Two-time New Zealand Formula First champion, Chris Symon, will take the step up to competing in Formula Ford this summer after being awarded the opportunity to drive the North Island Formula Ford (NIFF) Scholarship Van Diemen RF01 car (main picture). After many seasons competing in the NZ Formula First Championship, Symon has never sat in a Formula Ford and looks forward to the coming season.
“I’m extremely grateful for the North Island Formula Ford Scholarship car,” commented Symon. “Not only for being able to race in Formula Ford, but also for a lot of effort that is going on behind the scenes to make sure the car is well prepared and ready to race.
“Hopefully by the end of the month I will get some seat time in preparation for the upcoming season. With little to no testing before the first round, my goal is to learn. Learn a new car, a new class, new competitors, new tracks, and learn to get the most out of the Formula Ford.”
The 31-year-old school principal from Palmerston North has plenty of Formula First experience to fall back on. His father, Ross Symon, was 4x consecutive Formula Vee champion.
“I was a late starter at 22 when I completed a test day with Sabre Motorsport, entered the Speedsport Scholarship and got into finals day. I raced the Winter Series with the Sabre Motorsport Team and won that series so stepped up into the national Series, where I won Rookie of the Year and came sixth overall. From there, Dad and I bought a car and have developed it to now being a 2x NZ Formula First Champion.”
It’s a great season ahead for the Giltrap North Island Formula Ford Series with one of the highlights being a support category at the Repco Supercars Championship round at Pukekohe Park Raceway in September 2022.
“Opportunities like this don’t come around too often so I’ll take the wheel with both hands and do my best,” said Symon. “Hopefully I can adjust to the new car quickly and make progress. It’s a bit surreal to be even thinking about racing at the Supercars event in September too. “
With the Formula Ford category on an all-time high in NZ, the scholarship car is a means to bring more drivers into the class.
“When we formed the new NIFF club in 2020, we wanted to have a tool to help us grow the club,” commented Shane Drake, NIFF Chairman. “The club was at a very low level and after watching how successful South Island Formula Ford Club were with their scholarship cars and how many of them went on to buy their own car was amazing. Josh Andrew was our first recipient and did a very good job but had a lot of bad luck as well.
“We bought the Van Diemen RF01 chassis out of Perth, Australia. We have 15 shareholders that own the car on behalf of the NIFF club and we offer it to an up and coming competitor for the season which includes car, trailer, parts etc for a fee.
“The recipient takes the car away and treats it like their own. They do the best they can, learn about the car and return it at the end of the year.
“Each season we are looking for a package that includes a good driver who may not have the opportunity of funds to buy a Formula Ford at this point, has the financial backing to run the car and has a good team of people around them to maintain and run the car.”
While new to the category, Symon has the potential to successfully make the step up.
“Formula First has taught me to drive on the limit without compromising overall pace,” said Symon. “The age old saying ‘slow in fast out’ tends to provide you with a fast lap time as your corner exit is critical for your straight line speed.
“It’s also taught me a lot about effective passing and defending by utilising your cars position on track. Close wheel to wheel racing has also provided me with a wealth of confidence when racing alongside others.”
The NIFF season gets underway a week before the 9-11 September Supercars round, at Manfeild Park Chris Amon (4-5 September) in Feilding. Two more rounds complete the first half of the season before Christmas with a return to Pukekohe Park Raceway, 8 October, for a one-day meeting and then to the Taupo International Motorsport Park 20 November.
After a summer break, the season returns with back-to-back meetings in February in support of the final two rounds of the 2023 Castrol Toyota Racing Series, including the New Zealand Grand Prix meeting at Hampton Downs. The intensity certainly increases with these two rounds also doubling as the first two rounds of the NAPA Auto Parts New Zealand Formula Ford Championship which should also attract a number of South Island drivers to enter.
Comments