Larkham gambles on Will Power
27/6/2002 12:26 (V8 Wire - Jason Whittaker) -
Emerging young-gun Will Power will drive with Mark Larkham at the Queensland 500 and Bathurst 1000.
Plucked straight from the open-wheeler nursery, the 23-year-old Queenslander, a standout performer in Formula Ford, Formula Holden and Formula Three, will make his tin top debut in Queensland. It’s a gamble, but one the reinvigorated Ford-powered outfit believes will be a success.
"Some may see it as a gamble to put a relative rookie in the car, and we accept that element of risk,” Larkham Motor Sport boss, Adam Perry, said.
“But we have already tested Will in the car at Willowbank four or five times now, and intend to give Will plenty of time in the car in the lead up to the Queensland 500 and Bathurst.
"I am pleased to say that Will has performed to a very high level in the comparatively limited time he has had in the car.”
Larkham said Power had shown raw talent and maturity during his Formula Ford apprenticeship.
"We initially identified Will’s talent during last year’s Formula Ford championship, which I still rate as the number one category in the country for identifying young talent,” said Larkham, a former pole-sitter and podium finisher at Bathurst.
"It is one thing to have raw speed, which Will no doubt has, yet it is another thing to be able to combine that speed with the ability to make smart decisions in a pressure environment.
"Will has proven that he has the ability to consistently win races, and equally importantly he has shown that he knows when to consolidate and bring home the points.”
|
|
