The ex-Dick Johnson Racing Supercars driver is expected to share a Toyota-powered Ralt RT-40 with Greg Murphy across the Giltrap Group Historic GP weekend.
Davison got his first taste of the Ralt during official practice today, topping the second session in what was his first run in the car.
The plan is that Murphy will race the car on Saturday with Davison then set to take the wheel for Sunday morning’s race.
Davison enjoyed a long career in open-wheelers, winning the Australian Formula Ford Championship before racing Formula 3 in Europe, A1GP and testing a Minardi F1 car.
That was before he returned to Australia and made the switch to Supercars.
Despite his extensive open-wheel experience, Davison admitted the chance to drive an Atlantic car was particularly exciting, given his father Richard’s history in the category.
“I feel like an excited kid, to be honest,” he said. “I’m just very grateful to have a steer of this beautiful RT-40 that Murph is driving.
“As a kid, my dad always told me his favourite race car was his [Formula] Pacific/Atlantic] RT-4 Ralt. I watched so many videos as a kid of the early-80s, mid-80s Australian Grands Prix.
“I’ve always been hanging for a drive, so that was a real buzz. I was nervous, just because I’m out of my comfort zone, getting strapped into an open-wheeler again [and] the H-pattern box… fantastic.”
Davison admitted that a return to a high-aero open-wheeler did take some getting used to.
“I took off and I had no knee pads on and Murph said, ‘you’re in a bit of strife, mate’,” he said.
“It’s physical. The aero load with the little ground effect cars, it’s quite bumpy here and it’s very heavy in the wheel when that aero kicks in. So it’s just learning to trust that again.
“I was chipping away at it. Fast little cars, nimble little cars. And you certainly feel that aero, they are very, very impressive. Nice note to the engine, revving it out to 9000rpm, using the H-pattern. Magic little car.”
Davison is actually in New Zealand supporting his wife Riana Crehan, who is part of the TV line-up for NextGen NZ Championship, with this potential race outing coming as somewhat of a surprise.
“However I fit in, I’m just stoked to be here supporting this NextGen series,” he said.
“It’s an amazing initiative, I’ve watched from afar from across the ditch for many years with all of these amazing young kids from Europe, and local Kiwis, we know how good they brew them here, all racing in [the Castrol Toyota Formula Regional Oceania Trophy].
“And the health behind the historic scene here is something we can aspire to in Australia.
“Maybe I’ll do a race Sunday morning. I’ll let Murph take the wheel [on Saturday], he sort of mentioned I could do the race Sunday morning.
“Whatever fits in with everyone. It’s nice to not be too stressed. I’d love another skid, to be honest. I was just getting warmed up at the end there.”
The Historic GP weekend includes the second of four rounds of the CTFROT.
Discussion about this post