But Australian F3 is definitely growing in strength and I think that next year is going to be an even stronger year, with Opes Prime's involvement meaning that there should be at least ten 2007 cars, with perhaps ten or eleven cars in the B class for 2004-spec chassis, so maybe 22-24 cars on the grid in all. I've also heard the names of some of the drivers that could be coming over, so the series is definitely expanding and definitely building its role on the motorsport ladder as a place for drivers to go to progress onto more serious careers.
Crash.net:
You went to the V6s on the back of very little testing - I think you had one outing at Sepang where you made quite a big impression on Team Meritus - so did you find that it was a big step up, or did you adapt quite quickly?
JW:
I found that it was quite a different driving style. I'd been in F3 for three or four years, so I felt that I'd been typecast slightly. I jumped into the V6 for a pre-season test with Team Meritus and Peter Thompson, and went quick in the test, but didn't fully understand how the car worked or what the best driving style was to make them quick. Once I had, I learned that, compared to the F3 car, they haven't got the same amount of lateral grip so you have to slow the corner speed down more, which is actually an easier style of driving, easier than F3. Once I'd learned that driving style it was pretty easy after that, and I managed to win four races and have nine podiums over the races that I did.
Crash.net:
Your success in that series then earned you a test in the World Series by Renault. Is that possibly paving the way for next season, or was it just something that you were just delighted to get the opportunity to try?
JW:
It was great to get the opportunity to try the World Series car but, to be honest, I tested it on the Tuesday having won the V6 championship in China on the Sunday. I couldn't change the day of the test - it was Tuesday or you couldn't actually take your prize - so I was absolutely jet-lagged when I arrived at Paul Ricard and was so exhausted after a race weekend and winning the championship that I can't actually remember too much of the test! But it was a great experience, I can remember being there and a few things from the day, even if I didn't take out of it as much as I could have done.
Crash.net:
Of course, the other notable test you've had was with Conquest Racing in a Champ Car....
JW:
And that was fantastic! That's basically the way we want to go for 2008 and it's what we're working towards right now. I'm planning to test for Conquest again in January and we're hoping that we can get a drive in Champ Car. If not, we're also considering doing Champ Car Atlantic so that we can learn the circuits, learn the American way but, as a destination in motorsport, we're driving towards Champ Car, either in 2008 or 2009. That's what we really want to aim for.
Crash.net:
Opes Prime appeared on the Conquest car for the last couple of rounds of this year's series. Are they going to be going with you to the US?
JW:
Yes, Opes Prime are basically going to be involved with Conquest in some way, although I'm not sure exactly how it's going to work just yet. I'm sure that'll be revealed quite soon, but I'm hoping to do either Champ Car or Atlantic next season and we're talking to Conquest and a few other teams as well, so it's all quite exciting and, one way or another, we'll definitely be racing in America next season.
Crash.net:
Have you got anything lined up for the winter, other than testing the Champ Car again? Obviously, there is the new GP2 Asia Series, where you'd have an advantage of knowing the circuits... Is that something that might keep your hand in?
JW:
It would for sure, and we were talking quite seriously to Meritus about doing GP2 Asia. Talks haven't come to a close yet, but we've probably decided that the limited budget we have would be better put into a full series rather than a 'winter' series because we wouldn't be able to find the budget to do the full European GP2 Series. So Champ Car remains our prime target and we're putting all our financial assistance into America and finding me a Champ Car seat either for next season or the season after.
![James Winslow will get his first taste of Champ Car when he tests with Conquest Racing at Sebring in September [pic credit: AFOS]](http://pix.crash.net/thumbs/378760.jpg)
