2013 Formula Ford Festival winner Niall Murray is set for a busy 2014 season, as the Irishman aims for success across three Irish Formula Ford Championships.
Thanks to winning the 2013 Dunlop Motorsport Ireland Young Racing Driver of the Year award, Murray will enjoy a fully-funded season in a Motorsport Ireland, Dunlop and Irish Sports Council-backed Van Diemen Formula 1600, prepared by Bernard Nolan.
The former Ginetta Junior race-winner made his single-seater racing debut last season, taking regular podium finishes en-route to third overall in the Irish Formula Ford 1600 Championship, before ending the year with a dramatic victory in the prestigious Formula Ford Festival at Brands Hatch.
The CL Brakes, SuperB Lithium Batteries, Schroth, Stilo and OMP-backed racer is now aiming for a championship victory this season, and will compete in the All Ireland Formula Ford Championship, Northern Ireland Formula Ford Championship and the Champion of Mondello Series.
“The team and car are new to me so I’m really looking forward to getting my testing programme under way for the new season,” said Murray.
My plan for 2013 was always to gain valuable experience in FF1600, which I did, learning about the car and its setup along with my team and also learning how to drive it fast, and then for 2014 my aim was always to win the championship.
“Now that there are three different championships in Ireland, I suppose my main aim is the Irish Championship which will be racing at all three circuits in Ireland.
“I’m really looking forward to this season and cannot wait for it to start! It will not be easy with many of the quick lads from last year coming back again, some in different machinery and also new quick drivers competing for the first time in FF1600.”
As well as targeting Irish Championship glory, Murray plans to return to defend his Formula Ford Festival crown at Brands Hatch at the end of the year, and hopes to make history as the first driver to successfully defend the overall Festival honours.
“I will have an extra years’ experience in FF1600 and have all the experience that I learned over the weekend at Brands to use again for the 2014 Festival,” he concluded. “By no means will it be easy, the 2013 weekend definitely was not a walk in the park, but I will definitely be trying 110% again and hope for the best!”
Murray’s season kicks off with the opening two rounds of the Champion of Mondello Series at Mondello Park on Sunday 16th March, which will be televised live on Mondello’s new web tv station www.mondello.tv.
