Hamilton adds Wigram Cup to the trophy cabinet at the Yokohama South Island F1600 opening round

Louis Sharp wins the first fastest qualifier $500 Cheque, courtesy of the Hampton Downs NZ Racing Academy Sponsorship

Rnd 1: 29-31 October 2021 – Mike Pero Motorsport Park, Ruapuna, Christchurch

Christchurch’s Matthew Hamilton has won the Wigram Cup at the opening round of the Yokohama South Island Formula 1600 Championship held at the Mike Pero Motorsport Park over the weekend.  In doing so, he adds the Cup to the Lady Wigram Trophy which he won back in 2006, competing in the Toyota Racing Series.  Hamilton was all class, winning two races in the ex-Andy McElrea national championship-winning Van Diemen RF88 as well as finishing second in the three-race meeting.

“It’s pretty special,” commented Hamilton.  “We knew we would be fast enough, but it was a tough fight out there with Simon (Hunter) and young Louis (Sharp), Zac (Christensen) and Jack (Noble-Adams).”

Second overall for the weekend and winner of the Class 1 (>2000) was 14-year-old kart champion Louis Sharp.  Sharp was one of several drivers making their debut in the Formula 1600 category and proved that he will be competitive this season putting his car on pole position for the opening race and then backing it up with three podium finishes.

“I’m really stoked,” said Sharp.  “Going into the weekend I didn’t really expect to be up there.  I knew we would be there-about but was shocked to put it on pole.  We don’t have the amount of experience as some of the others and thought that I would be underprepared.  I have learned heaps from the weekend.”

Second in the Wigram Cup race and third overall in Class 1 was eight-times national kartsport champion Simon Hunter, driving the ex-Andre Heimgartner championship winning Mygale SJ08A.

“Very happy with that,” said Hunter.  “It’s my first ever car event having only previously raced in kartsport.  I have a little son now and don’t want to get to 50 and say that I was good in a kart and did all this and have him say he never got to see it.”

The first of six-rounds opened on Saturday with Sharp (Spectrum 015) winning the Hampton Downs Academy $500 prize for fastest qualifier.  The experienced Zac Christensen (Ray GR20) won the opening race with Hamilton second followed by Sharp, Noble-Adams (Ray GR21), Daniel Brown (Ray GR21) and Alex Crosbie (Ray GR21).

Hamilton then won the second race on Sunday morning with Sharp second followed by Hunter, Christensen, Noble-Adams, Crosbie, Brown and Dylan Petch (Ray GR20).

The feature race of the round was the annual 12-lap Wigram Cup which turned in to a fight between Hamilton, Hunter and Sharp.  Behind them was a good battle of Ray chassis cars between Christensen, Brown, Crosbie, Noble-Adams and Ryan Low (Ray GR08).

“It was always going to be tight at the top and I knew if I could just get enough of a gap to break the toe and to stay there then Simon would have to worry more about his mirrors,” said Hamilton.

“I was quite good off the first turn and it was just enough to get there.  It was really close racing, and everyone gave each other room which was pretty cool.  The car is quick, and we are lucky to have Tom Penrose involved like he has been my whole career, preparing the car.”  Tom Penrose also ‘spannered’ Hamilton’s 2006 Lady Wigram Trophy winning FT40.

Hamilton also won the Class 3 (pre-1990) category while Cameron Freeman in the ex-James Penrose Van Diemen Stealth was first in Class 2 (1990-1999).

Drivers and teams now head to the Timaru International Raceway for their second round this Saturday 6 November 2021.

CAPTIONS – Terry Marshall/Euan Cameron Photography

  • Matt Hamilton has now won both the Lady Wigram Trophy and the Wigram Cup, Photo Euan Cameron
  • #19 Cameron Freeman in the ex-James Penrose Van Diemen Stealth was first in Class 2 (1990-1999) - Photo: Terry Marshall
  • #00 Simon Hunter came home second in the Wigram Cup - Photo: Euan Cameron
  • Louis Sharp, winner of the Hampton Downs Academy $500 fastest qualifier prize - Photo Euan Cameron
  • #59 Matthew Hamilton ahead of Simon Hunter and Zac Christensen - Photo: Euan Cameron
  • #59 Hamilton ahead of #21 Christensen, #60 Sharp, #00 Hunter, #75 Noble-Adams - Photo Terry Marshall

