Lobb Challenge Now From The Outside

Media Release: Wednesday 14th February

Caine Lobb believes he is now considered to be an outsider in the MTA Formula Ford Championship after dropping to fourth place in the standings and also believes that may work out all the better for him over the final three rounds.

Dunedin's John Whelan is leading the championship at the moment ahead of Auckland's Andrew Waite with rookie Stefan Webling sitting in third ahead of Lobb who is struggling to turn his evident race speed into points.

"I'm considered an outsider for the championship now which I hope will take some of the pressure off me over the rest of the season" he says. "And there are plenty of points still up for grabs before the end of the season so with a bit of luck while the other two fight it out I can try and close the gap."

Lobb who at the start of the season had been considered "the one to beat" has suffered more than his fair share of mishaps while the other drivers battled him for race wins. To date he has claimed 10 out of 14 pole positions which is a testament to his speed but with fierce challenges from the other leading drivers has suffered five incidents resulting in race damage which has either left him nursing the car home at the rear of the pack or with a DNF.

Lobb is now looking at playing the catch up game and hopes that all the bad luck of the season has now passed him by and he can just get on with it.

"We can still win it from here - the others just need to have one or two difficult rounds and the gap will soon close." he says.

This weekend's racing will be at Manfeild Autocourse where Lobb won the Formula Ford Winter Series held over four rounds at the circuit last year. The Fords were there just last month for Round Three before the A1GP in Taupo and Lobb set the fastest lap for the weekend in qualification and started from pole position three times.

A stellar drive from John Whelan stole Lobb's thunder however earning him three race wins from three and Lobb aims to break Whelan's streak this weekend.

Other than Ruapuna where Lobb works as an assistant driver trainer, Manfeild could well be his strongest circuit while holding the Winter Series title there and campaigning prior winter series in Formula First.

Championship Standings

1 89 John Whelan Dunedin 731
2 48 Andrew Waite Auckland 713
3 14 Stefan Webling Taranaki 589
4 60 Caine Lobb Christchurch 519