Despite a season that Winton racing driver Jacob Begg describes as “challenging and character building”, it still ended with the young Southlander taking the Rookie Of The Year title in the NZ Formula Ford Championship.
Despite some bad luck and several challenges along the way, in what many describe as one of the most competitive championships ever, Begg clinched the rookie title at the final round at Manfeild Circuit Chris Amon in Feilding earlier this year.
“Taking that title was incredible”, says Begg.
“We were up against some Aussies and three other Kiwis. It was great to compare with what is across the Tasman. These are guys I could be battling for the rest of my career.”
In addition to winning the Rookie Championship, Begg finished sixth overall in his first year in Class 1 of the championship and also placed fourth overall in the South Island Championship.
Going into the final round of the NZ Championship, eight drivers had a mathematical chance to take the overall title, including Jacob.
“We could have won it,” he says of the rare feat of a rookie also winning the overall title on debut.
“We had the strangest luck at a couple of rounds and were left thinking, what could have been.
“We were up against some competitors who have been in the sport a long time while it was just my second year. At most tracks, I was learning about the track, myself and the car. I am proud of my team. None of us had raced or engineered a car at Highlands and Hampton Downs before.
“Highlands was a challenge; there are fast-flowing corners, tight stuff, the bridge with a jump, but my engineer and mechanic Jeremy Lennon and Devin Watts never gave up.”
The season had its challenges. After starting the South Island Championship in a Racing Projects Mygale, Begg and his small team made the decision to go their own way for financial reasons, leasing a car off the Crosbie family, a Ray GR21.
Their first outing was the first round in the New Zealand Championship at Levels in Timaru while the three remaining tracks were all new to Begg, with Round 2 at Highlands Motorsport Park in Cromwell where he scored a best result of fifth despite encountering an issue with brake pads delaminating.
The next round was at Hampton Downs Motorsport Park in North Waikato.
“That was a good learning weekend, and we took big steps forward with the car set-up. It was really interesting.”
Bad luck intervened again with more brake problems.
“We struggled initially, but in the end, we had a really good pace but couldn’t put it to good use. It was a bittersweet weekend. We were really confident after Highlands and were looking to use momentum. Dad and I put in a lot of preparation but didn’t quite get the results.”
Between Hampton Downs and Manfeild, Jacob was a finalist in Toyota’s GR86 Shootout Finals, which gave him more valuable seat time.
At Manfield, the goals were to move forward and show improvement. Conditions were tricky on Friday, “wet and wild,” says Jacob.
“It was hard to get the right set up needed for dry running and for the unique banking.”
“I was disappointed that a small mistake cost me in qualifying. It was my fault, and I said to my mechanics, “eyes forward.” We started Race 1 from tenth, which was not ideal, but we ended each race in the top five and were battling for the lead at points of the weekend. I started Race 3 third after setting a good time in Race 2 and proving I had the pace. It was a really good weekend.”
Jacob is grateful for the support he receives, including that of his family and his large group of sponsors. I am so lucky with my support network, my parents, sponsors, and the Leitch family, including Lamborghini Super Trofeo World Champion Brendon Leitch.
“Brendon was incredible. He is such a professional. On the Friday night when we were at Hampton Downs, I rang him to pick his brain, and he remembered every little detail of the Hampton Downs circuit.”
“I am looking forward now to whatever comes next.”
Header Image: Josh Crossman/Buzzy Media
