Following a challenging outing at Winton Motor Raceway last month, youngster Ardie Jonic showed promising signs throughout last weekend’s sixth CAMS PAYCE Australian Formula 4 Championship round at Sydney Motorsport Park in NSW.
Closing his weekend with his best race finish yet, the 15-year-old racer continued to build on his solid pace throughout the weekend aboard the # 50 AGI Sports team car, recording a faster lap than the two drivers who finished ahead of him in Sunday’s third and final race.
“Although there were a few minor setbacks during the weekend, we’re quite happy with our performance overall and it was great to end the round with such a positive result after all of the hard work that went into getting the car set up right,” said the Ipswich, Queensland resident, who hadn’t done any tar racing prior to making his CAMS PAYCE Australian Formula 4 Championship debut earlier this year.
“I have to say a big thanks to the entire AGI Sports team for all of their help and support. The experience and knowledge that they have is invaluable and we’re really starting to make gains as a result of it.”
While his weekend didn’t begin in the best of fashions, with his car cutting out on corners during Friday’s first practice in which he placed ninth fastest, the AGI Sports team rallied to fix the issue ahead of practice two, with Jonic being pleased to make it out on track to finish ninth once again.
Returning to the track on Saturday, qualifying saw Jonic record the 10th fastest lap time, before managing to steal back a place in his opening race, coming home ninth. Experiencing an unfortunate DNF in the latter stages of race two, the current National Junior Sedan Champion managed to claw back another couple of positions in race three, capitalising on an early safety car and greeting the chequered flag in seventh.
Jonic is now looking forward to the seventh and final round of the CAMS PAYCE Australian Formula 4 Championship, which is set to take place at Pukekohe Park Raceway in New Zealand on November 2, 3 and 4.
“No one has done any testing in New Zealand, so it’s going to be great to head into the final round of the championship on a level playing field and I’m hoping to finish the year on a strong note,” he concluded.
Jonic would like to give special thanks to his nan and pop (Surelle and Lubo) for their support and for making racing a possibility for him, along with the efforts of the entire AGI Sports team.
To find out more about Jonic, LIKE him on Facebook by searching Ardie Jonic Racing Team #50.
