The 2023 Australian Formula Open - powered by Racefuels was a multi-event open-wheel single seater motor racing championship. This was the inaugural season of the championship, founded by two-time Australian Gold Star winner Tim Macrow as a direct successor to the Australian Formula 3 championship.[1]

Drivers competed to win a S5000 test and free entry to a race in the S5000 Championship in 2024 or later.[2]

Trent Grubel, driving for Tim Macrow Racing, won the overall championship and with it the AFO1 class championship, three points ahead of his teammate Ryan How. Matthew Roesler, driving for his privateer State Fleet Services team, won the AFO2 class championship, while AGI Sport's Brodie Norris was victorious in the AFO4 class.

Teams and drivers

The championship was structured in four classes, albeit only three classes received entries through the season. AFO1 encompassed all Formula 3 machinery, with several chassis and engine manufacturers represented. AFO2 catered to Toyota Racing Series, Formula Renault and older F3 cars. AFO3 served all other invitational entries, but did not receive any entries, while AFO4 was reserved for Formula 4 cars.[3][4]

AFO1 entries

Team No. Car Driver Rounds
Gilmour Racing 1 Dallara F308/11 Mercedes-Benz Australia Daniel Price 1
Australia Jon Collins 2, 4–5
Australia Kyle Evans 6
17 Dallara F307 Australia Chris Gilmour 4–5
R-Tek Motorsport Services 2 Dallara F307 Opel Australia Andrew Roberts 1–3, 6
Genesis Offices 4 Dallara F308 Australia Robert Rowe 6
Sydney Photo Booth 5 Dallara F304 Renault Australia Lawrence Katsidis 6
23 1–2
Tim Macrow Racing 8 Dallara F308/11 Australia Miles Bromley 2–4
9 5–6
22 Dallara F308/11 Mercedes-Benz Australia Beau Russell 5–6
Australia Winston Van Laarhoven 1, 3–4
24 2
27 Dallara F308/11 Mercedes-Benz Australia Ryan How All
74 Dallara F312 Mercedes-Benz Australia Trent Grubel All
Ruff Racing 9 Mygale M11 Australia Gerrit Ruff 2
11 6
TWS Motorsport 14 Mygale M11 Australia Trent Shirvington 2–3, 5
Formula Race Car Association 17 Dallara F397 Volkswagen Australia Shayne Morrow 1–2, 6
41 Dallara F307 Opel Australia Greg Muddle 1–2
48 Dallara F3 Australia Ron Coath 2
55 Dallara F397 Australia Glenn Lynch 1–2
CO Machining 21 Dallara F304 Opel Australia Graeme Holmes 1–2
Baker Motorsport / Team Penrite 22 Dallara F399 Australia Rodney Baker 2, 6
CPL 37 Dallara F3 Australia Ben Turner 2
Team Rod Anderson 38 Reynard 893 Toyota Australia Rod Anderson 1–2
Douglas Barry Specials 56 Reynard 92D Holden Australia Douglas Barry 1–2, 6
99 Motorsport 99 Dallara F308/11 Volkswagen Australia Ryan Astley All
Sources:[5][6][7][8][9][10]

AFO2 entries

Team No. Car Driver Rounds
State Fleet Services 3 Tatuus FT50 Australia Matthew Roesler 2
4 3, 5
AON Investments Pty Ltd 19 Ralt RT4 Australia Arthur Abrahams 6
TCM Race Services 53 Tatuus FT50 Australia Matthew Woodland 3
AGI Sport 60 Tatuus F4 Australia Jayden Ojeda 2
Jetforms.com.au 93 Tatuus FT50 Australia Christopher Slusarski 3, 6
DiBiase Carpentry 127 Tatuus FT50 Australia Paul di Biase 2–3, 6
Sources:[5][6][7][9][10]

