|
Radisich Returns To Open Wheel Championship Competition |
|
|
|
|
Wednesday, 21 February 2007 |
One of the most famous surnames synonymous with Australian and International touring car racing will return to it’s Open Wheel roots in the 2007 Kumho Tyres Australian Formula 3 Championship.
Mathew Radisich - the nephew of former World Touring Car Champion and current V8 Supercar ace Paul - will join the championship in 2007 and will in the process return the Radisich family name to where it began in Australian Motorsport over 25 years ago.
Mathew, 18, has experience in state and national-level Formula Ford in
both Australia and New Zealand and will drive a Spiess Opel
powered-Dallara F304 in a family-supported Radisich Motorsport team
that will include support from his vastly experienced Uncle.
The quietly spoken teenager races with the nickname ‘The Mouse’,
following the lead set by his uncle who is commonly known as 'The Rat'
in Motorsport circles.
Radisich will make his Formula 3 debut in the non-championship support
races at the 2007 Formula 1 ING Australian Grand Prix this March,
before – funding permitting - going on to complete a selected campaign
throughout the remaining seven rounds of the 2007 Australian Drivers
Championship, returning the Radisich name to a series that his Uncle
starred in throughout the early 1980s.
Paul Radisich began his domestic career in Open Wheel racing, scoring a
fourth placed finish in the 1983 Australian Drivers Championship in a
season also included a start in the Australian Grand Prix (then held at
Calder Park) where he finished 7th.
He then departed for Europe, racing against the likes of Damon Hill in British Formula 3.
Now a driver for Team Kiwi Racing in the V8 Supercar Championship,
Radisich then won two World Touring Car Cups and twice finished second
in the British Touring Car Championship.
The Radisich Motorsport team purchased the ex Swiss Racing Team
2004-specification Dallara, powered by a Spiess Opel engine, mid last
year and has spent the last season preparing it for its racing debut
this March.
“It’s really exciting to be joining the championship. I’ve been waiting
and waiting for this so it’s great that it’s finally going to happen,”
Mathew enthused.
“I have to thank all my sponsors and supporters for getting me here – without their help I couldn’t have got to this level.
“Formula 3 is looking really good this year. The class has stepped up
to a new level and it’s a really good field. I know it will be a
challenge but hopefully there will be some really good battles for me
throughout the year.
”As a driver I’d love to be at the front, so hopefully as the season goes on I can get up there.” He said.
Despite having limited experience in his still burgeoning career,
Radisich said that he was confident that the learning curve wouldn’t be
insurmountable.
“I think the only disadvantage I have is that I don’t have any
experience in Wings and Slicks cars before joining Formula 3, and that
I only know Winton, Sandown, Phillip Island and Eastern Creek,” he
explained.
“I might not have raced at the track, but it’s going to be great to
race at the Grand Prix. It’s always great to race in front of the F1
crowd and show what you can do.
“I’ve been putting in a lot of miles testing on the PlayStation to
learn the Albert Park circuit in time for the Grand Prix, so I’ll be
ready for that!” he joked.
Paul Radisich will take a hands-on role in Mathew’s career, set to
become a driver mentor for the 18-year-old driver in his first year in
a Formula 3 car.
”It looks like he will come out to a couple of test days with us and
help us out – not with the car but mainly to help my driving and bring
that along,” Mathew explained.
“Paul hasn’t told me a great deal about what he did in Open Wheel
racing, I probably know more about what he’s done in the Touring cars
lately, but it will be great to have someone of his experience helping
me out.”
Mathew’s car will be supported by McDonalds New Zealand, HT Leads, Ullrich Aluminium, Competition Systems and Concept racegear.
The team is still looking for a major sponsor to fully fund their 2007 campaign.
For more information about the Kumho Tyres Australian Formula 3 Championship please visit www.formula3.com.au
|
