Asian Motor Sports

Team BRM driver Ben Clucas has placed inside the competitive top five in both of today’s practice sessions for the opening round of the 2006 Australian Formula Ford Championship at the Clipsal 500.

The strong result was made even more remarkable given today was the first on-track test for the pair of new Van Diemen RF06 Formula Ford’s the team recently purchased.

The second entry of local driver Shane Wright had a slightly more difficult debut, niggling problems frustratingly limiting the number of laps the 22-year-old was able to complete today.

English journeyman Clucas, fresh from recently dominating the opening round of the 2006 Kumho Tyres Australian Formula 3 Championship in a Team BRM Dallara F3 car, completed 24 laps today in what was his first look at the demanding 3.2km Adelaide street circuit.

This weekend’s Clipsal 500 marks the first time Clucas has driven a Formula Ford racecar since contesting the 2003 Formula Ford festival in the UK, a race he started from pole position.

He placed fifth in opening practice and fourth in practice two, both times just half a second outside the benchmark times in each session.

The morning’s opening practice session also marked the first time that Shane Wright had driven his Ray White Real Estate Geraldton-supported car, completing the opening practice session safely despite a gear selection problem that often stopped Wright from selecting top gear.

The second session was a further disappointment for the South Australian rookie, stranded in pit lane for the session after experiencing a lack of fuel pressure after completing just one lap in the 20 minute session.

The 21-car Formula Ford field lapped the Adelaide street circuit in sub lap record times today thanks to the introduction of the new Ford Fiesta-based Duratec 1600cc engine this weekend.

Team BRM’s drivers will contest Qualifying and their opening race tomorrow.

Team BRM Driver Quotes

SHANE WRIGHT – #20 Van Diemen RF06 – Duratec:

“It’s just fantastic to be here and to be able to drive the track. It’s a fantastic circuit and I certainly would’ve loved to have had more laps today.

Unfortunately we had some fuel pressure problems in the car that sidelined us in the second session. It’s not a problem the team could have fixed in the session so we had to sit it out. The car will be good tomorrow so I can concentrate on going out and getting more experience and improving my times.