In many forms of Motorsport worldwide, most pre-event tipsters can base their tips on four or five drivers that they know will be competitive when the cars hit the track. In Formula One this year you would be mad to tip against either Ferrari or McLaren, whilst in Champ Car putting your money on ex-Australian Formula 3 driver Will Power or reigning champ Sebastien Bourdais would be good sense.
However when it comes time to pick a winner in the upcoming second round of the Kumho Tyres Australian Formula 3 Championship at Oran Park Raceway in Sydney, things get a little difficult. Up to nine different drivers head into the round with more than realistic chances of winning races at the challenging 2.8km circuit an hour outside of Sydney’s CBD when the Australian Drivers’ Championship gets back into action at the Shannon’s’ Nationals round this weekend.
Of the nine leading, championship class cars entered this weekend each one has at least one claim to fame, or race result, in the last six months that indicates that they can win this weekend. Championship Leader Stuart Kostera has been on a tear recently, winning his first ever race at Eastern Creek in February and vaulting himself into championship contention in the process. Kostera, the sole West Australian in the field, was also blisteringly quick at Oran Park in the 2006 season finale’.
Victoria’s Tim Macrow is another with winning runs on the board and trails Kostera by just one point in the Gold Star Battle. 23-year-old Macrow will be looking back fondly at last year’s Oran Park event when he dominated both races in stunning fashion behind the wheel of his Cooltemp Racing Dallara F304 Spiess Opel.
Another looking to build a strong run this weekend on great end-of-2006 form will be Queenslander Chris Gilmour. Completing the ranks of drivers banking on prior form to succeed will be North Shore resident Chris Alajajian, who will once again balance his V8 Commitments with another shot at Open Wheel glory for Team BRM in Sydney. Where these drivers may struggle, however, is in testing time.
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