KARTING
A Killcare teen has defied the odds and clinched silver at Round One of the 2022 NSW Formula Ford Championship at Sydney Motorsport Park on April 10.
Despite being the least experienced driver in the field with only four track days under his belt, 15-year-old Max Mason was able to surprise the competition with an incredible effort to grab a spot on the podium.
Max lined up his Formula Ford car at exactly the same time his Formula 1 icons started their race at the Grand Prix in Melbourne.
Max said it was a surreal moment to place on his debut race weekend.
“I have prepared for the last few months for this race, to step into the footsteps of many of my idols like Michael Schumacher that started in this category and to get on the podium in 2nd place is so surreal,” Mason said.
“For the entire race I had to push myself beyond my limit and to finish just 2/10 of a second in front of the car chasing me shows the small margins in this sport.
“This was my first race [and] I couldn’t have dreamed off a better result.”
His RA Motorsports race technician, Kevin, said Max’s placement shows he is one to watch.
“It was a steep learning curve for all of us – Max with his driving and us with the car – but to get a P2 on our first race meeting together is an amazing effort,” he said.
“The big takeaway here is the potential we have for bigger and better results.”
Driving coach, Oliver Myers, said it was an “absolutely fantastic” achievement.
“Great work, it’s only the beginning – we’ll get to work and achieve many more,” Myers said.
Max is in great stead when you look at the majority of Formula One stars, both past and present, who began their top-level careers in Formula Ford, with Australia’s current Formula One star, Daniel Ricciardo, beginning his career in Australian Formula Ford.
Maisy Rae