Tom Sargent has bounced back from a mishap in race two, round three of the Australian Formula Ford Championship at Winton Motor Raceway on the weekend to secure the title with a round to spare.
Sargent qualified on pole position and took a commanding victory in race one. He was on target to repeat the performance in the weekend’s second race, opening up a 13-second margin over the field before his lead was wiped out by a Safety Car intervention.
When the race restarted, Sargent was knocked into a spin by another competitor at turn three, falling to last position.
However, a determined drive by the Young pilot in race three saw him moving the CHE Racing Formula Ford to the lead within six laps and from there he was never headed. The race win – his eighth in the category – draws him level with seven-time Supercars Champion Jamie Whincup for all-time wins in the 52-year history of the Australian Formula Ford Championship.
Sargent also extended a 66-point advantage over his nearest championship rival; with a maximum of 61 points available in the final round, it means he is assured of the title.
An elated Sargent was ecstatic to finally achieve his goal of a title in the coveted junior development category, the first for his CHE Racing Team since Cameron Hill’s 2015 triumph.
“As a team, this championship has been a work in progress for a while and we’ve had to overcome the challenges of COVID interruptions the last few years, so to finally get the job done is extremely satisfying,” Sargent said.
“The Winton weekend was a rollercoaster – it started on a high, went downhill in race two but then finished on a very positive note,” Sargent said.
“The car was very fast, so qualifying and race one were both relatively straightforward. Race two was going well up until the Safety Car, but then I was unfortunately involved in an incident.
“In the last race, I just focused on making clean overtaking moves and was able to work my way back to the front. Normally it’s difficult to pass at Winton because it’s such a tight circuit with short braking zones, so full credit goes to the CHE Racing Team for giving me such a fast car and making it possible to fight through the field.”
Having wrapped up the title, Sargent said the pressure is off heading into the final round at Phillip Island in a fortnight.
“Fortunately, I don’t have to worry about the championship now, but at Phillip Island I’ll still be trying to win all the races, to finish my time in Formula Ford on a high note,” he concluded.
Round Results Summary
Qualifying: 1st
Race 1: 1st
Race 2: 12th
Race 3: 1st
Overall: 1st
