Campos Racing’s Sean Walkinshaw will be striving for his first podium finish of the EuroFormula Open season at Spa-Francorchamps in Belgium this coming weekend, 6th/7th September, when the series resumes after a lengthy seven week summer break.
Visiting the world-famous track just a couple of weeks after Spa hosted the FIA Formula One World Championship, Chipping Norton-based Sean, who was born in Brussels, is relishing his second ‘home’ race in as many outings having produced strong pace at Silverstone Grand Prix Circuit last time out.
Going into the sixth event of the 2014 season, the 20-year-old is 10th in the championship with six points scoring finishes on the board so far. Sean’s best result of fifth place came at the Hungaroring in early July and he is determined to better that performance on his return to Belgium.
Ahead of the two Spa encounters, only 11 points separate him from eighth position in the driver standings and having finished on the podium in the corresponding fixture last year in the Copa Class hopes are high of a potential season-best weekend.
“Spa is such a fantastic track, it’s always great to be back there and after such a long break since Silverstone I can’t wait to be racing again”, said Sean, “My pace was good last year at Spa in the Copa Class and I’m confident we’ll be strong again in the main championship this time, the Campos guys have done a terrific job with the car so far and I’m sure we’ll have a competitive package.”
While not in race action himself during the long summer sojourn of EuroFormula Open, the Oxfordshire driver has been extremely busy with the single-seater team he owns in the UK-based BRDC Formula 4 Championship.
Most notably, a high-profile partnership was established earlier this month with the Caterham F1 team which means the SWR squad has been rebranded the SWR Caterham F1 Driver Development Programme Team.
Marking a significant development for the fledgling outfit, the link-up with the Leafield-based F1 team puts SWR Caterham in an enviable position in junior single-seater racing and the agreement was a proud moment for Sean.
“It’s certainly been a very busy, but very rewarding few weeks”, he commented, “Confirming the partnership with Caterham F1 is absolutely massive for SWR going forward, it really does solidify the team’s position in BRDC Formula 4. We had a strong outing at Brands Hatch this weekend, now it’s straight over to Spa for me for EuroFormula – I’d love to get my first podium of the year there.”
EuroFormula Open free practice at Spa-Francorchamps will take place on Friday, 5th September, with qualifying for round 11 and the opening race of the weekend following on Saturday, 6th September, at 09.25 (UK time) and 14.00 (UK time) respectively.
On Sunday, 7th September, round 12 qualifying will begin at 08.00 (UK time) with the race itself getting underway at 11.00 (UK time). Both of the weekend’s contests will, as ever, be screened live on Motors TV.
Provisional 2014 EuroFormula Open Standings (after Rd10):
10th Sean Walkinshaw, 30pts
Provisional 2014 Spanish F3 Championship Standings (after Rd4):
10th Sean Walkinshaw, 13pts