Cassidy targets consistency
Aucklander Nick Cassidy is targeting consistency in the Super Formula Series that starts this weekend at Suzuka in Japan.
This single seater series is regarded as the quickest outside of Formula One and just as demanding with similar race distance. Last season Cassidy finished 10th overall in his rookie year and again faces a competitive field, including two Japanese ex F1 drivers, Kazuki Nakajima and Kamui Kobayashi who also drive for Toyota GAZOO Racing in the World Endurance Sportscar Championship.
The former two-times TRS champion is also competing in the Super GT Series in Japan with codriver Ryo Hirakawa, having won the title in 2017. In the opening race a fortnight ago, the pair finished in third driving a LC500 LEXUS.
Ford’s Mustang Supercars The announcement by Ford Australia that they will homologate a Ford Mustang to be campaigned by both DJR Team Penske Team and Tickford Racing in the 2019 Australian Supercars Championship has provoked mixed reactions. Already this season after three rounds, the new Holden Commodore ZB has proved to be the chassis to have this season. The move fits under the ‘Gen 2’ regulations that allows both the new five-door hatchback ZB Commodore to be used this season as well as a two-door four seater (Mustang). The Mustang will continue to utilise the current Ford 5.0 litre V8 Supercars engine while the body must fit over the control Supercars chassis.
Meanwhile Jamie Whincup leads the championship heading into this weekend’s Phillip Island 500, south of Melbourne.
Scott McLaughlin from Shell V-Power Racing holds the current Supercars qualifying and race lap records at Phillip Island, setting both last year. He currently sits second on the points table, one of only two Ford drivers in the top ten. Fellow Kiwi driver Shane McLaughlin is fifth overall. Evans seeks to extend lead Australian based Kiwi driver Jaxon Evans leads the Porsche Carrera Cup Australia Championship heading into the third round, also at Phillip Island. Evans has a 69-point lead in the Pro category ahead of Dale Woods. While Woods has won more races this season, Evans has been the more consistent finisher, never outside of the top two. Fellow Kiwi Tim Miles sits fourth in the Tag Heuer Pro Am category.
Paddon sets records in Otago Hayden Paddon is making the most of his ‘down-time’ from the World Rally Championship calendar. Last weekend he won all 17 stages at Rally Otago, setting new stage record-times and winning by over eight minutes. Also competing at the rally, albeit in the codriver’s seat alongside Southland’s Scott O’Donnell, was Junior World Rally Championship driver David Holder.