James Penrose has had a successful return to Formula Ford competition at the third round of the 2024/25 Yokohama South Island Formula Ford Championship, winning all four races at Teretonga Park in Invercargill over the weekend. Will Neale continues to lead the overall series after finishing three times on the podium with Dylan Petch moving into second overall with four podiums from the round.
“It has been nice to be back in a car and back in the front,” commented former South Island (2020/21) and New Zealand (2021) champion, Penrose (Ray GR20). “It was first time in this car on Friday when it all came together in the last minute, so I was realistic in my expectations for the weekend. It’s just as competitive as last time so nice to be racing. It doesn’t get much better that racing a Formula Ford.”
Neale set fastest lap in qualifying, winning the Hampton Downs NZ Racing Academy $500 cash prize, ahead of Penrose, Petch (Van Diemen RF93) and Dylan Grant (Van Diemen RF03), with local Jacob Begg (Van Diemen RF94) in fifth.
“The first race was so close,” said Neale. “I didn’t get off the line very well and initially dropped to fifth. After moving up to second I had a real ding-dong battle with James (Penrose). There is so much to learn from him as I have never raced someone who was always aware of where I was on track at every corner so there wasn’t much opportunity to get ahead.”
“I was pleasantly surprised to be at the front in Race 1,” said Penrose. “I was having to defend at every corner and had to work incredibly hard for the win.”
A wet Sunday morning greeted drivers for Race 2 resulting in several top runners going off track.
“There was a Safety Car period and once we got going again, I just couldn’t see ahead and locked up and went off the track,” said Neale. Auckland’s Dylan Grant faced a similar situation. Both drivers not finishing the race or scoring key series points. Penrose won the race from Petch, Jake Bryant (Van Diemen RF94), Begg and Jacob Cunniffe (Mygale SJ12).
“We had several lead changes in the third race, this time in the dry,” said Penrose. Both Will and Dylan (Petch) were again really quick, and I only just managed to get by for the win.
“For me the last race (R4) was similar to the start of Race 3,” said Neale. “I got off the line well and took the lead then continued to dice with James. It was a four-way train with a number of lead changes, with both Dylans right behind us. I got alongside James heading into the final corner and went a bit wide, allowing Dylan (Petch) to get by, beating me by a nose.”
Now with a break over the Christmas New Year period, drivers and teams will now prepare for the fourth-round in Timaru at the end of January which also doubles as the first round of four of the New Zealand Formula Ford Championship. At this stage it is unclear whether Penrose will be on the grid at the Timaru International Raceway.
“We have no firm plans as yet,” said Penrose who picked up the NAPA Auto Parts Driver of the Day award. “We are keen to do more but will wait and see what unfolds.”
The South Island Formula Ford Club acknowledge the support from Team Hutchinson Ford. Available across the Formula Ford season is a $60,000 Formula Ford prize pool from the Tony Quinn Foundation with funding for travel and testing opportunities with TOYOTA GAZOO Racing NZ. NAPA Auto Parts has prizes for both Driver of the Day and Rookie of the Year while Yokohama return 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 after 3/5 rounds – provisional (Top 10)
