26/11/2024
Great to see the Fourtree Lawyers AUSTRALIAN FORMULA POWERBOAT GRAND PRIX getting some recognition internationally, here's hoping for an outstanding weekend 👊🏁🇦🇺
Formula GP returns to Taree with Championship ‘wide open’
2024/25 Fourtree Lawyers Australian Formula Powerboat Grand Prix
R2. Taree, New South Wales - 30 November - 01 December, 2024
The 2024/25 Fourtree Lawyers Australian Formula Powerboat Grand Prix makes a return to the popular Taree Acquatic Powerboat Club this weekend for the second round of the season with a number of teams looking to build a solid haul of points, after a tough season opener at Rathmines last month.
Frustratingly high winds forced the cancellation of the AFPGP final, leaving teams to make the most of what they could from the Heats. Ultimately the returning Will Parker emerged as points leader after a strong qualifier and victory in the opening Heat, whilst in the reverse-grid Heat #2, former Champion Rhys Coles recovered from a stall on the line in the opening Heat to storm into the early lead and comfortably claim the win, Parker working his way through to third.
For reigning Champion Ewan Bricker, he didn’t enjoy the ideal start to his title defence, suffering technical issues early in the weekend, although he did recover to finish both Heats strongly and close out the round just a solitary point behind Rhys Coles, and equal on points with New Zealander Nick Coles. Bricker acknowledged that despite not being ideal, that his start to the season was markedly better than it had been 12-months earlier, Rathmines delivering a challenging start to his 2023/2024 campaign, the Victorian squad though recovering strongly to claim the Championship win.
For New Zealander Nick Coles, he was all smiles after claiming two strong results to be sharing third in the outright classification tied on points with the reigning champion and just a solitary point behind the 2023 title holder - an almost perfect start to his second full season in Australia, although typically the racer in him was more frustrated at losing the podium in the opening heat to fast charging South Australian Austin McDonald.
For Taree another strong field of AFPGP teams is entered, and whilst some of the 2024 contenders are still sidelined by delays, there will be a number of new and return entries, including Matthew Peck in the ‘Octane Racing’ entry, Kaine Casson for ‘Fourtree Lawyers’ and rookie Gregg Lambert in the ‘LFR Racing’ entry. All three will be looking to give their best against the more seasoned competitors, whilst for the likes of Bricker and Paul Sain - who suffered a big blowover in the opening Heat at Rathmines - they will be looking to make up some lost points and push their intentions across the weekend.
As has been the case in past seasons of AFPGP, there is a strong support cast competing alongside Formula GP, many of whom are looking to progress themselves into Australia’s leading tunnel-boat category. Formula 4 has been a great spectacle in past seasons, and with Carlin Bailey’s graduation to the Senior ranks, former National Champion Lachie Bride is looking to deliver himself another title victory, whilst for fellow Victorian and long-time rival Tyler Gilligan, he will be looking to recover from a conservative start to his season at Rathmines, the pair joined again, by rookie Jackson Seccombe.
Max Seccombe will be looking to continue his storming start to the season in the 500cc category, but he will again face strong competition from Rowdy Burns, Alison James, Hugo Brachmanis and Melissa King, whilst for Aaron Pratt he will be hoping to make amends for a tough start to the season at Rathmines.
The Formula Future teams will again make an impression at Taree, with a strong field of entries led by reigning class Champions Thomas Dee and Fletcher Donnelly. In the J1 category, rising star Jacob King will be looking to start his season on a high, the J1s having not competed at Rathmines. His sister Sienna leads the J2 points after round one, but she will have to work hard to maintain that lead with Scarlett Gilligan and Tatum Teofilovic looking to close down her points lead and put themselves in contention for the title.
J3 is where the fireworks will be though and with six races across the weekend, the ‘senior’ Juniors will all be pushing to make an impression in the points. Upper Hawkesbury hot-shot Lucas Millington leads the points after Rathmines, but he knows he will have no shortage of challengers including multiple winner Ella Gilligan and reigning champion Fletcher Donnelly who proved last year that whilst victory is important, consistency can often be the deciding factor.
