Chris Symon has sealed his third consecutive Hi-Q Components NZ Formula First Championship. Symon executed a clean sweep at Manfeild Circuit Chris Amon in the final round of the 2022-23 season, ending with a near perfect 20/21 race wins.
After a scintillating start to the season at the same venue he wrapped up his third gong, Symon showed no signs of slowing down, setting an impressive 18 race winning streak. Finally toppled in race 19 during the penultimate round, Symon still finished in second place and wasn’t kept down for long, winning the next race of the season.
In what many would say was a breakout year for Liam Nicholson, despite not quite claiming the elusive victory, the young gun stop on the podium eight times during his way to second place in the championship. Nicholson’s pace was further verified with third fastest laps during the course of the 21 race season.
There’s no tougher championship to debut in than the NZ Formula First Championship, you only have to look at the previous Rookie of the Year winners in the category to see this. Think van Gisbergen, Stanaway, Cassidy, Lawson. This season’s Rookie of the Year and third place getter overall, Harry Scott, more than earned his company among those names, scoring three podium finishes in his debut season and a fastest lap to boot.
Now seasoned campaigner Liam Foster ended up fourth in the 2022-23 NZ Formula First Championship, just two-points shy of a top three result. But in a season plagued by mechanical issues early on in a new car, perhaps the accolade of being the only driver to beat Chris Symon in a race is something that Foster will take greater pride in.
Rounding out the top five in the standings was young racer Toby McCormack. McCormack, always among the battle near the front, may have only taken one podium finish during the season but his two fastest laps show that bigger things are coming.
New for the 2022-23 season was the Brent Boddy Prestige Master’s Championship. After a hard fought battle during the entire season the inaugural bragging rights went to Ron Carter, who amassed just eight more points than second placed Bob Dillow.