ANDREW VINCENT TAKES OUT FIRST EVER HAMPTON DOWNS ROUND

With names like Hulme, Amon and McLaren engraved into the historic motorsport circuits around New Zealand – this weekend was the dawning of a new age, as the new generation has been given a ‘blank canvas’ – a chance to put the first strokes of ink onto what will no doubt be a colorful future, at the new Hampton Downs circuit.

The program’s main event included the likes of Evans, Bamber and Pentus – but it was the Weldwell NZ Formula First class, in many eyes, that stole the show over the weekend. As Aaron Hodgson, Andrew Vincent and Jamie Gaskin - along with the ‘old guys’ Michael Shepherd and the returning Ian Foster redefined the words ‘close racing’ continuously throughout the event.

After three sessions on the Friday to get acquainted with the circuit, the Saturday qualifying session showed how close the racing was going to be, with the shining example the third place position, as both Jamie Gaskin and Michael Shepherd ending up with the exact same time.

In the end though, it was Speedsport Scholarship winner Aaron Hodgson who got the big draft up the hill, and set the fastest lap time – with Andrew Vincent clinching second, and the aforementioned Shepherd and Gaskin in third and fourth. After the chassis was bent after a recent accident with another driver behind the wheel, Foster continued to re-adjust his rebuilt championship winning Kaeser Compressors/Plummer Pneumatics challenge back to form – with a fifth place qualification spot.

Race 1

As the inaugural NZ Formula First championship race at Hampton Downs began, it was Andrew Vincent in the Squawking Magpie wines/Dodson’s Autospares machine who got the best start, and lead the 22 car field down to turn one. Amazingly, the entire field managed to navigate the turn which many thought would catch a few out in the initial laps.

As they entered the sweeper onto the front straight for the first time, it was obvious that it was anybodies race, as the top five were inches from each other going over the line. It was Shepherd though, in the Go Rentals/Inov8 challenge that managed to lead over the line, and proceeded to do so for the next three laps.

It was Vincent who then critically managed to seize the lead with a few laps remaining, and stay a car-length infront of the chasing pack - because on the penultimate lap, unfortunately many saw one of the side-effects of extremely close racing.

Going into turn one, Paul Butler in the Stirling Sports machine was racing hard with a few other drivers, when suddenly he and another car touched wheels. This sent Butler’s machine into a sequence of destruction that can only be seen to be believed. The end result was the #40 Stirling Sports car (although showing how safe these New Zealand Formula First cars are - with Butler managing to walk away) looking more like an abstract art piece, than the pristine machine it was before the race.

This accident brought out the red flag and the 75% completion rule was used, thus giving Andrew Vincent the first ever Weldwell New Zealand Formula First championship race, along with the first lap record that wouldn’t be beaten all weekend.

Second place went to the Aaron Hodgson, who vitally managed to get back into that position on the line, just infront of championship points leader Michael Shepherd. Ian Foster managed to improve on his qualifying spot with a fourth place position, fifth was Jamie Gaskin in the Gaskin Ford & Mazda/Lascom NZ machine whose impressive form continued, and is now a genuine contender for race wins - let alone top fives.

Race 2

Race 2 began the same as the first, with Vincent getting the best start, and leading the field into turn one. He then proceeded to pull away from the pack over the next two laps until Aaron Hodgson’s car came to a halt on the back straight. This was a bad break for Sabre motorsport driver, who is currently second in the championship race and was slowly clawing back points on Shepherd - only to lose many with a throttle cable issue.

What it also caused was the safety car to come out, allowing the rest of the field to catch up to the Dodson’s Autospares/Squawking Magpie wines machine of Andrew Vincent. A lap later though, the green flag dropped, and the racing commenced with Vincent practically repeating the start of the race. The 15 year old gained a small advantage during the first lap, and slowly pulled away in the remaining laps. In the end, nobody could do anything about it, as Vincent would take race 2, with the next car over four tenths behind.

But the race to be ’the next car’ was just as intense as it would have been for the win, as Gaskin, Shepherd and Foster battled it out throughout the race, just showing how close Formula First action can be at this circuit.

Ultimately Shepherd would take second, with Gaskin continually improving his personal best results in third – and the current Weldwell Formula First champion, Ian Foster in fourth.

Race 3

As the scorching heat continued to engulf everything around, the third race commenced with both Vincent and Hodgson getting great starts off the front row. It was Vincent who would lead the top 5 swam over the line for the first time though, as once again they were separated by merely inches.

Over the duration of the race, the epic battle would continue, as the next generation of New Zealand motorsport fought with the ‘old guys’. The lead continued to change hands practically every corner – with three wide attempts to lead the lap every time they hit the front straight, which not only showcased the intense class of Weldwell Formula First, but the impressive circuit that is Hampton Downs.

As the checkered flag came out however, it was one of the old guys who came through with the victory, as it was Ian Foster in the Plummer Pneumatics/Kaeser Compressors challenge who took the victory by the smallest of margins, as the top three – including Aaron Hodgson and Andrew Vincent, would once again participate in one of the best, not to mention closest races this year, as the top three would be covered by 0.074 of a second at the line.

With that third place in the final race, Vincent secured his second round win in a row, on his way to gaining on the two drivers ahead of him in points. Will he be able to carry this form into the next round?

The Formula First circus moves from the newest circuit in the country to one of the most legendary tracks of them all, as Pukekohe Park raceway plays host to round 6 of the championship – be sure to check out the action live on the 20th/21st of February.