December 13, 2009: AMSF decision

After three years of Formula Ford, including a 2009 British Championship win at Donington (above),
Daniel is ready to move up to the next level. Photo courtesy of Jakob Ebrey Motorsport Photography.

 

SETBACK ONLY MAKES DANIEL MORE DETERMINED TO SUCCEED

 

Daniel Erickson isn't giving up his Formula One dream despite a recent setback to his 2010 plans. The 22 year-old Sydney racer had been home for less than a week after a successful debut overseas racing season when he received the shock news that the Australian Motor Sport Foundation (AMSF) wouldn't be renewing his International Rising Star status.

 

It was only with the AMSF's help that he was able to contest the 2009 British Formula Ford Championship, in which he placed fifth overall and best of the drivers competing in Britain for the first time. But without the AMSF contribution to his 2010 racing budget he faces an uphill battle to implement his plan to contest the lucrative USA Star Mazda Championship - or any other 'junior development' openwheeler series.

 

Ironically, in anticipation of the AMSF's financial assistance continuing, Daniel returned via the USA for what turned out to be a sensational two-day test at MSR Houston Raceway with the Mundill Star Mazda team. In his first drive of the 'slicks and wings' openwheeler, on the unfamiliar Texan racetrack in unfavourable weather conditions, he lapped within a tenth of a second of Mundill's best current-spec Star Mazda time!

 

"The AMSF decision took me by surprise, because I achieved everything that could reasonably have been expected of me this year," Daniel said. "I finished fifth overall in the British Formula Ford Championship, and was the highest ranked driver with no previous experience on British racetracks."

 

Daniel said that he most likely would have done even better if he had received confirmation of his 2009 AMSF funding earlier, and been able to afford more pre-race test sessions. "I was only told that I would be the AMSF's circuit racing International Rising Star in February, by which time the leading British Formula Ford teams were already well into their pre-season testing programs," he said.

 

"Also, my budget didn't allow me to do as much testing as the frontunners during the championship. I was usually on their pace in qualifying, but because I could only do a limited amount of race set-up preparation my lap times in the races tended to 'drop off' more than theirs."

 

Despite these handicaps, Daniel won Round 13 at Donington, scored six podiums and claimed three pole positions - far better than this year's champion, James Cole, managed in his debut season in the fiercely competitive British championship (see comparison, below).

 

Daniel suspected that he missed out on AMSF funding because he had intended to contest the Star Mazda Championship rather than spend a second year in British Formula Ford, as the AMSF had suggested. "I didn't want to do British Formula Ford again because it would have been my fourth season in Formula Ford," he said.

 

"Three years in an 'entry level' category is long enough, and my Star Mazda test proved that I'm ready to move up to the next level."

 

Daniel said that he appreciated the AMSF contribution to his 2009 racing budget - and to CAMS for assisting him in 2007 and 2008 as a NSW and national Rising Star respectively - but he wasn't dwelling on the latest decision. "I've come back from adversity many times on the racetrack, and this off-track setback is no different - it just means that I have to try even harder to fund the entire budget for the next step in my journey to Formula 1," he said.

 

"I might be down, but I'm definitely not out!"

 

BRITISH FORMULA FORD CHAMPIONSHIP DEBUT COMPARISON

 

                                   Daniel Erickson      James Cole (2009 Champion)

Debut season                       2009                    2008

Wins                                      1                         0

Podiums                                 6                         0

Pole positions                         3                         0

Final pointscore position          5                        10

Total points                         410                      267

 

Note: Prospective commercial partners and personal sponsors can contact Daniel via this website.

 

MEDIA ENQUIRIES

Mike Jacobson - Jacobson Communications

 

It it's urgent ... Australia: 0438590136; International: 61 438590136

If it can wait a day ... jaccomms@optusnet.com.au

If you're on Skype ... mike.jacobson6

 


Help Daniel on his 'journey to success' and be in the running for a trip to the USA by joining Club Erickson! For full details, click on NEWS (below) and go to the the January 1, 2010 story.