Mawson Heading For Home

Single-seater specialist Joey Mawson could be coming home for good – and good – if things go well this weekend in Tasmania.

A late call-up for the start of the S5000 Australian Drivers’ Championship at Symmons Plains could turn into a lifeline for the Aussie international.

He has struggled to make an impact in Europe, despite beating Mick Schumacher to the German Formula 4 championship, and now believes his future in motorsport could be back home in Australia.

“I’m still keeping Europe open, but I want to get my exposure out here in Australia. I’ve been away for a long time. It’s the eighth year now,” Mawson told Race News.

“At the moment I’m not making a living yet from motorsport. That’s always been my goal, to call it my job.

“I think S5000 is a better fit for me than jumping into a Supercar.”

Mawson raced home from his European base at Geneva in Switzerland, quarantined in Perth, flew to Adelaide for a seat fitting, and is now in Tasmania.

He is plugging into an S5000 from the crack BRM team alongside Thomas Randle, in a pairing which is certain to make at impact at Symmons.

Randle has been a regular front-runner in S5000 and Mawson knows he will need to move fast in his first start to match the man alongside him at the ALABAR Form700 team.

“It’s a big ask, but I’m hoping to do the best job I can. I wouldn’t expect to be winning in the first race, because I haven’t had any testing or experience in the car.

“But you always imagine yourself winning, so I’ll be going for it.”

His recent racing in Europe has been in the Porsche Supercup, after a poor season in Formula 3 with a lacklustre team took away his momentum on the single-seater ladder.

“I wasn’t in the right team and that damaged things. It ruined my momentum.

“I’ve been doing Supercup for the past two years and I got a third at Monza in my second-last race.”

Mawson is now benefitting from the ‘Patron’ program established by S5000 founder and category manager, Chris Lambden, to get young drivers into open-wheelers. He knew Mawson was good and found the backing to get him back for Symmons.

“This will be the most powerful car I will have raced, so I’m sure there will be plenty of smiles out there. I want to thank Chris Lambden for all his help and work to get this deal to happen,” Mawson said.

But the youngster, who is still only 24, doesn’t want things to end in Tasmania.

“To be honest, I’m looking to do a full season in S5000. Single-seaters have always felt much more like my home. And I wanted to see how I would adapt and get back into it,” he said.

“At the moment I only have one round confirmed, but I’m obviously aiming to raise a budget to do all the races. I’m just going to camp in Sydney and see what happens.

“I’ve had some offers to go back to Europe in Porsche and also in endurance racing, which seems to be getting bigger. But the main factor is getting a budget.”

The S5000 championship opens with practice on Sunday, followed by qualifying and the first race on Monday, with two single-seater races on Tuesday.

VHT S5000 Australian Drivers Championship
Entry list – Round 1, Symmons Plains