COMING UP

FORMULA 5000-STYLE COMPETITION

I’M PRETTY excited that Australian motorsport fans could once again be enjoying fast and furious Formula 5000-style action at circuits around the country. This development will be terrific for Australian motorsport. While the attraction of some open-wheel classes is lost on some fans, these big horsepower, bellowing-V8 racers, with big tyres and minimal reliance on ground effects, reach out to all motorsport fans. I’m happy to say I’ve had a small role in getting my friends John McMellan and Chris Lambden, the good people behind what were two competing groups, to sit down together to discuss a joint approach to assembling everything that’s needed to make Formula 5000-style racing a reality, perhaps as early as the second half of 2018.

Although I’ve spent the last 30-odd years racing cars with roofs, I’m still an openwheeler racer at heart. I learned my motor racing craft in open-wheelers, competing in a number of classes, including an exciting stint in Formula 5000, driving the mighty Ansett Elfin MR8. So, yes, I’m totally behind the return of the 5000s.

To underline my love for open wheelers I’m happy to admit that of all the lovely cars I get to drive these days, my mate Joe Calleja’s March 741 Formula 1 car is my absolute favourite.