Mygale Australia in conjunction with the South Island Formula Ford Club have announced a multi-season prize support package for the winner of the six round championship.
Greg Woodrow from Mygale Australia has been attending the 2015/16 South Island Formula Ford Championship and has offered a test drive in a Race Academy Mygale Duratec car at the Winton Raceway in Victoria, Australia, for the overall winner of both the 2015/16 and 2016/17 championships.
In support of this outstanding prize, Rick Michel of Evolution Motorsport in Invercargill will provide $500 to help cover travel and accommodation expenses to attend the test drive.
The Formula Ford class is an important step in a driver’s career and has been used by many Kiwi drivers as a link between kartsport other single seater formula such as the Toyota Racing Series, and beyond.
Well known Kiwi drivers who have used this pathway include Scott Dixon (IndyCar Series), Greg Murphy (V8Supercars), Fabian Coulthard (V8Supercars), Shane van Gisbergen (V8Supercars), Andre Heimgartner (V8Supercars), Richie Stanaway (GP2 Series, WEC), Mitch Evans (GP2 Series), Earl Bamber (Le Mans winner and Porsche factory driver), Brendon Hartley (Porsche WEC LMP1 driver)and more recently Jamie Conroy (TRS test driver), James Munro and Taylor Cockerton who are currently competing in the 2016 Toyota Racing Series.
“Many of us involved in Formula Ford are passionate about motorsport,” commented Greg Woodrow. “It is so important to try and help the young talent of today. Formula Ford in New Zealand is on the up and Mygale Australia are keen to help out as much as we can.”
Mygale are a French chassis maker based in Magny-Cours, France, supplying to many single seater race categories throughout the world, including the new FIA Formula 4 class.
The last seven winners of the NZ national title have all been driving a Mygale car (see table below).
This is the second major prize on offer this season for drivers. The winner of the national New Zealand Formula Ford Championship will win the opportunity to attend an international ‘shoot-out’ in the USA to determine who wins a $US200K fully supported drive in the Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship Powered by Mazda in 2017.
The Mazda Road to Indy is an important pathway in the USA for single seater racing which takes drivers through the important formula to the IndyCar Series in which Kiwi Scott Dixon drives for the Target Chip Ganassi Team.
“We’re thrilled that there are more opportunities opening up for young drivers,” commented Steve Edwards, SIFF series coordinator. “Formula Ford is a class that is gaining a lot of momentum. We have many drivers and cars from all age groups so there is a lot of experience, knowledge and support in the pits for all that get involved.
“The test drive in Australia with Mygale is a great opportunity for a young driver as it often leads to more doors being opened and more opportunities for their motorsport careers.”
After four rounds of the SIFF championship, 15-year-old Hunter McElrea leads the series from fellow Australian based Kiwi Mitchell Maddren and Southland’s Ethan Anderson.