Results
Race 1 (8-laps)

  1. Zac Christensen, Ray GR20
  2. Matthew Hamilton, Van Diemen RF88
  3. Louis Sharp, Spectrum 015
  4. Jack Noble-Adams, Ray GR21
  5. Daniel Brown, Ray GR21
  6. Alex Crosbie, Ray GR21
  7. Ryan Low, Ray GR08 Formula Ford
  8. Bo Hill, Van Diemen RF94
  9. Cameron Freeman, Van Diemen RF93
  10. Dylan Petch, Ray GR20
  11. Thomas Flynn, Swift SC92
  12. Dyson Freeman, Van Diemen RF92
  13. Harry Wilson, Mygale SJ12
  14. Simon Hunter, Mygale SJ08A
  15. Simon Spencer-Bower, Van Diemen RF93 Stealth
  16. Robert Toshach, Swift FB89
  17. James Dicey, Spectrum 07B
  18. Blake Knowles, Van Diemen RF92
  19. Andy Robertson, Swift Formula Ford
  20. Will Kitching, Van Diemen Formula Ford
  21. Keith Miller, Van Diemen RF01
  22. Nigel Arkell, Van Diemen RF90
  23. Jacob Cunniffe, Swift SC96K

Race 2 (10-laps)

  1. Matthew Hamilton, Van Diemen RF88
  2. Louis Sharp, Spectrum 015
  3. Simon Hunter, Mygale SJ08A
  4. Zac Christensen, Ray GR20
  5. Jack Noble-Adams, Ray GR21
  6. Alex Crosbie, Ray GR21
  7. Daniel Brown, Ray GR21
  8. Dylan Petch, Ray GR20
  9. Cameron Freeman, Van Diemen RF93
  10. Dyson Freeman, Van Diemen RF92
  11. Harry Wilson, Mygale SJ12
  12. Robert Toshach, Swift FB89
  13. Blake Knowles, Van Diemen RF92
  14. Simon Spencer-Bower, Van Diemen RF93 Stealth
  15. James Dicey, Spectrum 07B
  16. Andy Robertson, Swift Formula Ford
  17. Keith Miller, Van Diemen RF01
  18. Ryan Low, Ray GR08 Formula Ford
  19. DNF Bo Hill, Van Diemen RF94

Race 3 – Wigram Cup (12-laps)

  1. Matthew Hamilton, Van Diemen RF88
  2. Simon Hunter, Mygale SJ08A
  3. Louis Sharp, Spectrum 015
  4. Zac Christensen, Ray GR20
  5. Daniel Brown, Ray GR21
  6. Alex Crosbie, Ray GR21
  7. Jack Noble-Adams, Van Diemen Stealth RF92
  8. Bo Hill, Van Diemen RF94
  9. Dylan Petch, Ray GR20
  10. Cameron Freeman, Van Diemen RF93
  11. Dyson Freeman, Van Diemen RF92
  12. Harry Wilson, Mygale SJ12
  13. Simon Spencer-Bower, Van Diemen RF93 Stealth
  14. Robert Toshach, Swift FB89
  15. Blake Knowles, Van Diemen RF92
  16. James Dicey, Spectrum 07B
  17. Nigel Arkell, Van Diemen RF90
  18. Jacob Cunniffe, Swift SC96K
  19. Keith Miller, Van Diemen RF01
  20. DNF Ryan Low, Ray GR08

‍2021/22 South Island Formula 1600 Championship Calendar
Rnd 1: 29-31 October 2021, Mike Pero Motorsport Park, Ruapuna, Christchurch
Rnd 2: 6 November 2021, Timaru International Raceway, Timaru
Rnd 3: 4-5 December 2021, Teretonga Park Raceway, Invercargill
Rnd 4: 20-23 January 2022, Mike Pero Motorsport Park, Ruapuna, Christchurch
Rnd 5: 5 March 2022, Timaru International Raceway, Timaru
Rnd 6: 19-20 March 2022, Teretonga Park Raceway, Invercargill