Tim Macrow says he will have to pull his finger out to stop Joey Mawson from joining him as a two-time Gold Star winner.

Mawson grabbed the S5000 Australian Drivers’ Championship lead from Macrow at the halfway mark of the competition after notching two race wins from three starts at Albert Park earlier this month.

Macrow meanwhile took a trio of top five finishes including a podium in the feature race to ensure he remains Mawson’s nearest rival, Cooper Webster a further 23 points adrift in third.

Macrow, 37, won the Australian Drivers’ Championship in 2007 and 2013 when it was aligned with Formula 3.

The prestigious Gold Star award was revived last year for the first full S5000 season, which Mawson topped.

“It’s going to be bloody hard,” Macrow said of overcoming Mawson this year.

“I mean, he’s probably faster than me at the moment – I’m not going to blame age – but it’s going to be really tough.

“I have got some circuits coming up which I’d like to think I’m pretty good at; I’m pretty strong at Eastern Creek, and I have been to Darwin before which will be a bonus, in a couple of different cars actually.

“We’re still probably learning and making the car better, which believe it or not we’re still doing that, and I have just got to be better, so I have just got to pull my finger out.”

Sydney Motorsport Park will host Round 4 of 6 on May 27-29, before visits to Hidden Valley and Sandown round out the season.