He’ll be racing in front of his motorsport heroes at Winton this weekend, and Australian Formula Ford Championship leader Tom Sargent believes his best performances come when he’s competing on the big stage.
This weekend’s third FFord round at Winton will be a support act for the Virgin Australia Supercars Championship, meaning Sargent will be showcasing his abilities in front of names such as McLaughlin, Whincup and Mostert, while also racing in front of a huge crowd and with live television on Fox Sports. But the 17-year-old from Young is hardly fazed.
“I enjoy the feeling and atmosphere of big events, and it seems to bring out the best in my driving,” Sargent said.
“We had one Formula Ford round with the Supercars at Tailem Bend last year, and it was my best result of the season.”
After winning the opening round at Sydney Motorsport Park, Sargent survived a tangle with one of his title rivals in Round 2 at Queensland Raceway to preserve his position at the top of the standings. Sargent knows there’s still a lot of work ahead.
“There are still five rounds to go, and a lot to play out,” he said.
“The quality of this year’s field is very high, and there are at least seven or eight drivers who could win races on their day. We certainly can’t afford to be complacent.”
One factor which could play havoc is the weather, with showers forecast for much of the event.
“We tested at Winton last week, but that was on a dry track; if it rains, a lot of what we learned becomes irrelevant but it’s the same for everyone,” Sargent said.
We had one wet race at Queensland, so at least I know how these cars behave on a low-grip surface.”
Qualifying and all three races will be shown live on Fox Sports 506, and also available on the Kayo Sports streaming platform.
Weekend Schedule
Friday, 24 May
8:55am – Practice 1 (20 min)
11:35am – Practice 2 (20 min)
1:45pm – Qualifying (20 min)
Saturday, 25 May
12:05pm – Race 1 (10 laps)
Sunday, 26 May
8:15am – Race 2 (10 laps)
3:50pm – Race 3 (10 laps)
