Blake Dowdall has increased his lead in the 2025 Napa Auto Parts New Zealand Formula Ford Championship after the second round held at the NZ Grand Prix weekend in Cromwell. Two wins and a fourth placing has given the Palmerston North teenager a 38-point lead over Christchurch’s Will Neale ahead of Australian Lincoln Taylor, Auckland’s Dylan Grant and Cantabrian James Penrose.
“Close to a clean sweep so to come away with the result from a solid weekend is great,” commented Dowdall. “It’s about winning the war and not the battle.”
It’s been a tough weekend of intense racing for the national title held at the Highlands Motorsport Park with some classic Formula Ford racing and competitive rivalry. Heading into the round Dowdall had a 24-point lead over Dylan Grant but it was Will Neale who has emerged in second place after standing on the podium in all three races including his first victory in the series.
“Absolutely wrapped after such a hard weekend,” commented Neale. “We haven’t been on the pace and found it hard to be in the front pack. We made a couple of changes for Race 3 and it was perfectly in the window. The car was mint and came on when we wanted, and I was in the zone. I can’t thank Dad and the team enough.”
Dowdall put his mark on the meeting after setting the fastest lap in qualifying on Saturday morning, picking up the $1010,10 cash prize from the Hampton Downs NZ Racing Academy. He then went on to win a close fought Race 1 with Taylor second followed by Neale, Izaac Fletcher, Jacob Begg and Dylan Grant.
Australian rookie Lincoln Taylor again proved he was quick and in Sunday morning’s Race 2 emerged in the lead to which he never relinquished until the chequered flag. Unfortunately, he was penalised five-seconds for exceeding track limits, dropping him to fourth. Dowdall inherited the win from Penrose and Neale with a resurgent Dylan Petch taking fifth ahead of Grant.
Track limit penalties hit a number of competitors across all classes at the meeting throughout the weekend, particularly at Turn 10.
In the final 20-minute Race 3, Taylor took the lead from Penrose, Dowdall, Grant, Petch and Neale. Unfortunately for Penrose, he dropped out of contention after nudging the wall on the start/finish straight and then retired with an engine misfire.
Taylor continued to lead with Dowdall in second and Neale chasing both drivers. Dowdall then received a track-limit penalty which would add five seconds to his race time. Neale’s car appeared set up to come-on in the last third of the race which saw him break through into the lead which he held for the remaining two laps. Grant took second followed by Taylor, Dowdall, Begg and Toby McCormack.
Taylor as well, received a similar time penalty for not giving racing room which dropped him to third and promoted Grant into second place.
“Good to come away with a podium after a tough weekend,” said Grant. “We need to be further up (the field) but will take the points when we can.”
Rookie driver Campbell Owens received the Napa Auto Parts Driver of the Day after his enormous shunt earlier in the weekend and repairs required to get back on track.
With two rounds remaining, 73-points now covers the top four competitors. The third round will be at Hampton Downs Motorsport Park 21-23 March followed by the final weekend at Manfeild Circuit Chris Amon in Feilding 4-6 April 2025.
A $51,000 travel fund has been made available by the Tony Quinn Foundation. NAPA Auto Parts will again offer prizes for 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 NZ 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.
Overall Points 2/4 rounds
1/ Blake Dowdall 468
2/ Will Neale 430
3/ Lincoln Taylor 409
4/ Dylan Grant 395
5/ James Penrose 309
6/ Jacob Begg 305
7/ Toby McCormack 304
8/ Jacob Cunniffe 261
9/ Izaak Fletcher 252
10/ Reagan Edwards 207
11/ Campbell Owens 145
12/ Dylan Petch 144
13/ Ryan Denize 121
14/ Diesel Thomas 102
Race results
Race 1 (20-mins)
1/ Blake Dowdall, Spectrum 015, Palmerston North
2/ Lincoln Taylor, Mygale SJ08A, Australia
3/ Will Neale, Van Diemen RF94, Prebbleton
4/ Izaak Fletcher, Ray GR20, Tai Tapu
5/ Jake Bryant, Van Diemen RF94, Christchurch
6/ Jacob Begg, Mygale SJ08A, Winton
7/ Dan Kelly, Van Diemen RF94, Christchurch
8/ Dylan Grant, Van Diemen RF03, Auckland
9/ Diesel Thomas, Mygale SJ08A, Queensland
10/ Toby McCormack, Spectrum 015, Aucjland
11/ Jacob Cunniffe, Mygale SJ12, Geraldine
12/ Reagan Edwards, Spectrum 015, Auckland
13/ Dyson Freeman, Van Dieman RF92, Dunedin
14/ James Penrose, Ray GR20, Canterbury
15/ Michael Hey, Van Dieman Stealth, Blenheim
16/ Dylan Petch, Van Diemen RF93, Rolleston
DNF Campbell Owens Ray GR21, Carterton
DNS Cameron Freeman, Van Diemen RF92, Dunedin
DNF Jack Noble-Adams, Van Diemen RF92, Christchurch
Race 2 (20 mins)
1/ Blake Dowdall, Spectrum 015, Palmerston North
2/ James Penrose, Ray GR20, Canterbury
3/ Will Neale, Van Diemen RF94, Prebbleton
4/ Lincoln Taylor, Mygale SJ08A, Australia
5/ Dylan Petch, Van Diemen RF93, Rolleston
6/ Dylan Grant, Van Diemen RF03, Auckland
7/ Jacob Begg, Mygale SJ08A, Winton
8/ Jake Bryant, Van Diemen RF94, Christchurch
9/ Toby McCormack, Spectrum 015, Aucjland
10/ Reagan Edwards, Spectrum 015, Auckland
11/ Jacob Cunniffe, Mygale SJ12, Geraldine
12/ Dan Kelly, Van Diemen RF94, Christchurch
13/ Diesel Thomas, Mygale SJ08A, Queensland
14/ Campbell Owens Ray GR21, Carterton
15/ Cameron Freeman, Van Diemen RF92, Dunedin
16/ Michael Hey, Van Dieman Stealth, Blenheim
17/ Dyson Freeman, Van Dieman RF92, Dunedin
DNF Izaak Fletcher, Ray GR20, Tai Tapu
DNS Jack Noble-Adams, Van Diemen RF92, Christchurch
Race 3 (20 mins)
1/ Will Neale, Van Diemen RF94, Prebbleton
2/ Dylan Grant, Van Diemen RF03, Auckland
3/ Lincoln Taylor, Mygale SJ08A, Australia
4/ Blake Dowdall, Spectrum 015, Palmerston North
5/ Jacob Begg, Mygale SJ08A, Winton
6/ Jake Bryant, Van Diemen RF94, Christchurch
7/ Toby McCormack, Spectrum 015, Aucjland
8/ Reagan Edwards, Spectrum 015, Auckland
9/ Jacob Cunniffe, Mygale SJ12, Geraldine
10/ Dan Kelly, Van Diemen RF94, Christchurch
11/ Izaak Fletcher, Ray GR20, Tai Tapu
12/ Campbell Owens Ray GR21, Carterton
13/ Cameron Freeman, Van Diemen RF92, Dunedin
14/ Dyson Freeman, Van Dieman RF92, Dunedin
15/ Michael Hey, Van Dieman Stealth, Blenheim
16/ Diesel Thomas, Mygale SJ08A, Queensland
DNF James Penrose, Ray GR20, Canterbury
DNF Dylan Petch, Van Diemen RF93, Rolleston
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