to pounce are Southland drivers Jordan Michels (Mygale SJ13) and Ethan Anderson (Van Diemen RF93 Stealth). Anderson is currently sitting second in the SIFF and third in the national championship while Michels is third and seventh respectfully, after he dropped points with engine trouble in the opening national round in Timaru in November.
Ahead of Michels on the national points table and seeking podium placings are Dunedin’s Dyson Freeman (Van Diemen RF92), Aucklander Grant Campbell (Van Diemen RF05) and Rangiora’s Royce Bayer (Van Diemen RF90).
Three classes of modern to historic Formula 1600 single seaters face qualifying and the first of three races on Saturday afternoon with the remaining two on Sunday. For the second year running on offer for the winner of the national title will be the opportunity to attend an international ‘shoot-out’ to determine who wins a $US200K fully supported drive in the Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship Powered by Mazda in 2018.
