Calan Williams in the F311 at the Ipswich Festival of Cars.
Camera IconCalan Williams in the F311 at the Ipswich Festival of Cars. Credit: Supplied/Supplied

Australian Formula 3 Championship awaits Calan Williams

Tyler BrownJoondalup Times

CALAN Williams is ready to get his Australian Formula 3 Championship campaign underway with round one in Queensland on May 19-21.

Following an extremely successful debut Formula 3 race in February, the Edgewater 16-year-old has now been elevated to the Gilmour racing team’s number one car for the six-round championship.

His debut was at the non-championship Open Wheel Festival at Wakefield Park in NSW as a warm-up to the F3 Championship.

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Williams drove the team’s 2007 Mercedes-powered Dallara F3, with his teammate and 2015 Australian F3 champion Jon Collins in the 2011 Dallara F3.

The youngster immediately impressed at the track, recording the quickest time during the practice day and leading most of his qualifying sessions until Collins was 0.08 seconds faster in the last lap to push Williams to second.

He went on to finish second in the next three races, putting him second overall.

Dad Greg Williams said it was an “outstanding debut for his first event in Australia’s highest level of open wheel racing”.

Calan added it was an “absolutely awesome weekend” and he was “definitely happy” with how he went.

“I can’t wait for round one, and with the best team and best car behind me, I am firmly focused on competing for the title.”

Williams continued the preparations on May 5-7, racing in the pre-championship Ipswich Festival of Cars in Queensland where he drove the team F311 car for the first time, which he has been elevated to for the series.

“The main difference is higher cornering speeds and increased g-forces,” he said.

“It is much more physical to drive because the steering is very heavy and the extra g-forces add to the physicality.”

Williams dominated the event from the start, taking pole position and easily winning the next two races – the first by 24 seconds.

But an issue with the communication radio falling in to the pedals meant Williams was forced to a pit stop, which cost him more than a minute and put him in eighth position.

He managed to fight back in the fourth race to take the win and again, finished first in the fifth to win the overall event.

“The competition is going to be very tough in the Australian Formula 3 Premier Series,” he said.

However, I am feeling fully prepared and ready to go.”

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