AFO4 entries

Team No. Car Driver Rounds
AGI Sport 6 Mygale M14-F4 Australia Brodie Norris 2–6
40 Mygale M14-F4 Ford Australia Tim Boydle 1
62 Tatuus F4-T014 Fiat United Kingdom Craig McLatchey 1
66 Mygale M14-F4 Ford Australia Kristian Janev 2–6
77 1
Mygale M14-F4 Australia Peter Bouzinelous 4–6
7 Mygale M14-F4 Ford Australia Mark Wilson 6
71 1–2
Tim Macrow Racing 16 Mygale M14-F4 Ford Australia Hanming Huang 1, 3–6
25 Mygale M14-F4 Australia Thomas Gallagher 4–6
RMS Racing Cheetah Mk7 Australia Robert Sviderskas 2
Patrizi Corse 21 Mygale M14-F4 Australia Ryan McMillan 4–6
Formula Race Car Association 51 Tatuus Australia Nathan Beer 1–2, 6
Sources:[5][6][7][8][9][10]

Race calendar

The 2023 calendar was first announced on 20 December 2022. It consisted of six rounds across six circuits all over Australia.[11]

Round Circuit Date Support bill Map of circuit locations
1 R1 Victoria (state) Winton Motor Raceway
Winton, Victoria		 4 March NSW Formula Vee Championship
NSW Formula Ford Championship
NSW State Championships
R2 5 March
R3
2 R1 New South Wales Sydney Motorsport Park
Eastern Creek, New South Wales		 15 April NSW Formula Vee Championship
Australian Formula Ford Championship
NSW Formula Ford Championship
NSW State Championships
R2 16 April
R3
3 R1 South Australia The Bend Motorsport Park
Tailem Bend, South Australia		 10 June Lamborghini Super Trofeo Asia
Australian Prototype Series
South Australia Tin Tops
BMW Drivers Cup
R2 11 June
R3
4 R1 Queensland Queensland Raceway
Willowbank, Queensland		 5 August Motorsport Australia Trophy Series
TGR Australia Scholarship Series
National Sports Sedan Series
Radical Cup Australia
R2 6 August
R3
5 R1 Victoria (state) Sandown Raceway
Melbourne, Victoria		 9 September TCR Australia Touring Car Series
V8 Touring Car Series
Trans-Am Series
GT4 Australia Series
R2 10 September
R3
6 R1 Victoria (state) Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit
Ventnor, Victoria		 25 November Island Magic
Historic Touring Car Series
Australian Formula Vee
NSW Formula Car Championship
R2
R3 26 November

Race results

Round Circuit Pole position Fastest lap AFO1 winner AFO2 winner AFO4 winner
1 R1 Victoria (state) Winton Motor Raceway
Winton, Victoria		 Australia Trent Grubel Australia Trent Grubel Australia Trent Grubel no entries Australia Kristian Janev
R2 Australia Trent Grubel Australia Trent Grubel Australia Kristian Janev
R3 Australia Trent Grubel Australia Trent Grubel Australia Kristian Janev
2 R1 New South Wales Sydney Motorsport Park
Eastern Creek, New South Wales		 Australia Trent Grubel race declared a non-event after multiple crashes at the start[12]
R2 Australia Trent Grubel Australia Trent Grubel Australia Matthew Roesler Australia Brodie Norris
R3 Australia Trent Grubel Australia Trent Grubel Australia Paul di Biase Australia Kristian Janev
3 R1 South Australia The Bend Motorsport Park
Tailem Bend, South Australia		 Australia Trent Grubel Australia Trent Grubel Australia Ryan How Australia Christopher Slusarski Australia Brodie Norris
R2 Australia Ryan How Australia Ryan How Australia Christopher Slusarski Australia Brodie Norris
R3 Australia Ryan How Australia Ryan How Australia Christopher Slusarski Australia Brodie Norris
4 R1 Queensland Queensland Raceway
Willowbank, Queensland		 Australia Ryan How Australia Miles Bromley Australia Trent Grubel no entries Australia Brodie Norris
R2 Australia Ryan How Australia Trent Grubel Australia Brodie Norris
R3 Australia Trent Grubel Australia Ryan How Australia Peter Bouzinelous
5 R1 Victoria (state) Sandown Raceway
Melbourne, Victoria		 Australia Ryan How Australia Trent Grubel Australia Ryan How no classified finishers Australia Brodie Norris
R2 Australia Trent Grubel Australia Ryan How Australia Matthew Roesler Australia Brodie Norris
R3 Australia Ryan How Australia Trent Grubel Australia Matthew Roesler Australia Kristian Janev
6 R1 Victoria (state) Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit
Ventnor, Victoria		 Australia Trent Grubel Australia Trent Grubel Australia Ryan How Australia Ryan McMillan Australia Christopher Slusarski
R2 Australia Ryan How Australia Ryan How Australia Ryan McMillan Australia Paul di Biase
R3 Australia Ryan How Australia Ryan How Australia Ryan McMillan Australia Paul di Biase

