Will Neale has wrapped up the 2024/25 Yokohama South Island Formula Ford Championship after the fifth and final round was held at the Highlands Motorsport Park in Cromwell last weekend. Second overall was Auckland's Dylan Grant followed by Izaak Fletcher, Jacob Begg, Jake Bryant and Dylan Petch. Cameron Freeman was the first Class 2 car home.
“Very happy to wrap up the South Island title,” commented Neale. “At times we didn’t have the pace of the others, but we were able to maximise our results.”
Neale was rarely off the podium recording only one retirement and one ninth place across 17 races held over five separate rounds.
Auckland's Dylan Grant made the decision to compete in the South Island series and initially posed a real threat to his rivals finishing on the podium in the first six races. Unfortunately, in a category that requires consistent results and points accumulation, Grant did not score points in three critical races in Rounds 2 and 3. A fight back saw him comfortably finish in second.
Tai Tapu's Izaak Fletcher finished third overall with four podiums amongst nine top five placings. Fourth place Jacob Begg from Winton was the highest placed competitor who finished all 17 races.
The final Highlands round was in conjunction with the second NZ Formula Ford national round in support of the New Zealand Grand Prix weekend with 16 of the 19 entries from the South Island Formula Ford Club. Neale was able to claim the South Island title after the first race on Saturday afternoon and went on to win the third race of the weekend.
“Absolutely wrapped after such a hard weekend,” commented Neale. “We haven’t been on the pace and found it hard to be in the front pack. We made a couple of changes for Race 3, and it was perfectly in the window. The car was mint and came on when we wanted, and I was in the zone. I can’t thank Dad and the team enough.”
The South Island grids have continued to be strong this season producing some superb classic Formula Ford racing.
“The great thing about the category is the help and support the drivers and teams get in the paddock,” said series co-ordinator Andy Robertson. “Special mention has to go to Nigal Barclay’s team who went above and beyond to help a number of competitors get their cars repaired in time for racing.”
The South Island Formula Ford Club acknowledge the support from Team Hutchinson Ford and the cash prize for fastest qualifier at each round from the Hampton Downs NZ Racing Academy.
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 given prizes for both Driver of the Day 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.