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Continued from News
ADELAIDE DRIVER JESSE WAKEMAN FACING A RACE AGAINST TIME
TO GET ON TRACK FOR HOME TOWN FORMULA 3 ROUND
South Australian driver Jesse Wakeman faces a race against time to get
his shattered race car back on track for next weekends’ fourth round of
the Kumho Tyres Australian Formula 3 Championship at Mallala Raceway -
his home round.
After posting one of his most impressive performances yet in the first
practice session, 20-year-old Wakeman was an innocent party in a
five-car smash at Oran Park that left his Dallara F301 – Spiess Opel
entry massively damaged and his rookie season in F3 hanging in the
balance.
Wakeman was the last of four cars to make contact with the stranded
entry of Graemme Holmes at a blind part of Oran Park’s undulating
layout.
After hitting fluid on the circuit, Wakeman’s R-Tek Motorsport Services
entry spun and cannoned into the side of Holmes’ car, casing massive
damage. Leanne Tander, Mat Radisich and Mat Sofi were all involved in
the accident.
All drivers fortunately emerged unscathed – though sore and winded –
following the impact, showing the massive safety properties employed in
the design of Formula 3 chassis’.
The impact destroyed most of the right-hand rear of Wakeman’s car,
including the complete right-rear suspension setup, brake disc and
wheel, the side pod, engine cover, rear and front wings and associated
aerodynamic components.
The crash – estimated to have caused over $50,000 worth of damage to
Wakeman’s car alone – also tore the alloy inlet trumpets from the head
of the Spiess Opel engine, destroying both. In the process the wiring
loom was crushed and the Carbon Fibre air box – a signature component in
Formula 3 racing – was also destroyed.
The crash left the privateer - who lives in Kersbrook in the Adelaide
hills - and his family-supported team scrambling to source components to
try and get the car on track for their home round, which begins in eight
days time as part of the Shannons Nationals event at Mallala.
With the experienced R-Tek crew on hand, Wakeman’s car was back in
Adelaide the Monday following the Oran Park round with the team
immediately assessing the damage and components needed.
An unprecedented show of support from fellow Formula 3 teams has allow
the team to source both a complete ‘rolling’ chassis (a car without
engine) and a replacement Spiess Opel engine to assist in the rebuild
process.
Parts from the newly purchased chassis will be used in the
reconstruction of the 2004 Championship winning car (Then driven by Karl
Reindler) that Wakeman hopes to race again at Mallala next week.
”The car has been completely stripped and cleaned, and every part that
we need accounted for,” Wakeman explained today.
”The rolling chassis and new engine will arrive on Thursday (May 8th)
and that will give the team five or six days to rebuild a complete car
from two incomplete ones to try and get us back on track for Mallala.
It’s easier for us to rebuild my original car as it’s a known quantity -
the new car we have purchased is purely for parts.
“As Mallala is my home track it’s the place where I’ve done the most
laps in a Formula 3 car – and after a promising performance at Oran Park
before the crash I was very confident that we would go really well in
front of my supporters at Mallala.”
Whilst he anticipates an 80% or better chance of returning to the track
next weekend, Wakeman said that the remainder of his season would be
placed in doubt without further funds.
”The crash has been a big setback,” he added.
”It will probably mean that we can’t complete the season due to the
costs of repairing the car but we’ll go and give Mallala the best shot
we can. If we can go well there then we’ll see what happens for the
remainder of the year.
”The team are working around the clock to try and piece everything
together in time for practice next Friday.”
Wakeman noted the massive efforts the Formula 3 community has gone to in
order to get the fledgling young driver back on track so soon after the
massive impact.
”Errol Gilmour (Gilmour Racing) and Sam Astuti (Astuti Motorsport) have
been instrumental in helping us out with the engine and chassis,”
Wakeman said.
”And of course, the R-Tek team have been amazing. There was not a lot of
turn-around time between rounds so to even have the car at the point of
being ready to rebuild is fantastic.
”I know that they build a quick race car so I’m confident that if we get
back on track we should be able to go well.”
Graeme Holmes, who's car was also essentially written off in the smash,
has also received support from the Formula 3 community in a similar
fashion in order to return to the series later this year.
Mallala raceway’s round of the Shannons National Motor Racing
Championships will feature round four of the 2008 Kumho Tyres Australian
Formula 3 Championship for the CAMS Gold Star.
British driver James Winslow currently leads the championship after a
stunning win with Astuti Motorsport at Oran Park.
Leanne Tander also won in Sydney, her first win of the season. So far
five different drivers (Winslow, Tander, Nathan Caratti, Neil McFadyen
and Ben Clucas) have won the five races contested to date.
mail your news to editorthegrid@yahoo.co.uk
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