1/ Will Neale 792
2/ Dylan Petch 652
3/ Izaak Fletcher 618
4/ Dylan Grant 572
5/ Jake Bryant 509
6/ Jacob Begg 509
7/ Ryan Denize 420
8/ Jacob Cunniffe 465
9/ James Penrose 300
10/ Cameron Freeman 435
Results
Qualifying
(Pos, #, Driver, Chassis, Hometown, time)
1/ 28, Will Neale, Van Diemen RF94, Prebbleton, 1:02.974
2/ 98, James Penrose, Ray GR20, 1:03.172
3/ 17, Dylan Petch, Van Diemen RF93, Rolleston, 1:03.546
4/ 20, Dylan Grant, Van Diemen RF03, Auckland 1:03.773
5/ 18, Jacob Begg, Mygale SJ08A, Winton, 1:03.800
6/ 77, Jake Bryant, Van Diemen RF94, Christchurch, 1:03.878
7/ 19, Cameron Freeman, Van Diemen RF92, Dunedin, 1:04.030
8/ 35, Izaak Fletcher, Ray GR20, Tai Tapu, 1:04.056
9/ 26, Dyson Freeman, Van Diemen RF92, Dunedin, 1:04.219
10/ 99, Michael Hey, Van Diemen Stealth, Blenheim, 1:04.456
11/ 56, Jacob Cunniffe, Mygale SJ12, Geraldine, 1:04.529
12/ 24, Ryan Denize, Mygale SJ08A, West Eyreton, 1:04.711
13/ 53, Robert Toshach, Swift FB89, 1:05.865
Race 1 (10-laps)
1/ 98, James Penrose, Ray GR20
2/ 28, Will Neale, Van Diemen RF94, Prebbleton
3/ 17, Dylan Petch, Van Diemen RF93, Rolleston
4/ 20, Dylan Grant, Van Diemen RF03, Auckland
5/ 77, Jake Bryant, Van Diemen RF94, Christchurch
6/ 18, Jacob Begg, Mygale SJ08A, Winton
7/ 35, Izaak Fletcher, Ray GR20, Tai Tapu
8/ 19, Cameron Freeman, Van Diemen RF92, Dunedin
9/ 24, Ryan Denize, Mygale SJ08A, West Eyreton
10/ 26, Dyson Freeman, Van Diemen RF92, Dunedin
11/ 56, Jacob Cunniffe, Mygale SJ12, Geraldine
12/ 99, Michael Hey, Van Diemen Stealth, Blenheim
13/ 53. Robert Toshach, Swift FB89
Race 2 (10-laps)
1/ 98, James Penrose, Ray GR20
2/ 17, Dylan Petch, Van Diemen RF93, Rolleston
3/ 77, Jake Bryant, Van Diemen RF94, Christchurch
4/ 18, Jacob Begg, Mygale SJ08A, Winton
5/ 56, Jacob Cunniffe, Mygale SJ12, Geraldine
6/ 35, Izaak Fletcher, Ray GR20, Tai Tapu
7/ 24, Ryan Denize, Mygale SJ08A, West Eyreton
8/ 19, Cameron Freeman, Van Diemen RF92, Dunedin
9/ 53. Robert Toshach, Swift FB89
10/ 26, Dyson Freeman, Van Diemen RF92, Dunedin
DNF 28, Will Neale, Van Diemen RF94, Prebbleton
DNF 20, Dylan Grant, Van Diemen RF03, Auckland
DNF 99, Michael Hey, Van Diemen Stealth, Blenheim
Race 3 (12-laps)
1/ 98, James Penrose, Ray GR20
2/ 28, Will Neale, Van Diemen RF94, Prebbleton
3/ 17, Dylan Petch, Van Diemen RF93, Rolleston
4/ 20, Dylan Grant, Van Diemen RF03, Auckland
5/ 77, Jake Bryant, Van Diemen RF94, Christchurch
6/ 18, Jacob Begg, Mygale SJ08A, Winton
7/ 35, Izaak Fletcher, Ray GR20, Tai Tapu
8/ 56, Jacob Cunniffe, Mygale SJ12, Geraldine
9/ 19, Cameron Freeman, Van Diemen RF92, Dunedin
10/ 99, Michael Hey, Van Diemen Stealth, Blenheim
11/ 53. Robert Toshach, Swift FB89
DNF 24, Ryan Denize, Mygale SJ08A, West Eyreton
DNS 26, Dyson Freeman, Van Diemen RF92, Dunedin
Race 4 (12-laps)
1/ 98, James Penrose, Ray GR20
2/ 17, Dylan Petch, Van Diemen RF93, Rolleston
3/ 28, Will Neale, Van Diemen RF94, Prebbleton
4/ 20, Dylan Grant, Van Diemen RF03, Auckland
5/ 18, Jacob Begg, Mygale SJ08A, Winton
6/ 56, Jacob Cunniffe, Mygale SJ12, Geraldine
7/ 35, Izaak Fletcher, Ray GR20, Tai Tapu
8/ 19, Cameron Freeman, Van Diemen RF92, Dunedin
9/ 24, Ryan Denize, Mygale SJ08A, West Eyreton
10/ 99, Michael Hey, Van Diemen Stealth, Blenheim
11/ 53. Robert Toshach, Swift FB89
12/ 77, Jake Bryant, Van Diemen RF94, Christchurch
DNS 26, Dyson Freeman, Van Diemen RF92, Dunedin
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