James Winslow heads to the third round of the Kumho Tyres Australian F3 Championship at Phillip Island hoping to rediscover the field-leading pace that set him apart from the competitive field just over a month ago.
The Briton's Opes Prime Dallara-Mugen was faster than any of its rivals in race trim during the Australian Grand Prix weekend, with only misfortune preventing the Scuderia Piccola driver from challenging for the top step of the podium. However, another frustrating outing at Oran Park two weeks ago has Winslow, the reigning Asian F3 champion, hoping that he can finally bring both speed and reliability to the party.
Winslow claimed another brace of point-scoring finishes at Sydney's Oran Park, but will need every ounce of pace from his ex-Fortec Motorsport car as the Kumho Tyres series visits one of its fastest venues.
Nothing matches an F3 car for speed at the purpose-built Phillip Island circuit, with the class lap record some three seconds faster than even that set by the top
MotoGP contenders. Winslow can expect to average around 185kph on each lap around the charismatic 4.5km track, as the flowing layout allows the F3 machines to utilise their aerodynamics, slick tyres and two-litre engines to full effect.
I'm certainly looking forward to going to Phillip Island, Winslow said, It is such a well-known venue, quite like those I am used to in Britain, and one where speed can make a real difference. Turns one, six, nine and ten are flat-out in an F3 car, while sections like the Southern Loop and Lukey Heights will see a driver's bravery come to the fore. Elsewhere, good brakes are the order of the day, as we have to slow from high speeds for Honda and MG, so the track certainly provides a real test of man and machine.
Although he added to his championship tally at Oran Park, Winslow knows that more is needed this weekend.
We need to rediscover the sort of pace we showed the last time we were in Melbourne but with luck going our way, he admitted, I know I am quick my Asian F3 title and the recent Renault V6 test at Sepang show that I haven't lost any speed so we need to work hard to get the car back on the pace. The team has spent the two weeks since Oran Park doing just that, and we had a test on the Wednesday before the race weekend, so hopefully that will give us some cause for optimism.
