Gilmour Commits To Second Title Assault - 24/2/05

Gilmour Racing announces that with their driver, Chris Gilmour, they will contend a second season of Australian F3, fighting for the 2005 Kumho Tyres Australian Formula 3 Championship, and the CAMS Gold Star. After their debut season in 2004, the team will fight to go one better, and win the championship. Gilmour Racing will continue to field their red Dallara F301 Speiss Opel.

Chris Gilmour is looking forward to the new season, despite the disappointing end to last year. Gilmour finished second in the championship standings, only a meager three points shy of the Australian Formula 3 title.

Despite the bad luck he suffered at the final round of the season at Surfers Paradise, the 22-year-old had a terrific season in 2004, and is proud of his accomplishments. Gilmour showed that he has got the stuff it takes to compete overseas, with some tremendous displays of driving throughout the year.

The Queenslander amassed five race victories, three round victories, and two pole positions. The highlight of the season was the Sandown event. Although he had never driven on the circuit before, Gilmour walked away with two comfortable race victories – one being on a difficult damp track, the first time he had driven an Formula 3 car in conditions that were not dry – and a pole position.

Gilmour hopes to build on his already impressive open-wheel credentials in 2005. Prior to his outright title assault in 2004, he had won five Formula 3 Trophy class victories in 2003, and a Queensland Formula Ford title – also in 2003.

By continuing to run the same Dallara F301 that they campaigned in last season, the team will be able to build on the experience they gained in 2004, without starting afresh with an unfamiliar car.

In preparation for the new season, Gilmour Racing has run testing sessions at their home track at Queensland Raceway. The circuit is back on the calendar in 2005 after an absence in 2004, and the team eagerly waits to exploit an advantage that was not available to them last year.

Gilmour Racing will contest the first round of the 2005 Kumho Tyres Australian Formula 3 championship at Wakefield Park Raceway on the 26th and 27th of February. The team will also run the back-to-back non-championship round as a support category at the Australian Grand Prix the following weekend on March 3-6.