Tuesday, October 16 2012

Leading motorsport outfit Walkinshaw Racing will run two cars in the BRDC F4 Championship next year. The announcement follows confirmation yesterday (Monday) that all 24 cars have been sold by series organisers MSV.

Walkinshaw Racing was founded by the late Tom Wallkinshaw, who ran teams in the British Touring Car Championship in the early 1980s before branching out into World Championship Sportscar racing and then Formula 1. Walkinshaw was instrumental in developing the 1994 Benetton that took Michael Schumacher to his first world title.

With further success at the Le Mans 24 Hours, the Walkinshaw name is now synonymous with the Australian V8 Supercar series, with the outfit running two teams. Ken Page - who has been involved with the team since 1979 - and Mick Gomme, who boasts several years of F1 experience with Jordan Grand Prix and Force India, will lead Walkinshaw Racing's campaign in the BRDC F4 next year. The team have also recruited experienced race engineer Brendan Gribben who is a former TWR Chief Designer and respected engineer in the FIA Formula Two Championship.

"We're absolutely delighted to re-launch Walkinshaw Racing as a team in the UK again," said Team Principal Ken Page. "It's something we have been considering for a while and we feel the time is right to add F4 to our other operations around the world, such as V8 Supercars. The opportunity to join the BRDC Formula 4 Championship was too good to miss; it looks a great new series and will obviously be very professionally run. We're very pleased to be associated with MSV for our first season back in action on the UK race tracks next year."

Jonathan Palmer, Formula 4 Series Director, said: "It is a great pleasure to welcome Walkinshaw Racing to complete our 2013 F4 team line up.  Of course I knew Tom Walkinshaw very well from both sportscar and F1 racing and it's wonderful to have such a famous name that achieved so much in motorsport joining our championship. I have no doubt Ken Page and Mick Gomme will run their F4 team with the professionalism and competitiveness synonymous with the Walkinshaw name."

For full details on Walkinshaw Racing visit the teams and drivers section on the Formula 4 website, www.formula4.com, which is now complete.