RACE 1 - BROWN HANGS ON AFTER 18 LAP MARATHON

Team BRM/Cars Galore’s Will Brown dominated the opening CAMS Jayco Australian Formula 4 race on the Gold Coast after a mammoth 18 lap stint.

Brown, who had earlier claimed the final U Race It Pole Position of 2016, was uncatchable for much of the race with a Safety Car being the only hope for the likes of Harry Hayek and Nick Rowe to catch up.

The race start was frantic but clean, with Brown and Hayek playing it brave into Turn One.

“It was pretty hard at the start to break Harry,” Brown said

“After about five laps we were able to break him a little bit and get a pretty good lead.”

Brenton Grove glanced the tyre barriers at the Turn 1-2 complex on Lap 9 and it was enough to immobilise his Team BRM/Grove Hire machine.

A lap later, AGI Sport/SCT Logistics’ Jack Smith made contact with the Turn 11 walls and ensured the first appearance of the Safety Car.

The Safety Car was an unwelcome relief for Brown in the warm conditions, having lost the gap he had created over the rest of the field.

Despite pressure from Hayek behind in the remaining laps, Brown hung on to cross the chequered flag 0.59 seconds ahead of his teammate after 26 minutes of racing.

“In the last couple of laps, Harry put in some good times so I had to push pretty hard to get the win,” Brown said.

“But looking at the Championship again, it puts us one step closer.”

Hayek could take solace in setting the fastest lap of the weekend and breaking last year’s race lap record, set by 2015 round winner Thomas Randle, with a 1:17.2467.

“I got right up on the back of Will and we bunched up. It was pretty close, I just didn’t have enough to get the run and go for the move,” Hayek said.

“But it was a good race. Happy with P2!”

DREAM Motorsport/CoolDrive’s Simon Fallon revelled in his first appearance on the Gold Coast to be the best placed Burson Auto Parts Rookie.

The young Victorian set the third fastest time of the race, but had to be content with fourth place ahead of Gold Coast debutant Jordan Love.

“DREAM Motorsport’s been good getting the car right,” Fallon said.

“Rowe was pretty quick in the end, trying to get around him was hard… It was a really good race, I enjoyed it!”

RACE 2 - FALLON WINS FIRST RACE, BROWN WINS FIRST TITLE

It was a series of firsts for Race Two on the streets of the Gold Coast. DREAM Motorsport/CoolDrive’s Simon Fallon won his first race of the season, and Team BRM/Cars Galore’s Will Brown won his first national title to become the 2016 CAMS Jayco Australian Formula 4 Champion elect.

“It sounds really good!” Brown said.

“We were hoping it didn’t go down to the last race and we could wrap it up today. To become the CAMS Jayco Australian Formula 4 Champion is great. We’re looking forward to the next race tomorrow and hopefully have a bit of fun!”

With Fallon starting the race from the U Race It Pole Position alongside Nick Rowe, the young Victorian launched off the start line and led the race until crossing the chequered flag.

“It was really good, especially winning at a track like the Gold Coast. We only had one practice session, and it’s a really good feeling,” Fallon said.

“It was an awesome effort by Harry [Hayek] in those last couple of laps. I managed to hold on under Safety Car, but it was a really good race. I’ve gained a bit more confidence out there and this win will definitely build the comfort even more to help my racing into the future.”

Rowe dropped to third at the race start, launching Harry Hayek into 2nd place. Rowe was ahead of Will Brown, however fourth place for Brown was enough to secure the 2016 CAMS Jayco Australian Formula 4 Championship before tomorrow’s final race.

“I had a shocking start and then just started to battle away with Will for most of the race. I caught up to Harry every now and then but couldn’t get close enough to make a move,” Rowe said.

“Congratulations to Will on the Championship, he’s done a great job all year…  It’ll be hard [for me] to lose 2nd. Now we can just go out there, give it all I’ve got and have a bit of fun!”

The race concluded under yellow flags after AGI Sport/SCT Logistics’ Jack Smith encountered the wrath of the Gold Coast barriers, with the rear of his car striking the concrete barriers in the final laps of the race. Smith walked away unharmed from the impact.

Brown, alongside his fellow Championship colleagues, his Australian Championship on Sunday evening’s Formula 4 Awards Dinner, and will be invited to attend the FIA Prize-Giving evening in Vienna to collect his FIA Championship trophy this December.

RACE 3 - HARRY HAYEK WINS FINAL RACE AND ROUND OF 2016

Harry Hayek has won his third career CAMS Jayco Australian Formula 4 Championship race during today’s final 11 lap race on the Gold Coast.

After the overall championship was wrapped up yesterday by 2016 Champion Will Brown, the racers were relaxed heading into the Sunday finale.

Hayek’s win today also secured enough points to claim the round win, after claiming his first in Round Four at Queensland Raceway.

“Mad year! I really enjoyed my time here,” Hayek said.

“I’ve had a lot of fun with the boys catching up, riding the mopeds and had a pretty good weekend! We got two 2nds, to win the last race was awesome. I’m stoked!”

Brown was only one second off Hayek in the Sunday finale and maintained an unbroken podium streak in 2016 to finish 2nd for the round.

“We wrapped it yesterday but definitely weren’t cruising along,” Brown said.

“Harry had some good pace, I made a mistake and he got past me. The track wasn’t there after the rain yesterday and I was locking some fronts. Changed the brake bias towards the end of the race and managed to get a race lap record.”

Rowe was third in the final race, but was just edged out by Fallon for the round podium placing and concluded the Gold Coast weekend in fourth overall.

“3rd in the race, 2nd in the Championship. So that’s good we’ll take that, there’s nothing wrong with that,” Rowe said.

“It was a great year. All the boys on the grid they were awesome to hang out with. It’s time to have a bit of fun!”

Simon Fallon, who had won his first race yesterday in Race Two, finished 3rd overall and was awarded the Burson Auto Parts Rookie of the Round.

Fallon’s impressive Gold Coast weekend also saw the young Victorian have a meteoric climb up the championship standings to eclipse Josh Denton as the highest placed Burson Auto Parts Rookie of the Year.

“It was tough starting the weekend 30 points down and missing the round in Tasmania was a big loss of points,” Fallon said.

“To come back in this round and get a win…it’s a really good result. Hopefully we can look forward to next year. Thanks to Burson Auto Parts for giving this opportunity to come out here and give us a better shot of next year.”

The CAMS Jayco Australian Formula 4 Championship will formally conclude its season tonight on the Gold Coast, celebrating the year and achievements within the class.

The entire team behind the CAMS Jayco Australian Formula 4 Championship would like to congratulate and thank our drivers, teams, sponsors and followers for a successful second year of racing.

Details on the 2017 CAMS Jayco Australian Formula 4 Championship will be launched in the coming weeks.

Race 1 Results

Race 2 Results

Race 3 Results