Standings

Scoring system

Cars classified as finished in race 1 and 2 were awarded points by the following structure:[13]

Position  1st   2nd   3rd   4th   5th   6th   7th   8th   9th   10th   FL   R1 PP 
Points 12 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 1 1

The third race of the weekend, the longer Feature Race, awarded more points:[13]

Position  1st   2nd   3rd   4th   5th   6th   7th   8th   9th   10th   FL 
Points 20 15 12 10 8 6 4 3 2 1 1

Overall standings

Pos Driver WIN
Victoria (state)		 SYD
New South Wales		 BEN
South Australia		 QLD
Queensland		 SAN
Victoria (state)		 PHI
Victoria (state)		 Pts
R1 R2 R3 R1 R2 R3 R1 R2 R3 R1 R2 R3 R1 R2 R3 R1 R2 R3
1 Australia Trent Grubel 1 1 1 C 1 1 2 4 2 1 1 2 2 2 1 2 3 4 225
2 Australia Ryan How 3 3 3 C 2 2 1 1 1 3 4 1 1 1 2 1 1 1 222
3 Australia Miles Bromley C 7 5 4 3 10 4 2 3 5 3 3 3 2 2 117
4 Australia Ryan Astley 4 2 2 C 4 6 3 2 3 5 Ret Ret 4 4 Ret 6 5 5 112
5 Australia Winston Van Laarhoven 2 4 4 C 5 4 5 9 5 7 6 4 77
6 Australia Beau Russell 6 DNS 4 4 4 3 41
7 Australia Brodie Norris C 8 Ret 8 6 6 8 7 8 7 5 7 DNS DNS DNS 41
8 Australia Jon Collins C 3 3 6 5 5 DNS DNS DNS 39
9 Australia Trent Shirvington C 13 Ret 6 5 4 3 9 5 39
10 Australia Andrew Roberts 5 5 5 C 6 7 Ret DNS DNS 9 9 7 37
11 Australia Kristian Janev 6 6 7 C 11 10 11 8 8 Ret DNS DNS 10 6 6 DNS DNS DNS 33
12 Australia Chris Gilmour 2 3 6 DNS DNS DNS 23
13 Australia Kyle Evans 5 6 6 17
14 Australia Ryan McMillan 9 9 9 DNS DNS DNS 7 7 8 17
15 Australia Thomas Gallagher 12 Ret 10 8 7 8 13 10 9 14
16 Australia Lawrence Katsidis 8 8 6 C DNS DNS 16 Ret 13 12
17 Australia Christopher Slusarski 7 7 7 11 13 Ret 12
18 Australia Douglas Barry 14 15 13 C 9 8 8 8 12 11
19 Australia Hanming Huang 11 10 8 10 11 12 11 10 11 9 10 9 15 14 14 11
20 Australia Matthew Roesler C 16 Ret 9 10 9 Ret 8 10 9
21 Australia Graeme Holmes 7 7 DNS C DNS DNS 8
22 Australia Peter Bouzinelous 10 8 7 Ret 11 Ret DNS DNS DNS 8
23 Australia Rodney Baker C 10 9 10 11 10 5
24 Australia Mark Wilson 10 9 10 C 19 14 14 15 Ret 4
25 United Kingdom Craig McLatchey 9 11 DNS 2
26 Australia Rod Anderson 12 13 9 C 18 15 2
27 Australia Matthew Woodland 12 12 11 0
28 Australia Tim Boydle 15 12 11 0
29 Australia Greg Muddle Ret DNS Ret C Ret 11 0
30 Australia Ben Turner C 12 12 0
31 Australia Nathan Beer 16 16 12 C 20 17 17 16 15 0
32 Australia Paul di Biase C 17 16 Ret Ret Ret 12 12 11 0
33 Australia Shayne Morrow 13 14 Ret C 15 Ret Ret DNS DNS 0
34 Australia Glenn Lynch DNS DNS DNS C 14 13 0
— Australia Gerrit Ruff C DNS DNS DNS DNS DNS —
— Australia Daniel Price DNS DNS DNS —
— Australia Robert Rowe DNS DNS DNS —
— Australia Arthur Abrahams DNS DNS DNS —
— Australia Ron Coath C DNS DNS —
— Australia Robert Sviderskas C DNS DNS —
— Australia Jayden Ojeda C DNS DNS —
Pos Driver R1 R2 R3 R1 R2 R3 R1 R2 R3 R1 R2 R3 R1 R2 R3 R1 R2 R3 Pts
WIN
Victoria (state)		 SYD
New South Wales		 BEN
South Australia		 QLD
Queensland		 SAN
Victoria (state)		 PHI
Victoria (state)

