Current CAMS Rising Star national drivers Ashley Walsh and Joshua Scott will contest the 2007 Formula Ford Festival at the famous Brands Hatch circuit in the UK with support from the Australian Motor Sport Foundation (AMSF).
Both drivers will depart Australia after Round 6 of the Australian Formula Ford Championship (AFFC) to contest Rounds 17 and 18 of the UK Formula Ford Championship before competing at the prestigious Formula Ford Festival in mid October.
Walsh and Scott will be racing in a UK version of the Spectrum 011 that has been designed and built by Borland Racing Developments. It is the same version of car that took 2006 CAMS Rising Star and reigning Australian Formula Ford Champion John Martin to victory at Round 12 of the 2006 UK Formula Ford Championship at Brands Hatch.
Quentin Crombie, CAMS Member Services and Development Manager, was pleased that the CAMS Rising Star Program will again be represented at the Formula Ford Festival.
“The Formula Ford Festival is such a historically significant event with previous winners including current Formula 1 drivers Mark Webber, Jenson Button and Anthony Davidson, and I am excited to have two of our Rising Stars taking part again in 2007. Both Joshua and Ashley have shown great potential in this year’s AFFC with a number of outstanding results, and I feel confident that they will perform extremely well at the Festival. “
The primary purpose of the venture is to give both drivers some experience racing in the UK prior to them taking the next step in their international open-wheel careers in 2008.
“This exercise is consistent with the CAMS Rising Star objectives of pathway progression which we all hope will ultimately culminate in a place in Formula 1, ” concluded Crombie.
AMSF Chairman, Tom Warwick was very enthusiastic that the Foundation will be involved in the Project.
“I am very excited about the exposure that will come with this venture and pleased that it will give both Ashley and Joshua a taste of international competition prior to their move to Europe.
“The relationship between the CAMS Rising Star Program and the AMSF has developed very strongly over the last 12 months and the Foundation is excited to be able to support the boys on their quest to reach the pinnacle of motor sport, Formula 1. ”
