Can Formula 3 And Formula 4 Co-Exist?

Simon Hodge, Team BRM. (C)

    Those of you that frequent this site will undoubtedly know how much we love wings and slicks racing. At the recent Shannons Nationals finale at Sydney Motorsport Park, Formula 3 exhibited some truly mesmerising open wheel racing. A small field of 8 cars certainly didn't detract from some top shelf motorsport action. 
    Series leader Simon Hodge clean swept all three races, but it was by no means easy. The Sunday morning 9 lap race was some of the best F3 racing we've ever witnessed. The Team BRM driver made a sluggish start and after several overtaking attempts, was able to pass McDonalds Gilmour Racing's Ben Gersekowski around the outside of the T8 hairpin on lap 7. Opportunistic yes, but also a marvellous display of controlled aggression and supreme car control. Championship rival Gersekowski pushed Hodge all the way through the year, and Sydney Motorsport Park was no exception. Hodge later passed early leader Garnet Patterson down the main straight with some classic slipstreaming. Congratulations to Simon Hodge and Team BRM for winning the championship and claiming Australia's longest running perpetual motorsport award, the CAMS Gold Star. F3 will be showcased next year as part of the Shannons Nationals, and we urge you to check out Australia's fastest racing cars.
    Next year sees the introduction of the FIA sanctioned Formula 4 series. CAMS are purchasing 20 chassis with the aim of leasing them to participating teams. The formula is designed for up and coming drivers to be an intermediate category between Formula Ford and Formula 3. It's already running in Great Britain and next year sees the Australian version supporting V8 Supercars at seven events, guaranteeing multimedia exposure. 
    So where does this leave Formula 3? The discerning motorsport fan will know the difference, but to the average punter, it may seem like just another bunch of open wheelers trundling around the circuit. Can F4 and F3 co-exist? Australia's land mass is vast, but population wise, we are relatively small. Are there too many motorsport categories? We've mentioned it in previous posts, but to reiterate, F3 needs to intensely lobby the Australian GP Corporation to gain access to the Australian F1 Grand Prix support bill, thus maximising local and international brand exposure. How cool would it be to see Oz's premier tin-tops, V8 Supercars, coupled with worldwide categories Porsche Carrera Cup, F4 and F3 supporting F1 at Albert Park for the Australian Grand Prix? In the meantime, check out SBS's excellent Speedweek programme this weekend to see what we're talking about.
    Here's wishing and hoping. Ciao....
    
    

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