Pukekohe teenager Liam Lawson has continued his dominant form in his rookie Formula 1600 season, setting fastest time in qualifying and winning all three races at the third round of the 2016/17 South Island Formula 1600 Championship. While the results from Teretonga Park in Invercargill may show that the top four finishers were the same in all three races, the round produced some of the most exciting competition seen so far this season. Christchurch’s Michael Collins finished second followed by local drivers Jordan Michels in third and Ethan Anderson fourth.
“That was a much tougher round,” commented Lawson. “Michael (Collins) and I had some much closer battles in all three races. Just one mistake would have seen him through to the lead so I had to be on my game today.”
Race two produced the tightest contest of the round. Michels got off the line and initially led Lawson for the first two laps.
“Michael (Collins) got passed me as well on the final corner of the second lap,” Lawson commented. “But I was able to get passed him on the outside of the loop (turn 1) and then made a big lunge at Jordan (Michels) on the final corner to take the lead. There was a lot of draughting and very close racing”
Michels was pleased to have finished on the podium after engine trouble in the preceding round in Timaru in November.
“It’s great to bounce back after Timaru,” Michels said. “Today’s racing was some of the closest I’ve been in. There is a good mix of talented drivers, all within a 100th of a second in qualifying and all ‘clean’ drivers on the track. Michael and Liam are doing a great job; we need to do better.”
Ethan Anderson was also pleased with the weekends results.
“We were a bit off the pace for the first two races so made some changes and the car came right for the third,” said Anderson. “At the end of the day it is points which we are trying to get. Previously I haven’t done so well on my home track so pleased to get three good results today.”
Collins continues to have a healthy 60 points lead over Anderson in the championship. Michels has moved up to third with Lawson just behind in fourth. Anderson leads Class 1, Collins extends his lead in Class 2 and Joseph Oliver has a healthy lead in Class 3.
“Michael is racing well,” commented Lawson. “He’s got a good lead in the championship and we need to keep doing what we are doing and that is winning.
“The next couple of rounds are big ones, particularly in support of the Toyota Racing Series so really looking forward to them.”
The series now goes into a Christmas break before two consecutive rounds in support of the 2017 Castrol Toyota Racing Series. It’s back to Ruapuna in Christchurch 12-15 January before returning to Invercargill 19-22 January 2017. The two weekends also double as the second and third rounds of the national Championship.
Points table (Top 7) – provisional
1 M. Collins 330
2 E. Anderson 270
3 J. Michels 248
4 L. Lawson 246
5 D. Freeman 220
6 R. Bayer 218
7 G. Campbell 212
Race 1 (10 laps) – top 15
1 Liam Lawson
2 Michael Collins
3 Jordan Michels
4 Ethan Anderson
5 Robert Toshach
6 Dyson Freeman
7 Stephen Heffernan
8 Grant Campbell
9 Anna Collins
10 Royce Bayer
14 Joseph Oliver
12 Jack Noble-Adams
13 John Stevenson
14 Trevor Stiles
15 Cory Hodges
Race 2 (10 laps) – Top 15
1 Liam Lawson
2 Michael Collins
3 Jordan Michels
4 Ethan Anderson
5 Robert Toshach
6 Dyson Freeman
7 Royce Bayer
8 Stephen Heffernan
9 Grant Campbell
10 Anna Collins
11 Joseph Oliver
12 Trevor Stiles
13 James Dicey
14 Cory Hodges
15 Graham Dickie
Race 3 (12 laps) – Top 15
1 Liam Lawson
2 Michael Collins
3 Jordan Michels
4 Ethan Anderson
5 Dyson Freeman
6 Royce Bayer
7 Stephen Heffernan
8 Grant Campbell
9 Anna Collins
10 Trevor Stiles
11 Joseph Oliver
12 James Dicey
13 Graham Dickie
14 Jack Noble-Adams
15 John Stevenson
Comments