Southland’s Alex Crosbie has retained his national Formula Ford champion status after winning the 2023 NAPA Auto Parts New Zealand Formula Ford Championship (NZFF) title in Christchurch over the weekend. The final of four rounds saw some intense competition and rivalry between the top-contenders with Crosbie finishing all four races including winning the final 12-lap feature to make certain his second title. Second overall was Blake Knowles followed by Daniel Brown and Sebastian Manson with William Neale in fifth.
“It’s definitely great to top the weekend off with a win and the NZ championship as well,” commented Crosbie. “Being consistent was the key for the weekend and not have any poor finishes. It was really close and clean racing all weekend which I really enjoyed. It was about making sure I finished in front of my rivals, which we did.”
Also decided at the meeting held at the Euromarque Motorsport Park was the 2022/23 Yokohama South Island Formula 1600 Championship (SIFF) title which went to Cantabrian Blake Knowles with Crosbie finishing runner up after six rounds of racing over the summer season.
“Absolutely stoked,” said Knowles. “It was about being consistent and finishing in the top bunch. I couldn’t afford not to finish a race.”
While Crosbie was the one to beat in both title races, the key to Knowles’ championship had been success at the penultimate round at Teretonga Park, Invercargill.
“We went into last weekend’s round (at Teretonga) about 60-points behind him (Alex Crosbie). He had a DNF (did not finish) in the first race so we had to maximise our weekend which we did that in turn helped us coming into this round. It’s been really close racing between me, Alex and Will (Neale) all weekend.”
Winner of the NZFF round was rookie William Neale who won the first two races on Saturday and finished third in both of Sunday’s races. He claimed both national and South Island Class 2 titles as well as the South Island Rookie of the Year.
“It has been more than I had ever hoped for at the beginning of the season,” said Neale. “I’ve been racing both Alex and Blake throughout our years of karting so it’s great to continue this in Formula Ford.
“We’re learnt heaps over the season and will go away and do a lot of work over the winter and get ready for next season.”
Crosbie was immediately quick setting fastest lap in qualifying and winning the Hampton Downs NZ Racing Academy $1,010.10 cash prize. Rain was to have an impact on the first two races on Saturday. The opening race started in the rain with a number of drivers electing to run with a wet setup. With a drying track, those who stayed with a dry setup prevailed with Neale winning from Crosbie, Knowles, Brown and Dylan Petch.
It was the opposite for Race 2 with rain falling late in the race making the track ‘greasy’ in places and saw title contenders Crosbie and Brown heading off track late in the race and finishing down the order while Neale took the checkered flag from Blake Dowdall, Knowles, Manson and Mason Potter.
Knowles won the third race, this time in dry mild conditions from Crosbie, Neale, Dowdall and Manson while Crosbie sealed his title, winning Race 4 from Knowles, Neale, Manson, Brown and Potter.
Crosbie becomes only the third driver to twice win the national title in consecutive years. Ashley Stichbury won in 1992/93 and 1993/94 and Andre Heimgartner in 2010/11 and 2011/12.
Both Dave McMillan (1972/73 and 1975/76), Grant Campbell (1977/78 and 1988/89) and Greg Tullett (1995/96 and 1997/98) are the only other two-time winners.
As part of the overall prize package supported by the Tony Quinn Foundation, Crosbie gets the opportunity to test a Toyota Formula Regional Oceania FT60 while Knowles will test a FT50.
The $230 NAPA Auto Parts ‘Driver of the Day prize was awarded to Knowles who also won the Stephen Gillard trophy for the national Rookie of the year.
The Napa Auto Parts NZ Formula Ford Championship and the Yokohama South Island Formula 1600 Championship are also supported by Yokohama, the Tony Quinn Foundation and NAPA Auto Parts.
