18 CAR FIELD FOR FORMULA 4 AT GRAND PRIX

2018 Champion Jayden Ojeda headlines 18 car F4 field for the Australian Grand Prix – Photo: Supplied

The largest field of Formula 4 cars in Australia will line-up at the Albert Park circuit in support of the Australian Grand Prix this week.

CAMS PAYCE Australian Formula 4 Championship will have a field of 18 cars for their 2019 season opener in Melbourne.

Headlining the field will be 2018 Champion Jayden Ojeda, who has been granted a dispensation to make a cameo appearance with AGI Sport for the Grand Prix.

The reigning championship-winning squad, AGI Sport, will field a further four entries for experienced campaigners Antonio Astuti, Luis Leeds, Josh Smith and Formula 4 debutant Jackson Burton.

Ryan Suhle switches over to BRM in 2019 – Photo: InSyde Media

Last season’s runner-up Ryan Suhle will make a sensational return to the championship with Team BRM, after spending the last two years between AGI Sport and Zagame Autosport. Suhle will also juggle a stint in the Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge later in 2019 alongside his Formula 4 program.

Lochie Hughes and Tommy Smith reunite with Team BRM in 2019 for a second stint in the championship. Hughes, the Burson Auto Parts Rookie of 2018, will be aiming high this season after dominating last year’s rookie class. Smith, who is one of seven local Victorians at Albert Park, is also fresh from a stint in New Zealand’s Castrol Toyota Racing Series.

Emerson Harvey will be leaning on his experienced teammates at Team BRM, with the teenager making his eagerly anticipated circuit racing debut at Albert Park this weekend.

Queensland squad Patrizicorse impressed in their debutant season in 2018 alongside fellow rookie driver Jackson Walls, who also returns from a stint in New Zealand over the summer.

Walls will again lead the squad in 2019, with Porsche driver Aaron Zerefos making his open-wheel debut at Albert Park after spending the last few years racing at the Bathurst 12 Hour.

Toyota Racing Series squad MTEC Motorsport joins F4 – Photo: Supplied

A new team with an impressive pedigree in open-wheel racing will also make their Australian Formula 4 debut, with MTEC Motorsport fielding two entries for New Zealanders Taylor Cockerton and Ryan Yardley.

JRD also make their Australian Formula 4 comeback this weekend, preparing two cars for their experienced Formula Vee campaigners Heath Collinson and Matt Holmes.

Experienced Formula Vee, Aussie Racing Cars, Toyota 86 Series and Targa campaigner Dylan Thomas will also round out the field in an independently prepared Formula 4 under the Tank Motorsport banner with support from CXC Global. Thomas joins Brenton Griguol, Team BRM, as the category’s first older-age drivers participating in wildcard entries for the Grand Prix event.

British F4 driver Christian Lester will make his international debut at this weekend’s opening round of the CAMS PAYCE Australian Formula 4 Championship at the Formula 1 Rolex Australian Grand Prix.

Sunday’s third and final race will determine the weekend’s podium, with FIA President Jean Todt to present the winner’s trophy. Todt will be joined by FIA Vice-President Graham Stoker and FIA Single-Seater Commission President Stefano Domenicali to award second and third places respectively.

The opening round of the championship will see a single practice session prior to the Castrol Pole Position qualifying session on Thursday, with all three races spread across Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

Formula 4 – Australian Grand Prix – Entry List

#1 – Jayden Ojeda – AGI Sport
#5 – Ryan Suhle – Team BRM
#9 – Taylor Cockerton (NZ) – MTEC Motorsport
#11 – Jackson Walls – Patrizicorse
#12 – Josh Smith – AGI Sport
#14 – Matt Holmes – JRD
#15 – Lochie Hughes – Team BRM
#16 – Tommy Smith – Team BRM
#21 – Christian Lester (GBR) – Rossoverde Racing
#23 – Luis Leeds – AGI Sport
#29 – Aaron Zerefos – Patrizicorse
#31 – Heath Collinson – JRD
#39 – Antonio Astuti – AGI Sport
#57 – Jackson Burton – AGI Sport
#68 – Dylan Thomas – Tank Motorsport
#69 – Brenton Griguol – Team BRM
#76 – Emerson Harvey – Team BRM
#99 – Ryan Yardley (NZ) – MTEC Motorsport

For more of the latest motorsport news, pick up the current issue of Auto Action, both in stores and online now. Also make sure you follow us on social media Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or our weekly email newsletter for all the latest updates between issues.