Top NZ Formula Ford competition heads to Timaru for opening round

The 2025 Napa Auto Parts New Zealand Formula Ford Championship gets underway with its opening round at Timaru International Raceway, Timaru, this weekend as part of the Trust Aoraki Thunder Down Under Super Truck event, the second biggest local race meeting of the year behind Skope attracting upwards of 10,000 spectators. The grid for four races over two days will see a returning national champion, a number of very experienced drivers and several rookies vying for wins, podiums and especially points towards the 14-race series. The round also doubles as the fourth round of the Yokohama South Island Formula Ford Championship.

James Penrose makes a return the championship having won the title over the 2020/21 season. A hit-out at Teretonga Park in Invercargill at the last South Island Formula Ford Championship round in early December 2024 showed he is still at the sharp end, winning all four races.

Also joining Penrose (Ray GR20) on the grid are the top four competitors from the South Island series (SIFF). Will Neale (Van Diemen RF94), who currently leads the South Island series, Dylan Petch (Van Diemen RF93), Izaac Fletcher (Ray GR20) and Dylan Grant (Van Diemen RF03), plus leading Class 2 competitor Cameron Freeman (Van Diemen RF92).

“It’s one of my favourite tracks,” commented Christchurch’s Will Neale. “It’s a complete drivers track, so technical and great for Formula Ford as it can produce some incredible close racing.

“Having a good car is important. You need to be in the zone and have good flow, particularly in the back section (of the track). There won’t be much between the top runners this weekend.”

Making the trip south from the Giltrap Group North Island Formula Ford Series are current leader Blake Dowdall (Spectrum 015), Toby McCormack (Spectrum 015) and Reagan Edwards (Spectrum 015).

Several rookies will also be in the field including Australian Lincoln Taylor (Mygale SJ08A) making his Formula Ford debut, Ryan Denize (Mygale SJ08A) and Campbell Owens (Ray GR21) who steps up from kartsport having his first single seater race at the round. Jacob Begg, who has moved up to the ex-Alex Crosbie Ray GR21 from a Mygale and Jacob Cunniffe (Mygale SJ12) will also be in action.

Bringing more intense competition will be the addition of several drivers on the grid for the SIFF and not competing for national honours. This includes current national Formula Ford champion Blake Knowles (Van Diemen RF05), previous SIFF title winner Jack Noble-Adams (Van Diemen RF92), Dan Kelly (Van Diemen RF94) and Jake Bryant (Van Diemen RF94).

Available for drivers and teams is a $51,000 travel fund from the Tony Quinn Foundation. At each round there is a $1,010.10 cash cheque available for the fastest qualifier provided by the Hampton Downs NZ Racing Academy. NAPA Auto Parts will again offer prizes for both Driver of the Day while Yokohama return to the series as the tyre of choice for Formula Ford Racing in NZ.

This summer sees a collaboration between Rodin Cars and MotorSport New Zealand to create a new pathway to Formula 1 with the NZFF champion and selected Formula Ford drivers invited to an all-expenses-paid, three-day testing and evaluation program with Rodin Cars in New Zealand. From there a driver who exhibits exceptional talent has the possibility to test with Rodin Motorsport in the UK with the possibility of securing a seat in one of Rodin’s F4 teams.

The four-round championship gets underway with four races in Timaru, 25-26 January 2025 with the second round two weeks later at the New Zealand Grand Prix meeting at the Highlands Motorsport Park in Cromwell, 7-9 February 2025 (three races). The final two rounds take place in the North Island with three races at Hampton Downs Motorsport Park which includes the Ron Frost Trophy race, 21-23 March and four races at Manfeild Circuit Chris Amon, which includes the 18-lap Morrie Smith Memorial Trophy race, 4-6 April 2025.