YOUNG EYEING AUSSIE RETURN

Dylan Young eyeing Aussie return – Photo: Supplied

Australian Open-wheel driver Dylan Young is eyeing a season in S5000 after a successful season contesting the MRF Challenge Formula 3 Series in the Middle East and India.

Young has been a regular competitor for the last few seasons racing against Harrison Newey, Pietro Fittipaldi, Tatiana Calderon and teammate to Mick Schumacher in the MRF Challenge, held over Australia’s summer months. The 30-year-old currently sits second heading to the Indian component of the series, just 16-points shy of leader Michelangelo Amendola.

“At the moment it has been a really, really good season,” Young told Auto Action.

“I’ve got a really good relationship with my engineer and the car has just felt on rails. It’s actually unfortunate because we had one DNF in Dubai where I was hit from behind when I was in third.

“You’d look at that and say that we’d be pretty bang on with the points at the moment.”

Having won a number of races in a field that includes the next Schumacher prodigy, Ralf’s son David, Young is keen to kick off the year with a series victory in India.

“I am feeling really, really confident going into the last round, I think there is a chance if it all comes together that we can look at challenging for the title,” Young said.

“It’s going to be a hectic weekend because Chennai is a crazy track, I’ll be crossing my fingers.”

Apart from his regular campaigns in the MRF Challenge, Young has been quiet on the racing front but is hopeful that a series win will open up further opportunities. He is already working on a deal that may place him in a prototype in Europe and is currently preparing two gentleman drivers with the aim of jumping into an LMP2 or LMP3 machine.

Another option is closer to home, S5000 has welcomed a number of former overseas ex-pats back to Australian shores with Young being another.

“It’s fantastic that there is a big, noisy category here in Australia and with it being at Albert Park for the first round, I literally grew up next to the circuit as a kid,” enthused Young. “It would be an amazing opportunity to line-up on the grid there, but like with anything, it’s dependant on funding.

Racing back at home is appealing to Young having not competed in his home country since karting, plus the hype surrounding S5000’s impending debut at Australia’s premier international event has the Melburnian eager to participate.

“I’m hoping with the results I am getting overseas it might help to gain some backers and hopefully I can come back after taking the title in Chennai and be on the grid at Albert Park,” said Young.

“I think it’s fantastic how the category’s growing in terms of exposure, everybody loves the sound and the way the cars operate. It is probably one of the best categories for someone like me to come back into.”

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