A FIGHT to win a trophy named after one of the unsung greats of Aussie open wheel racing will be the headline act in Round 4 of the 2023 Australian Formula Open Series.

And it’s a strong field that will be out to claim the Errol Gilmour Cup at Queensland Raceway this weekend.

Two former Australian Formula 3 Champions will join the grid this weekend to battle for a trophy named after the late former owner of Gilmour Racing, while veteran karting team owner and former Supercars racer Michael Patrizi enters his own team in the series for the first time.

2011 Australian Formula 3 and Gold Star champion Chris Gilmour – Errol’s son – and 2016 champion Jon Collins will both race for Gilmour Racing this weekend – a team now headed up by another member of the Gilmour family in Matthew Gilmour.

They’ll be in the midst of a 13-strong field split between AF01 – featuring Formula 3 machinery – and AF04 which is the domain of Formula 4 cars.

Both classes feature an impressive spread of talent ranging from former Gold Star winners in AF01 to some of the most talented karting graduates in Australia cutting their teeth in AF04.

As well as the cameo appearances from the returning Gilmour pair, the AF01 grid includes current championship leader Trent Grubel, who currently holds a 21-point lead over Tim Macrow Racing teammate Ryan How in the title race.

The pair will continue their inter-team fight in what shapes as a TMR-versus-Gilmour fight for the big trophy this weekend – though looking to interject himself into that battle will be Ryan Astley aboard his 99 Motorsport Dallara F308.

Astley sits third in the standings after the first three rounds this year though well within striking distance of the series lead.

Also aboard F3 machinery this weekend will be Queenslander Miles Bromley and Winton van Laarhoven, both driving Dallara F308s for Macrow’s team.

The AF04 battle continues with an expanded grid of six Mygale Formula 4 cars for a host of bright young talent coming through the racing ranks.

Patrizi Corse, headed by former Supercars and Porsche ace and well-known Karting team owner Michael Patrizi, joins the series for the first time as they field a Mygale for young gun Ryan Macmillan.

AGI Sport has dominated AF04 so far this year, expanding to three cars this round which includes current class leader, Kristian Janev and third-placed Brodie Norris, while Peter Bouzinelos joins the Sydney based team for the first time this year.

Melbourne-based Hanming Huang for Tim Macrow Racing sits second on the AF04 class points ladder, while TMR is also fielding New South Wales driver Thomas Galagher aboard their Mygale amidst their six-strong team.

The Australian Formula Open field hits Queensland Raceway for practice this Friday, three 20-minute sessions scheduled across the day.

The field will qualify on Saturday morning before the first 13-lap race later that afternoon.

Two further races complete the weekend on Sunday, including a 20-lap finale to decide the round.

The Sunday races, along with the remainder of the Shannons Trophy Series event program, will be broadcast live on 7plus this weekend as well as being streamed live via the Motorsport Australia Facebook page.