Lobko aims to build Formula Ford lead

The 2023 Australian Formula Ford Series has a new points leader with the category about to hit the season halfway point at Winton Motor Raceway as part of the Shannons Speed Series this weekend.

Although he did not snare a race win at the last round, CHE Racing’s Zak Lobko’s overall result was better than those of the leader at the time, Matt Hillyer from Team Sonic.

Lobko is looking forward to continuing his consistent form. “I’d love to build a gap at the top of the standings to try to set myself up for Sandown. We do have a break between the two rounds, so if I can get a bit of a lead after Winton, it gives me confidence heading into the back half of the season,” he said.

The first two rounds at Morgan Park and Sydney Motorsport Park were won by Hillyer with five of the six race victories. Lobko won the other before the third-round races at Symmons Plains went to Sonic’s Jake Santalucia with two, and Borland Racing’s Xavier Kokai who took out the other.

It was in Tasmania that the points lead change. Lobko was fourth overall while Hillyer was eleventh and the former leads the series by three points. Adrift from them in third and fourth are Kokai and Santalucia.

Winton is the fourth of seven rounds and is the traditional testing track for the Victorian teams – ideal for the likes of Hillyer, Santalucia and Kokai, although NSW’s Lobko should not be too disadvantaged as he race there earlier in the year, in his state championship meeting that went interstate.

Last year the Formula Ford Series raced at Winton on the Supercars program where 2007 Formula Ford Champion Tim Blanchard made a cameo return to the series and took a clean sweep of victories and set a new lap record.

Track time is plentiful with two practice and one qualifying session on Friday. Formula Fords will be on track for two races on Saturday at 09:25 and 12:30 AEDT, and at 09:20 on Sunday.

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