Morcom Back with Primus
Nathan Morcom has confirmed that he will contest this year’s F2000 Championship Series in the USA. It will be the 19 year-old Sydney driver’s second campaign in the ‘development’ openwheeler series, which will run over seven double-header rounds from April until October. As in 2011, Morcom will team with Primus Racing with backing from building material suppliers Direct Plasterboard Outlet and Rondo, and motorsport fashion brand Racer Inc.
His car will be the current model RFR chassis that he drove in last year’s final round at Watkins Glen. Morcom is aiming for the top in the 2012 series after placing eighth overall in his rookie season. He made a big first impression last year by winning the opening race, but after that a string of problems with Primus’s ageing Van Diemen chassis prevented him from repeating the performance.
This year, with Primus boss Jon Baytos again engineering his car, he’s confident of being on the pace at every race weekend.
“It’s a whole new ball game this year as far as I’m concerned,” Morcom said.
“Even though I didn’t get the opportunity to go for pole or win races a lot of the time last year, I drove enough laps to know that I can be competitive in the series.”
“I already know five of the seven circuits from 2011, and the two new ones (Thunderbolt Raceway and Summit Point) will be new to most of the other drivers too.
“Ralph Firman has the best track record of anyone in Formula Ford/F2000, and Jon Baytos has forgotten more than most engineers will ever know about sorting a racing car.
“I’m sure that he’s as determined as I am to put Primus Racing back on top in 2012.”
Having watched experienced French-Canadian Remy Audette dominate last year’s F2000 Championship Series, Morcom is acutely aware that consistency is the key to finishing at the top of the pointscore.
“Remy finished high up in all 14 races, and after dropping his two worst results his lowest placing was fourth!” he said.
“He did a great job, but he wasn’t under a lot of pressure because no-one challenged all the way.
”I’m aiming for a podium result in every race – anything less will be disappointing.”
Despite his high aspirations for the upcoming series, Morcom acknowledged that winning was likely to be even tougher than last year.
“The F2000 Championship Series is as competitive as any junior openwheel series around the world,” he said.
“Last year there was an average of 26 cars in every race, but unlike a lot of ‘development’ series there are some fast experienced drivers who keep coming back every year.
“No-one will get an easy ride to the podium!”
Inbetween the 2011 and 2012 F2000 Championship Series, Morcom kept his hand in by winning the final round of the Australian Production Car Endurance Championship at Eastern Creek, NSW, in December.
He and fellow Aussie young gun Chaz Mostert drove their Class B Direct Plasterboard Outlet-Rondo BMW 335i to an upset win over several Class A all-wheel drives in the six-hour enduro.
Last week Morcom flew to Primus Racing’s Ohio base to begin a thorough test program before the first F2000 Championship Series round at Virginia International Raceway on April 14-15.