Calan Williams in the lead.
Camera IconCalan Williams in the lead. Credit: Supplied/Alan Giltrap

Calan turns heads on the track: Barbagallo Raceway

Tyler BrownJoondalup Times

The 15-year-old from Edgewater is the youngest person to take part in the program, which his father Greg says has exposed him to a “thorough program of track time under the tuition of Peter Major and Brett Lupton along with fitness training and data analysis”.

In his debut Formula Ford event, Williams competed in a class of 14 experienced drivers and was by far the youngest in the field.

In the qualifying race, oil on the track had made it slippery, but Williams was able to qualify on the front row of the grid in position two.

PerthNow Digital Edition.
Your local paper, whenever you want it.

Get in front of tomorrow's news for FREE

Journalism for the curious Australian across politics, business, culture and opinion.

READ NOW

The first race was his first ever standing start and with a little too much wheel spin, he dropped a number of places into turn one but recovered during the race to finish fourth.

After an incident in race two, Williams spent most of it behind the safety car in third place. After a restart, there was a sprint to the finish and he finished second.

In the final, he rounded the last corner to finish the second lap in fourth spot but an accident with two cars in front meant the safety car was needed again.

With five laps to go at the restart, Williams had to defend his now second position, which he did, giving him enough points to win the event.

“I was so pleased with the result and I am looking forward to working hard and continuing to improve further,” he said.

He has since competed in his second race meet, which included Leanne Tander and two other international drivers in a field of 19, where he qualified fifth.

He then finished fifth in the first race setting the second fastest lap and was coming fifth in the second but his brakes failed while behind the safety car and he had to retire.

His next meet at Barbagallo Raceway will be October 25.