Neale takes pole at NZ Formula Ford opening round in Timaru

| Photographer Credit: Euan Cameron Photography

Christchurch’s Will Neale has set the pace at the opening round of the 2025 Napa Auto Parts New Zealand Formula Ford Championship qualifying on pole for the first of four races that gets underway over Saturday and Sunday at the Thunder Downunder meeting at Timaru International Raceway, Timaru.

Just 0.57 seconds covers the first six drivers in a field of 17 competitors, the event also doubling as the fourth round of the Yokohama South Island Formula Ford Championship (SIFF).

Will Neale wins the $1,010.10 cash cheque from the Hampton Downs NZ Racing Academy for fastest qualifier

Last season’s national champion Blake Knowles will start alongside Neale with North Islander’s Blake Dowdall and Dylan Grant on the second row. It’s the first Formula Ford outing this season for Knowles who is currently competing in the Bridgestone GR86 Championship. He is entered in the SIFF round and not the national champs.

Australian rookie Lincoln Taylor will start in seventh with 2020/21 national champion, James Penrose, surprisingly qualifying in seventh.

James Penrose qualified eighth fastest

Qualifying Results
Pos, Competitor, Best Lap
1/ Will Neale, 01:05.705
2/ Blake Knowles, 01:05.801
3/ Blake Dowdall, 01:05.883
4/ Dylan Grant, 01:05.906
5/ Dylan Petch, 01:06.030
6/ Jake Bryant, 01:06.275
7/ Linc Taylor, 01:06.326
8/ James Penrose, 01:06.333
9/ Jacob Begg, 01:06.346
10/ Jack Noble-Adams, 01:06.426
11/ Izaak Fletcher, 01:06.550
12/ Ryan Denize 01:06.685
13/ Reagan Edwards, 01:06.747
14/ Cameron Freeman, 01:06.849
15/ Jacob Cunniffe, 01:06.864
16/ Dan Kelly, 01:07.409
17/ Campbell Owens, 01:08.146
DQ Toby McCormack, 01:06.276

Benjamin Carrell is a freelance motorsport writer and currently edits talkmotorsport.co.nz. He writes for a number of Kiwi drivers and motorsport clubs. That's when he's not working in his horticultural day-job or training for the next road or mtb cycle race!

https://talkmotorsport.co.nz

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