27-strong AFO field includes F3, F4, Bathurst champions
A STACKED 27-car grid, the return of a former national champion and the addition of a Bathurst enduro winner headlines this weekend’s second round of the Australian Formula Open series, to be held at Sydney Motorsport Park.
The strong field of ‘wings and slicks’ open wheelers will race at this weekend’s New South Wales state championship event at the Sydney venue, with a massive combined field of Formula 3, Formula Toyota, Formula 4 and other cars entered – with some driving firepower to match.
Returning to the series is 2015 Australian Formula 3 champion, Jon Collins.
The Sydneysider will reunite with Gilmour Racing this weekend in a recreation of the partnership that took them to a national championship.
Collins will face off against a strong field of contenders including Trent Grubel, Ryan Astley, Gerrit Ruff and young gun Winston van Laarhoven.
Also returning to the grid is former Formula 3 racer Trent Shirvington, who will field his Mygale M11 – also a national-championship winning car.
The AF02 class bursts into life this weekend, catering for Formula Toyota and similar cars that don’t quite have Formula 3 performance.
South Aussies Matthew Roesler and Paul DiBiase bring their pair of Tatuus FT50s to Sydney and will be joined by former Australian Formula 4 Champion Jayden Ojeda – who will drive a Tatuus F4 car for AGI Sport.
The AF04 class, for existing Formula 4 cars, is also growing strength thanks in part to a fleet of entries from Sydney-based AGI.
They include Brodie Norris, Kristian Janev and Mark Wilson among a six-strong ‘race within a race’.
This weekend’s grid continues the partnership between Australian Formula Open and the Formula Race Car Association of New South Wales.
The field will tackle a three races across a packed New South Wales State Championship event in Sydney this weekend, while post-produced coverage following the event will highlight all the action.
ENTRY LIST
AF01
1 Gilmour Racing Jon Collins Dallara F308
2 A Roberts Andrew Roberts Dallara F307
8 M Bromley Miles Bromley Dallara F308
9 Ruff Racing Gerrit Ruff Mygale M11
14 TWS Motorsport Trent Shirvington Mygale M11
17 SMJPlastering Shayne Morrow Dallara
21 CO Machining Graeme Holmes Dallara
22 BAKER MOTORSPORT Team Penrite Dallara F399
23 SYDNEY PHOTO BOOTH Lawrence Katsidis Dallara
24 Ruff Racing Winston van Laarhoven Dallara
27 Ruff Racing Ryan How Dallara
37 CPL Ben Turner Dallara
38 HACK ANDERSON & THOMAS ROD ANDERSON Reynard 893
41 FORMULA RACE CAR ASSOCIATION Greg Muddle Dallara
48 FORMULA RACE CAR ASSOCIATION Ron Coath Dallara
55 EAGLE TRANSPORTATION PTY LTD Glenn Lynch Dallara 397
56 Douglas barry specials Douglas Barry Reynard 92D
74 Ruff Racing Trent Grubel Dallara F312
99 Motorsport Ryan Astley Dallara F308
AFO2
4 M Roesler Matthew Roesler Tatuus FT50
60 AGI Sport Jayden Ojeda Tatuus F4
127 DiBiase Cabinetry Paul DiBiase Tatuus FT-50
AF04
6 AGI Sport Brodie Norris Mygale
25 RMS RACING Robert Sviderskas Cheetah
51 NBA Nathan Beer Tatuus
66 AGI Sport Kristian Janev Mygale
71 AGI Sport Mark Wilson Mygale
Richard Craill (administrator)
Working full time in the motorsport industry since 2004, Richard has established himself within the group of Australia’s core motorsport broadcasters, covering the support card at the Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix for Channel 10, the Bathurst 12 Hour for Channel 7 and Porsche Carrera Cup & Touring Car Masters for FOX Sports’ Supercars coverage. Pretends to be a PR guy / Journalist and sometimes photographer to make ends meet when not yelling at a television in a padded room.
