RIBARITS JOINS SUPER3 FIELD
Hamish Ribarits will step up to the Super3 Series in 2019 – Photo: Supplied
2018 Australian Formula Ford Championship runner-up Hamish Ribarits will step up to the Kumho Tyre Super3 Series in 2019.
The Victorian racer will join defending champions MW Motorsport in an ex-Tickford Racing Ford FG Falcon previously driven by Mark Winterbottom.
The car was the final FG Falcon chassis built before Car Of The Future regulations took effect by the team then known as Ford Performance Racing, and was driven by Chaz Mostert when he won on debut with MW Motorsport in the Super2 Series at the Clipsal 500 on the streets of Adelaide in 2013.
The 18-year-old graduates from two seasons in state and national level Formula Ford competition with champion outfit Sonic Motor Racing Services, picking up four pole positions (the most of any driver in that season), five race wins, 17 podiums and two round wins on his way to a close second place in the championship, trailing eventual champion and Sonic teammate Hunter McElrea by only 15 points.
Ribarits also reset the long-standing Winton Motor Raceway lap record at round one, formerly held by seven-time Supercars champion Jamie Whincup and then 2017 Formula Ford champion Max Vidau.
“I’m really grateful and excited to be working with MW Motorsport in the Super3 Series this year,” said Ribarits.
“It’s an amazing opportunity to join the defending champions of the series and the potential is there to perform well.”
“Formula Ford taught me all the right lessons and techniques that I need to build a good skill set, and working with the Sonic team for the last two seasons has helped me immensely to lay the foundations for a career in motorsport.
“I’m confident after spending two years with Sonic that I can bring a lot to the table at MW Motorsport and hopefully I can build on the success that I had in Formula Ford through to Supercars.”
Ribarits was recently announced as a joint-winner of the Aussie Driver Search GT Competition and will compete in a round of the CAMS Australian GT Endurance Championship this season in the Aussie Driver Search Audi R8 LMS.
Following the recent confirmation of the series’ status as the official third tier to the Virgin Australia Supercars Championship, Ribarits views the series as a genuine platform for young drivers to hone their craft before progressing into the higher echelons of the sport.
“Super 3 as a category is great for young drivers like myself because you have the opportunity to learn the basics of racing a Supercar with experienced teams before making the huge step in investment and expertise required for a Super2 program.”
“Now that the category’s been picked up as the third tier to Supercars, it’s one of those steps that you have to take as a driver and I believe it’s now an essential part of the motorsport ladder.”
“I’m really grateful for the opportunity that Matt White has given me, and I can’t wait to meet the team and build that relationship with the engineers and crew before the season gets underway at Phillip Island.”
Ribarits will begin testing with the team in March, before the Kumho Tyre Super3 Series commences their five-round season at the Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit for the WD-40 Phillip Island SuperSprint on April 12-14.
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