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2024 Fourtree Lawyers Australian Formula Powerboat Grand Prix
R2. Taree, New South Wales - 30 November - 01 December, 2024
Schedule;
Saturday, 30 November
8:30am - Racing Starts
Formula Future - Race #1
550cc - Race #1 (4-laps)
Formula 4 - Practice (15-mins)
Formula GP - Practice (30-mins)
Taree Acquatic Club
Formula GP (Group A) - Qualifying (12-mins)
Formula 4 - Qualifying (7-mins)
Formula GP (Group B) - Qualifying (12-mins)
Formula Future - Race #2
LUNCH
Formula 4 - Heat #1 (9-mins + 1-lap)
550cc - Race #2 (4-laps)
Formula GP - Heat #1 (8-mins + 1-lap)
Taree Acquatic Club
Formula Future - Race #3
550cc - Race #3 (4-laps)
Taree Acquatic Club
5:00pm - Course Closed
Sunday, 01 December
8:30am - Racing Starts
Formula Future - Race #4
550cc - Race #4 (4-laps)
Taree Acquatic Club
Formula GP - Heat #2 (8-mins + 1-lap)
Formula Future - Race #5
550cc - Race #5 (4-laps)
Formula 4 - Heat #2 (9-mins + 1-lap)
LUNCH
Formula GP - FINAL (14-mins + 1-lap)
Taree Acquatic Club
550cc - Race #6 (4-laps)
Formula 4 - FINAL (9-mins + 1-lap)
Formula Future - Race #6
5:00pm - Course Closed
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2024 Fourtree Lawyers Australian Formula Powerboat Grand Prix
Championship Points (after round one of four)
1. Will Parker - 365.5-points, 2. Rhys Coles - 285.5, 3. Ewan Bricker - 284.5, 3. Nick Coles - 284.5, 5. Austin McDonald - 210, 6. Matt Smith - 149, 7. Paul Whitten - 140, 8. Hadley Deegan - 124, 9. Paul Sain - 70, 9. Gregg Lambert - 70, 11. Greg Banks - 50
Formula 4
Championship Points (after round one of four)
1. Lachie Bride - 1000-points, 2. Tyler Gilligan - 800, 3. Jackson Seccombe - 650
Formula Vee
Championship Points (after round one of four)
1. Darren Hitchcock - 1025-points, 2. Scott Karandrews - 925, 3. Patrick Bonnici - 825
550cc
Championship Points (after round one of four)
1. Max Seccombe - 1600-points, 2. Rowdy Burns - 1200, 3. Alison James - 676, 4. Tom Kaal - 675, 5. Hugo Brachmanis - 574, 6. Melissa King - 444, 7. Aaron Pratt - 0
Formula Future
Championship Points (after round one of four)
J2 - 1. Sienna King - 1500-points, 2. Scarlett Gilligan - 1300, 3. Tatum Teofilovic - 900
J3 - 1. Lucas Millington - 1127, 2. Ella Gilligan - 1019, 3. Jack Hockley - 866, 4. Riley Bride - 714, 5. Fletcher Donnelly - 693, 6. Thomas Dee - 667, 7. Dylan Wood - 462
For more information on the Australian Formula Powerboat Grand Prix, please visit;
www.facebook.com/afpgp
www.formulagp.com.au
2025 Australian Formula Powerboat Grand Prix
RND #1 - Rathmines, New South Wales - 19-20 October, 2024
RND #2 - Taree, New South Wales - 30 November - 01 December, 2024
RND #3 - Mulwala, New South Wales - 08-09 February, 2025
RND #4 - Yarrawonga, Victoria 25-27 April, 2025
About Fourtree Lawyers
Situated on the Central Coast of NSW, Fourtree Lawyers deliver the highest quality of personalised service and expert legal representation with a focus on Criminal Law, Traffic Law, Family Law, Wills & Estates and Heavy Vehicle matters.
For more information; [email protected] | 1300 529 444
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