Young New Zealand motor racing star Liam Lawson heads to this weekend’s V8 Supercar meeting at Perth leading the CAMS Jayco Australian Formula 4 championship.
The Western Australian round is the first time this season the Formula 4 cars appear alongside the headlining V8’s and the Kiwi teenager is keen to add to his impressive form after the opening two rounds at Sandown.
Lawson, 15, lines up at the Barbagallo track with a 10-point lead over experienced local Nick Rowe, who was runner-up in the Formula 4 series last year.
Despite not having raced at any of the Australian race circuits before, Lawson was quick ‘out of the box’ at Sandown and doesn’t see learning another new circuit a huge obstacle.
“Since I started my Formula Ford campaign at home [New Zealand] last summer I’ve been racing at new circuits all the time so it doesn’t bother me. I’m looking forward to Barbagallo and can’t wait to be back behind the wheel of the RetroCars Formula 4,” said Lawson.
The Christchurch-based classic car company came onboard as the principle sponsor for Lawson’s Sandown campaign and have extended their support for a further two rounds.
“I’m hoping we have a good clean weekend, looking for more good [race] points and hoping to come away still in the championship lead,” he added.
It’s the first time the CAMS Jayco Formula 4 cars have raced at Barbagallo, with two Practice sessions and Qualifying on Friday, one race on Saturday and two races on Sunday, the first a reverse grid start.
With New Zealand drivers holding the first two spots in the V8 Supercars Championship, Fabian Coulthard and Shane van Gisbergen, Liam is hoping it’s a good weekend all round for the Kiwi competitors, particularly van Gisbergen who has come through the same development programme as Lawson.
“Shane won the SpeedSport Scholarship the same as me, he won the Formula Ford championship too and now we’re both racing at the same track for the first time. It’d be so cool if we can both come away leading our championships.”
Following the Barbagallo round, the Formula 4 cars travel back to the Eastern side to race Victoria’s Phillip Island at the end of May.
Alongside RetroCar.co.nz , Lawson’s campaign is supported by the Giltrap Group, NZ Childcare Finance, Cyrus International Cargo and Showerdome.
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