Overall Points – 2023 NAPA Auto Parts NZ Formula Ford Championship (Top 14)
1/ Alex Crosbie 956
2/ Blake Knowles 861
3/ Daniel Brown 838
4/ Sebastian Manson 834
5/ William Neale 822
6/ Blake Dowdall 704
7/ Caleb Byers 653
8/ Dylan Grant 616
9/ Jack Noble-Adams 607
10/ Mason Potter 561
11/ Dylan Petch 551
12/ Keith Miller 443
13/ Hayden Bakkerus 184
14/ Leo Scott 45
Overall Points – Yokohama South Island Formula 1600 Championship (Top 17)
1/ Blake Knowles 1358
2/ Alex Crosbie 1286
3/ Will Neale 1135
4/ Daniel Brown 1026
5/ Caleb Byers 980
6/ Dylan Petch 738
7/ Thomas Flynn 674
8/ Dominic Robertson 586
9/ Sebastion Manson 514
10/ Jacob Cunniffe 495
11/ Dan Kelly 494
12/ Robert Toshach 410
13/ Jake Bryant 407
14/ Jack Noble-Adams 388
15/ Michael Hey 369
16/ Ryan Low 336
17/ Keith Miller 288
Race Results (Position, #, Driver, Chassis)
Race 1 (10 laps)
1/ 28, Will Neale, Van Diemen Stealth
2/ 1, Alex Crosbie, Ray GR21
3/ 50, Blake Knowles, Van Diemen RF05
4/ 25, Daniel Brown, Ray GR21
5/ 17, Dylan Petch, Ray GR20
6/ 6, Blake Dowdall, Spectrum 015
7/ 69, Sebastian Manson, Spectrum 015
8/ 73, Caleb Byers, Ray GR21
9/ 75, Jack Noble-Adams, Ray GR21
10/ 15, Dylan Grant, Van Diemen RF03
11/ 37,Ryan Low, Ray GR08
12/ 93, Mason Potter, Spectrum 015
13/ 3, Dominic Robertson Swift SC94
14/ 58, Daniel Kelly, Van Dieman Stealth
15/ 77, Jake Bryant, Van Dieman RF94
16/ 83, Thomas Flynn, Swift SC
17/ 53, Robert Toshach, Swift FB89
18/ 96, Michael Hey, Van Dieman Stealth
19/ 42, Keith Miller, Van Diemen RF01
Not Classified 96, Jacob Cunniffe, Swift
Race 2 (10 laps)
1/ 28, Will Neale, Van Diemen Stealth
2/ 6, Blake Dowdall, Spectrum 015
3/ 50, Blake Knowles, Van Diemen RF05
4/ 69, Sebastian Manson, Spectrum 015
5/ 93, Mason Potter, Spectrum 015
6/ 17, Dylan Petch, Ray GR20
7/ 73, Caleb Byers, Ray GR21
8/ 75, Jack Noble-Adams, Ray GR21
9/ 37,Ryan Low, Ray GR08
10/ 1, Alex Crosbie, Ray GR21
11/ 83, Thomas Flynn Swift SC
12/ 96, Jacob Cunniffe, Swift
13/ 3, Dominic Robertson Swift SC94
14/ 58, Daniel Kelly, Van Dieman Stealth
15/ 25, Daniel Brown, Ray GR21
16/ 53, Robert Toshach, Swift FB89
17/ 96, Michael Hey, Van Dieman Stealth
18/ 42, Keith Miller, Van Diemen RF01
DNF 15, Dylan Grant, Van Diemen RF03
DNF 77, Jake Bryant, Van Dieman RF94
Race 3 (10 laps)
1/ 50, Blake Knowles, Van Diemen RF05
2/ 1, Alex Crosbie, Ray GR21
3/ 28, Will Neale, Van Diemen Stealth
4/ 6, Blake Dowdall, Spectrum 015
5/ 69, Sebastian Manson, Spectrum 015
6/ 25, Daniel Brown, Ray GR21
7/ 17, Dylan Petch, Ray GR20
8/ 75, Jack Noble-Adams, Ray GR21
9/ 37,Ryan Low, Ray GR08
10/ 73, Caleb Byers, Ray GR21
11/ 77, Jake Bryant, Van Dieman RF94
12/ 3, Dominic Robertson, Swift SC94
13/ 83, Thomas Flynn, Swift SC
14/ 58, Daniel Kelly Van Dieman Stealth
15/ 15, Dylan Grant, Van Diemen RF03
16/ 53, Robert Toshach Swift FB89
17/ 96, Jacob Cunniffe,, Swift
18/ 96, Michael Hey, Van Dieman Stealth
19/ 42, Keith Miller, Van Diemen RF01
20/ 93, Mason Potter, Spectrum 015
Race 4 (12 laps)
1/ 1, Alex Crosbie, Ray GR21
2/ 50, Blake Knowles, Van Diemen RF05
3/ 28, Will Neale, Van Diemen Stealth
4/ 69, Sebastian Manson, Spectrum 015
5/ 25, Daniel Brown, Ray GR21
6/ 93, Mason Potter, Spectrum 015
7/ 17, Dylan Petch, Ray GR20
8/ 73, Caleb Byers, Ray GR21
9/ 75, Jack Noble-Adams, Ray GR21
10/ 37,Ryan Low, Ray GR08
11/ 15, Dylan Grant, Van Diemen RF03
12/ 77, Jake Bryant, Van Dieman RF94
13/ 83, Thomas Flynn, Swift SC
14/ 3, Dominic Robertson, Swift SC94
15/ 58, Daniel Kelly, Van Dieman Stealth
16/ 53, Robert Toshach, Swift FB89
17/ 96, Michael Hey, Van Dieman Stealth
18/ 42, Keith Miller, Van Diemen RF01
DNF 6, Blake Dowdall, Spectrum 015
DNF 96, Jacob Cunniffe, Swift
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