Standings by class

Pos Driver WIN
Victoria (state)		 SYD
New South Wales		 BEN
South Australia		 QLD
Queensland		 SAN
Victoria (state)		 PHI
Victoria (state)		 Pts
R1 R2 R3 R1 R2 R3 R1 R2 R3 R1 R2 R3 R1 R2 R3 R1 R2 R3
AFO1 standings
1 Australia Trent Grubel 1 1 1 C 1 1 2 4 2 1 1 2 2 2 1 2 3 4 225
2 Australia Ryan How 3 3 3 C 2 2 1 1 1 3 4 1 1 1 2 1 1 1 222
3 Australia Miles Bromley C 7 5 4 3 6 4 2 3 5 3 3 3 2 2 120
4 Australia Ryan Astley 4 2 2 C 4 6 3 2 3 5 Ret Ret 4 4 Ret 6 5 5 107
5 Australia Winston Van Laarhoven 2 4 4 C 5 4 5 6 5 7 6 4 80
6 Australia Trent Shirvington C 11 Ret 6 5 4 3 5 5 43
7 Australia Beau Russell 6 DNS 4 4 4 3 41
8 Australia Andrew Roberts 5 5 5 C 6 7 Ret DNS DNS 7 8 7 40
9 Australia Jon Collins C 3 3 6 5 5 DNS DNS DNS 39
10 Australia Chris Gilmour 2 3 6 DNS DNS DNS 23
11 Australia Douglas Barry 10 10 8 C 8 8 6 7 9 23
12 Australia Kyle Evans 5 6 6 17
13 Australia Lawrence Katsidis 7 7 6 C DNS DNS 9 Ret 10 17
14 Australia Rodney Baker C 9 9 8 9 8 12
15 Australia Graeme Holmes 6 6 DNS C DNS DNS 10
16 Australia Rod Anderson 8 8 7 C 14 13 10
17 Australia Shayne Morrow 9 9 Ret C 13 Ret Ret DNS DNS 4
18 Australia Ben Turner C 10 11 1
19 Australia Greg Muddle Ret DNS Ret C Ret 10 1
20 Australia Glenn Lynch DNS DNS DNS C 12 12 0
— Australia Gerrit Ruff C DNS DNS DNS DNS DNS —
— Australia Daniel Price DNS DNS DNS —
— Australia Robert Rowe DNS DNS DNS —
— Australia Ron Coath C DNS DNS —
AFO2 standings
1 Australia Matthew Roesler C 1 Ret 2 2 2 Ret 1 1 83
2 Australia Christopher Slusarski 1 1 1 1 2 Ret 72
3 Australia Paul di Biase C 2 1 Ret Ret Ret 2 1 1 72
4 Australia Matthew Woodland 3 3 3 28
— Australia Jayden Ojeda C DNS DNS —
— Australia Arthur Abrahams DNS DNS DNS —
AFO4 standings
1 Australia Brodie Norris C 1 Ret 1 1 1 1 1 2 1 1 2 DNS DNS DNS 148
2 Australia Kristian Janev 1 1 1 C 2 1 3 2 2 Ret DNS DNS 4 2 1 DNS DNS DNS 141
3 Australia Hanming Huang 4 3 2 2 3 3 4 4 5 3 4 4 4 3 3 133
4 Australia Thomas Gallagher 5 Ret 4 2 3 3 2 2 2 80
5 Australia Ryan McMillan 2 3 3 DNS DNS DNS 1 1 1 77
6 Australia Mark Wilson 3 2 3 C 3 2 3 4 Ret 67
7 Australia Nathan Beer 6 6 5 C 4 3 5 5 4 59
8 Australia Peter Bouzinelous 3 2 1 Ret 5 Ret DNS DNS DNS 44
9 Australia Tim Boydle 5 5 4 22
10 United Kingdom Craig McLatchey 2 4 DNS 16
— Australia Robert Sviderskas C DNS DNS —
Pos Driver R1 R2 R3 R1 R2 R3 R1 R2 R3 R1 R2 R3 R1 R2 R3 R1 R2 R3 Pts
WIN
Victoria (state)		 SYD
New South Wales		 BEN
South Australia		 QLD
Queensland		 SAN
Victoria (state)		 PHI
Victoria (state)

