NEW TEAM WON'T BE RACING HISTORIC'S IN 2021
Barton Mawer Motorsport has opted not go historic racing in 2021 with Daniel Holihan, despite his past success in the highly competitive historic formula ford category. The choice was made a few months ago, whilst they built the new formula ford team citing that getting the new team off the ground without teething problems was a challenge in itself.
Even though the teams 1985 Swift DB1 will be “moth balled” for the second year in a row, the team still want to engineer the most out of the car when the time is right. In previous years, the car has won pole positions and fastest laps in the hands of its driver Daniel Holihan. Winning the 2017 HSRCA Historic Formula Ford Championship, Holihan still has the desire to win it again when the stars align. Before COVID-19, he had finished 4th/55 cars at the Phillip Island Motorsport Classic Festival, where many internationals came to take on the Australian local historic formula ford scene.
Team manager Barton Mawer commented, “It’s been a lot of work just getting the team prepared for the state level rounds in the new Spectrum 011K, which we’ve hardly had a chance to drive, as it’s been built down in Victoria. No doubt, Dan is fast in the historic ranks. He has proven it against international rivals and the best we’ve got here in Australia. My dad (Dave Mawer) loves historic racing, so when we get back into it I’m sure Dan will be back on pace when it’s time to drop the hammer.”
Whilst the team focuses on its Kent1600 plans for this season, team driver Holihan went on to comment, “Ideally it was my call in the end. The car hasn’t been touched in over a year. I absolutely love driving that Swift DB1 but at the same time, I love going to those historic races when there is big crowds and a huge atmosphere. I do historic’s more for fun.”
The team are looking to find their feet with the new Spectrum 011K before bringing the Swift DB1 out of the garage. When they do Holihan will be looking to challenge some of Australia’s best historic racing talent on the track once again in 2022.
