Remember the young Formula Ford driver I write about occasionally? Ashley Walsh? Well, he’s in the UK now driving as a part of the CAMS Rising Star squad as a result of his outstanding form in FF here at home. Over the fold is a media release from his management, and it seems he’s finding that driving manners and common sense take on a whole new meaning in the UK.
AUSTRALIAN Formula Ford driver Ash Walsh has finished inside the top 10 in his international motor racing debut at Brands Hatch, UK, this weekend during the penultimate round of the British Formula Ford Championship.
The Ipswich, Queensland driver finished ninth in the second race at the famed British circuit in his factory Spectrum 011.
Walsh, 19, driving for the CAMS Rising Star squad, is in England for the next five weeks, testing the Australian-built Spectrum Formula Ford chassis while preparing for the Formula Ford Festival – the most prestigious Formula Ford event in the world.
Walsh qualified 15th and 13th for the two races on the 3.703km GP circuit. He did not finish the first race when he crashed his Spectrum into the tyre wall on the ninth lap.
The second race brought a better result, despite a delay at the beginning of the race. Walsh was held up a car that had a mechanical problem, but he fought back to eventually take ninth, setting the fifth fastest lap of the race while making up ground.
Walsh was awarded the prize for ‘highest placed guest driver’ for the round (there were five guest drivers in total).
Jay Bridger and Callum MacLeod won a race a piece over the weekend, with MacLeod wrapping up the championship.
Fellow factory Spectrum driver Josh Scott finished 13th in the first race but was taken out of the second race.
Another Australian, Victorian female racer Nicki Templer finished 20th in Race 1.
Walsh and Scott will test at Silverstone this Thursday, which will be followed by more testing in the coming weeks before the Festival (October 19-21).