Weekend Race report: April 1 – 3, 2023
Only an April fool could miss the motorsport action around the globe this weekend, where we have almost too many Kiwis to discuss!
Apr 1, 2023
With Formula One headlining a big week in Motorsport and with many Kiwi’s participating in events globally, there’s no shortage of updates from the weekend.
Formula 1
The Formula One circus again landed in Melbourne where, for us, Aston Martin’s 2023 season remains the big story. Alonso and Stroll scored solid points in Melbourne and given the new-found form, you have to ask, could Aston Martin and Fernando Alonso on track for a fairy-tale F1 race win this season? It would certainly appear to be a matter if of when, not if.
Alonso shone in a highly chaotic Melbourne Grand Prix, which featured an unprecedented three red flags, Fernando and teammate Lance Stroll were able to fight their way through to finish third and fourth at Albert Park Circuit. Aston Martin have found form in 2023.
Fernando challenged for second place behind Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton for much of the race, before the second red flag came out. On the subsequent restart, he was tipped into a spin by Ferrari's Carlos Sainz.
However, as the third and final red flag was called before the field had passed the first sector marker, the result from the previous lap – minus any cars that were eliminated – was used for a one-lap restart behind the Safety Car to the finish. This meant Fernando came through to take his third podium finish in succession.
With podiums at all 2023 races so far, Alonso, the oldest driver in the field, now sits third in the championship. Ahead of Lewis Hamilton and within grasp of Sergio Perez in second.
Australian Supercars
For those who know Shane van Gisbergen know, while winning is important, a hard-fought and close race with aggression and mutual respect is everything. And the reigning Champion got just that this weekend. On Friday’s racing SVG was caught out trying to stay wide and forced offline by Brown on a race restart following an earlier incident, "On the restart, I was damned if I did, damned if I didn't” Said SVG who after losing track position from being caught wide in the earlier stages was forced to try an outside manoeuvre on Brown.
“I didn't know where to go. If I went to the inside, Will would block me and Brodie would go around.
“I went for it and he [Brown] ran me off the road, but I would’ve done the same to him. It is what it is.”
Kostecki seized his opportunity to also overtake the reigning champion and there were some excellent exchanges. SVG would eventually take P3 on the track, but with James Courtney relegated down the order post race, van Gisbergen claimed P2 points.
Race 5 - Saturday April 1
Shane van Gisbergen and the Red Bull Ampol racing team appear to have some difficulty in qualifying set up and performance as SVG had his work cut out starting from 11th on the grind for race 5.
But the combined strategy and driving talent, made good in race trim. In a messy race with many cars spinning or making contact, along with a dramatic fire from the Snowy Caravans Camaro, van Gisbergen kept his head down and car clean. An outstanding drive from Bryce Fullwood netted a podium, only to be undone moments after the chequered flag due to an unsafe pit release, Will Davison also suffered the same fate. Those relegations elevated SVG to P2 on the Podium behind Brodie Kosteki and ahead of Will Brown.
“Gutted for Bryce Fullwood today, he drove awesome. But for me, I’m stoked. Tomorrow’s going to be a tough one out the back again, but I’ll do my best. I think we need to find a little bit, but it’s not too bad”
Race 6 - Sunday April 2
Sunday was to be an uphill battle for Shane van Gisbergen who started from 12th on the grid for race 6 at Albert Park.
Fair to say, SVG has yet to gel with the Gen 3 Camaro, and his transparency around the car’s shortcomings has landed him in hot water. Despite some teething issues SVG is determined to collate as many points as possible while he and Red Bull Ampol racing get on top of the car.
His drive to 4th today confirms he remains a force to be reckoned with, but eyes are also on the likes of David Reynolds who is finding new form in 2023, and Brodie Kostecki both overtook more cars than SVG in race 6. And the Kiwi’s young teammate Brock Feenie who won the race are all challenging the champ early in the season. If that continues expect a very tight and exciting championship.
SVG actually crossed the line in 5th, but for the second time this weekend Bryce Fullwood had an outstanding drive hampered by a post-race penalty for an unsafe pit release, so van Gisbergen claimed fourth.
