Pukekohe’s Liam Lawson has continued on his winning way claiming the 2016/17 New Zealand Formula 1600 Championship title at the final round held at Manfeild Park over the weekend. The 14 year old sealed the championship in the first race of the weekend, putting any chance of Canterbury rival Michael Collins beyond reach. The final of five rounds was held as part of the NZ Grand Prix weekend provided some of the best racing of the season right throughout the field.
“It’s fantastic to have achieved this,” commented Lawson. “We’ve worked very hard and had the support of heaps of people. To finally pull it off was just outstanding for the team.”
Since starting the series at Timaru last November, Lawson (Mygale SJ08a) won 14 out of the 15 races, set fastest time in qualifying in all five rounds and won the Class 1 category.
“This weekend hasn’t been straight forward,” said Lawson. Michael (Collins) battled with us throughout the weekend exchanging the lead numerous times.
“In the first race I only just got back the lead on the very last corner. In race two Jordan (Michels) was battling with us as well. The final race was the best of the weekend, again fighting with Michael. He’s such a good driver you know that you can trust him, that he won’t push you off the track.”
Collins driving an older Van Diemen RF91 won the Class 2 category, finished second for the round and runner up in the NZ F1600 Championship.
“I’m thrilled to have finished second overall,” commented Collins. “The racing this weekend was the best so far and our car really suited this track”
Class 3 results were turned ‘on their head’ after points leader heading into the final round, Southland’s Joseph Oliver, was excluded from the weekend’s results.
“It was not a good round,” commented Oliver (Crossle 55F). “We got a technical infringement and got excluded from the meeting and points. It’s pretty gutting but we are going to learn from it and come back.”
The Class 3 title went to Christchurch’s Andy Downs (Lola 642a), a reluctant winner.
“Joseph (Oliver) had it all over me for the season, driving really well,” Downs said. “I’ve come home second most meetings. He has had a couple of ‘dnfs’ and now the exclusion so the loss of points has cost him dearly.
“We would have much rather beaten him on the track but that is the way it is.”
As part of winning the 2016 NZ F1600 title, Lawson now has the opportunity head to the US later in the year to attend an international ‘shoot-out’ to determine who wins a $US200K fully supported drive in the 2018 Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship Powered by Mazda.
“It’s pretty exciting so we will give it our best shot,” commented Lawson. “There’s lots of preparation to do before then so we will be working pretty hard over the winter.”
Results
Points after 5/5 rounds (Top 6) – provisional
Pos Car No. Name Hometown Total
1 30 Liam Lawson Pukekohe 605
2 94 Michael Collins Christchurch 478
3 23 Jordan Michels Invercargill 432
4 70 Ethan Anderson Riverton 382
5 46 Grant Campbell Auckland 281
6 8 Stephen Heffernan Invercargill 272
Race 1 (10 laps)
1 Liam Lawson Mygale SJ08a
2 Michael Collins Van Diemen RF91
3 Jordan Michels Mygale SJ13
4 Kim Crocker Van Diemen
5 Ethan Anderson Van Diemen RF93 Stealth
6 Nick Buxeda Van Diemen RF00
7 Steve Heffernan Van Diemen Stealth
8 Robert Toschach Spectrum 08
9 Grant Campbell Van Diemen RF05
10 Jack Noble-Adams Van Diemen RF91 Stealth
11 Joseph Oliver Crossle 55F
12 Derek Wilson Swift SC92F
13 Vic Clarke Palliser
14 Andy Downs Lola 642a
15 Stephen Gillard Van Diemen 92
16 Roger McKenzie Begg FM3
17 Paul Dodd GLH
Race 2 (10 laps)
1 Liam Lawson Mygale SJ08a
2 Michael Collins Van Diemen RF91
3 Jordan Michels Mygale SJ13
4 Kim Crocker Van Diemen
5 Ethan Anderson Van Diemen RF93 Stealth
6 Nick Buxeda Van Diemen RF00
7 Steve Heffernan Van Diemen Stealth
8 Grant Campbell Van Diemen RF05
9 Robert Toschach Spectrum 080
10 Jack Noble-Adams Van Diemen RF91 Stealth
11 Derek Wilson Swift SC92F
12 Vic Clarke Palliser
13 Andy Downs Lola 642a
14 Roger McKenzie Begg FM3
15 Stephen Gillard Van Diemen 92
16 Joseph Oliver Crossle 55F
17 Paul Dodd GLH
Race 3(12 laps)
1 Liam Lawson Mygale SJ08a
2 Michael Collins Van Diemen RF91
3 Jordan Michels Mygale SJ13
4 Kim Crocker Van Diemen
5 Nick Buxeda Van Diemen RF00
6 Ethan Anderson Van Diemen RF93 Stealth
7 Robert Toschach Spectrum 08
8 Jack Noble-Adams Van Diemen RF91 Stealth
9 Grant Campbell Van Diemen RF05
10 Steve Heffernan Van Diemen Stealth
11 Stephen Gillard Van Diemen 92
12 Derek Wilson Swift SC92F
13 Vic Clarke Palliser
14 Andy Downs Lola 642a
15 Roger McKenzie Begg FM3
16 Joseph Oliver Crossle 55F
17 Paul Dodd GLH
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