Formula 3 Australian Drivers’ Championship organisers are hopeful of seeing an influx of new talent next season after a young driver test at Mallala.
Five youngsters had their first taste of the wings-and-slicks machines at the South Australian venue on Monday.
Formula Ford drivers Chelsea Angelo, Hamish Hardeman, Jonathan Venter and Thomas Randle shared a pair of Team BRM Dallara F307s throughout the day.
Sixteen-year-old karter Roland Legge meanwhile took to the wheel of an F304 from R-Tek Motorsport.
Simon Hodge – who is already locked into the 2014 championship after making his debut in this year’s season finale at Sandown – completed a full day in his recently acquired Mygale M11.
Two-time and reigning F3 champion Tim Macrow enjoyed brief runs in the car as he coached Hodge, while John Magro also sampled the ex-Nick Foster machine as he weighs up moving into one of the French chassis next season.
BRM ran as many five cars in this year’s championship and will be aiming for an eighth title in 13 seasons next year.
“All four drivers did an excellent job,” said Team BRM team manager Mark Rundle of the test.
“They applied themselves to the task and were willing to take it all in, learn, and get up to speed at their own pace.
“All four were easily fast enough and adapted to Formula 3 cars very quickly, as you would expect from such a talented group.
“I’m confident in the fact that they could be competitive should they race F3 cars in the future.”
The addition of 17-year-old Angelo would be a significant boost for the F3 championship, which previously enjoyed heightened media coverage when fellow female driver Leanne Tander challenged for the title in 2007.
Angelo had been slated to drive with her Formula Ford team Evans Motorsport in next year’s Dunlop Series before the squad’s ex-Ford Performance Racing Falcon was sold.
