A DIANELLA teenager, who won the 2017 WA Formula Ford Championships in his rookie season, will be racing alongside Australia’s best drivers at the Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit later this month.
Bailey Grech (16), who races for Fastlane Racing at Barbagallo Raceway, won nine races straight on the way to being crowned state champion last month.
The St Andrew’s Grammar student previously won a Fastlane Racing meet in September.
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READ NOWGrech said it felt good to achieve his short-term goal of winning the championships after starting competitive Formula Ford racing this year.
“Ever since 2011, we did some indoor cars and we really liked it, so my dad advised me and my brother to start Formula Ford,” he said.
“My long-term goal is probably to do next year’s (WA Formula Ford Championships) and try and win the national series.”
Grech said he was looking forward to travelling to Phillip Island on November 22 for the Island Magic event.
“We did a practice session recently and we are just getting the car prepared… I am going to be in a new car for the race meet,” he said.
“It is going to be very good because the track is quite different than the one we have over here so the car is a lot faster.
“There will be quite a lot of different drivers who did the national series and I will be able to meet them.”
Grech, who idolises Fastlane Racing graduates 2007 V8 Supercars champion Garth Tander and Formula One star Daniel Ricciardo, said he enjoyed getting a “big adrenalin rush” of racing at high speeds next to other cars.
“My dream is to become a supercar driver,” he said.
“You have to do a lot to achieve that, so it is my absolute long-term (goal).”
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