Barton Mawer will return to Australian racing after stockbroking firm Opes Prime today confirmed a significant expansion of their commitment to the 2007 Kumho Tyres Australian Formula 3 Championship.
Team Opes Prime will join forces, effective immediately, with Team BRM who will prepare and run the #27 Dallara F304 Mugen Honda of British driver James Winslow for the remainder of the 2007 championship.
A second Opes Prime sponsored car – a Dallara F304 Spiess Opel – will be driven in the remaining three rounds by the experienced Barton Mawer in what will be his return to the series after a two-year hiatus.
Winslow currently sits fourth in the championship after five rounds, having won two races – one each at Phillip Island and Mallala – so far this season.
Winslow is the reigning Asian F3 champion and tasted his first Australian championship race win at Phillip Island in May this year.
24-year-old Mawer is one of Australia’s most experienced young open wheel drivers, having experienced strong results in British Formula 3, Champ Car Atlantic, A1GP and the domestic F3 category throughout the last four years.
Mawer finished 2nd in the 2003 Australian Formula 3 Championship and also drove with Team BRM at the Australian Grand Prix in 2005, winning pole position and two races.
Mawer tested at Mallala Raceway on Wednesday this week, his first time back in a Formula 3 car on home soil since early 2005.
Winslow also completed a days running to become acclimatised with the teams operations prior to next weekend’s sixth round of the championship at Phillip Island.
Barton Mawer Quotes:
“This is a great opportunity for me and one I intend to grasp with both hands,” Mawer said.
”I’m thankful to Opes Prime for giving me this opportunity. It’s been a while since I’ve driven these cars but I can’t wait to get back on track at Phillip Island.
”I know all the guys at BRM well having driven for them in the past and I’m confident that we will have a package that can run at the front.” He said.
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