Brodie Kostecki took the round win and the Larry Perkins Trophy, a stellar weekend for Team Erebus.
Kiwi Andre Heimgartner took second position in race 6, while fellow Kiwi Matt Payne was the top rookie in 12th.
Paynter Dixon Porsche Carrera Cup Australia Championship
Callum Hedge in the Team Porsche New Zealand entry claimed pole position in Friday’s session at Albert Park but in a dramatic race has had his opportunity to convert to a race win scuppered. The opening race was declared early, following a lap two accident involving the SP Tools Pro-Am class cars of Indiran Padayachee and Danny Stuttered at the back of the field.
This saw a lengthy recovery and also damage to the temporary walling, causing a lengthy red flag stoppage With time a critical factor on the Grand Prix program, the race was ultimately declared a non-event with results not counting.
Saturday, 1 April
Callum Hedge drove to third in both Porsche races at Melbourne. In the first race Jackson Walls slipped to second early on, leaving Hedge to spend much of his race scrapping with Thomas Maxwell in a thrilling fight for third. The final race was made challenging with changing weather, and drivers losing grip in the wet. Hedge remained in the front battle pack to the end in third after a lap eight safety car drew the race to an end.
NZRC Otago Rally
Saturday 1, April
Aside from the spectacles in Melbourne, our eyes were also on the Rally of Otago where Škoda New Zealand Rally Team are looking to improve on their excellent debut 2022 season with Ben Hunt at the wheel of the Fabia R5.
Hayden Paddon dominated Day 1 of the Otago rally in his WRC2 Hyundai i20 and off the back of a historic European Rally Championship round win in Portugal last month, Hayden has form and gravel miles under his belt. He will undoubtedly be the one to beat this year.
Škoda New Zealand driver, Ben Hunt seeks to do just that and was chasing hard and at the end of day 1 in Otago. Hunt sat just 35.4 seconds from the lead after 8 special stages. He lost time on SS4, posting just the 8th fastest time, but co-driver Tony Rawstorn is masterful at keeping Hunt focused in the car. Together, they turned things around posting 3rd, 2nd and 3rd fastest times in SS5, SS6 and SS7 respectively.
The Tarmac Super Stage (SS8) was as close as you can get, Hunt just 0.3 seconds off Paddon’s time.
Sunday 2, April
More consistent times on Day 2 of the Otago rally saw Ben Hunt take third in his Škoda Fabia R5 WRC2 car on Sunday.
Hunt was second position on all stages behind bar 2 (SS10 and SS11) where he was fourth fastest. While the result isn’t exactly where Hunt wanted to be, he and the Škoda New Zealand Rally Team are finding positives in the data. Some adjustments made for a better car on day 2 and Hunt was consistently within 10 seconds of Hayden Paddon on Paddon’s home rally.
Hayden is contesting the WRC2 specification i20 this year which is more closely aligned in its performance and specification to Hunt’s Fabia WRC2 R5, the narrower margins in stage times in Otago this year appear to be good indicator Hunt and the team have a good chance for stage wins in the NZRC rounds ahead.
Otago Rally Image credit: Geoff Ridder
IndyCars
Monday, 3 April
Monday morning saw Scott McLaughlin and Scott Dixon battling each other at the Texas Motor Speedway. Both faced challenges, but ultimately drove strong respective races at the Texas Speedway PPG375.
Dixon would top early practice times and qualify to start in P2, while McLaughlin was way down the order in 15th. McLaughlin and his Penske team however did find pace following that qualifying result and the former Supercar Champion drove to P6, finishing just behind Dixon in P5. In the crucial last laps the race finished under caution following a crash by Romain Grosjean.
While Dixon just couldn’t make the Number 9 car stick in the Texan heat, his P5 finish does give him the most Top 5 finishes in IndyCar history. Dixon now in his 22nd season Chip Ganassi Racing, is third in the Championship standings.
In Other News
We also commend Heart of Racing driver, Rianna O’Meara-Hunt who expanded her tin-top experience to a new level in the USA contesting the GT4 America series in the Aston Martin Vantage GT4. And Liam Sceats who has finished inside the top 10 in the Regional Formula Japan series this weekend.
