Samantha Reid is set to make a vital step forward in her open-wheel racing career after today confirming her participation in next weekends’ seventh round of the Kumho Tyres Australian Formula 3 Championship.
In her F3 debut, Adelaide-based Reid will drive a Trophy Class Dallara F396 for Melbourne team Scud Racing at Symmons Plains Raceway in Tasmania.
The ‘Trophy’ Class is made up of the oldest model (1996 – 1998) cars in the field and is a stepping stone to the outright championship class cars that contest the Australian Drivers Championship.
The Tasmanian round will be the 20-year-olds first experience behind the wheel of a ‘wings and slicks’ car.
Formula 3 cars are amongst the quickest in the country and rely on light weight and high levels of downforce to lap some five seconds a lap faster than a V8 Supercar.
It will be a return to competition for Samy, a lack of budget this year hindering her chances to regularly compete this season.
Reid raced competitively in the opening round of this years’ Australian Formula Ford Championship at the Clipsal 500 (She finished 8th) – as well as contesting a limited campaign on the South Australian Formula Ford series - before a funding shortfall put her open-wheel career on hold.
She also drove with Holden Motorsport in the Bathurst 12 hour endurance race in April this year – her first production car start.
Reid has since been developing her unique brand identity and working hard to find support to enable her return to full-time racing next season.
Samy said she grasped the opportunity given to her by Scud Racing with both hands, relishing the opportunity to get behind the wheel again.
”This will be a great opportunity to finally get behind the wheel of a Formula 3 car, ” she said.
”I have always followed Formula 3 racing closely and have been working hard all year to raise money with an eye on racing in the series full time next year.
”It will be a big learning curve but I know I’m up to it. I’m very grateful to Bill Maddocks, Scud Racing and Formula 3 Australia for giving me this opportunity to test the waters and get some experience in a wings and slicks car. “
Reid has prior experience at the short Symmons Plains Raceway – having driven her Formula Ford there in a national championship round last season and scoring her best results of the year.
However its experience – not results – that are on her mind for next weekend’s return to the circuit just outside of Launceston.
“The Dallara I’m driving has the same characteristics as the championship cars, so I’ll get to experience the huge levels of downforce that F3 cars produce.
“If I can learn how to make use of it, and improve in every session, It will be a successful weekend and valuable experience before hopefully tackling the full championship next season - however I’m still confident that I can be competitive with the other Trophy Class cars entered.
“I enjoy racing at Symmons Plains and in Tasmania. Aside from my home track, Mallala, I couldn’t think of a better place to make my F3 debut. ” She said.
The Symmons Plains race weekend will be held between August 31 and September 2nd.
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