References

  1. ↑ "Australian Formula Open Calendar confirmed – The Race Torque". Retrieved 2022-12-21.
  2. ↑ richardrt (2023-01-18). "S5000, Australian Formula Open announce prize package". S5000. Retrieved 2023-01-19.
  3. ↑ Herrero, Daniel (2022-11-23). "New 'Formula Open' wings and slicks category to debut". Speedcafe. Retrieved 2022-12-21.
  4. ↑ "Australian Formula Open season launches at Winton – The Race Torque". Retrieved 2023-03-02.
  5. 1 2 3 "NSW Motorsport Australia State Championship". Winton Motor Raceway. Retrieved 2023-02-21.
  6. 1 2 3 "NSW Motor Race Championship 15 April 2023 - 16 April 2023: Acceptance List" (PDF).
  7. 1 2 3 "SAMS featuring Lamborghini Super Trofeo Asia - THE BEND MOTORSPORT PARK - 2023 Australian Formula Open Series - Practice 2". Natsoft Race Results.
  8. 1 2 "Australian Formula Open on facebook: "Times for Practice 2:"".
  9. 1 2 3 "2023 Shannons Speed Series - Round 6 SANDOWN INTERNATIONAL MOTOR RACEWAY - Formula Open - Qualifying".
  10. 1 2 3 "Island Magic 2023". piarc.com.au. Retrieved 24 November 2023.
  11. ↑ "New Formula Open category published 2023 calendar - UK Sports News". 2022-12-20. Retrieved 2022-12-21.
  12. ↑ "Race 1 has been declared a non-event due to several accidents on the startline and no laps turned under green conditions. Drivers have been assisted and are okay". Australian Formula Open on facebook. Retrieved 2023-04-15.
  13. 1 2 Wood, Ida (2023-03-11). "The story behind Australian racing's slicks-and-wings survival route". Formula Scout. Retrieved 2023-03-14.
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