Motorsport: Kiwi Louis Sharp at pointy end of championship

Louis Sharp. Photo / Getty Images

Hot on the heels of the announcement Liam Lawson is resuming his Formula 1 career, another young Kiwi is preparing to forge his way to the pinnacle of motorsport.

Louis Sharp is contesting the final round of the GB3 championship at Brands Hatch this weekend, with one race early on Sunday and two early on Monday.

The 17-year-old is hoping to become only the second driver to win back-to-back junior formula championships, having claimed the British F4 series last year.

If successful this weekend, he will join Ayrton Senna, who achieved the feat in the 1980s.

Sharp leads the championship by a healthy 33 points from Britain’s John Bennett (389 points) and Poland’s Tymek Kucharczyk (386).

“I’m feeling really positive, and leading the championship, I’m in the best possible position to win [the title],” Sharp said.

“The two behind me are fairly close and will be pushing hard to close the gap. I’ll have to be on my game, particularly in qualifying.

“Of course it would be cool to win back-to-back championships, but I’m focusing on the job I have to do over the weekend.”

The final round will be a fine balance of staying with the same strategy that has seen him achieve four wins and a further five podium finishes in 20 races while playing it safe to protect his championship lead.

“With the points lead I have, I don’t have to take too many risks, but I still want to qualify on pole and win.

“We’ll be using the exact same process for the weekend as we have all season and do the best job we can, and I’ll keep doing what I do.

“Obviously if I’m in P2 or P3 and ahead of my championship rivals, I know I don’t have to risk too much. I still want to win but also have to think about the bigger picture.”

Drivers will be taking on the international-length Brands Hatch circuit, which is a challenge and a joy to race on.

Sharp has a good relationship with the 3.9km track and was fastest in the only official GB3 test at the track in April.

“I’m feeling pretty confident, as I’m on a track that I won the F4 championship [on] last year. I have very good memories at Brands Hatch, especially the full circuit.

“I really like the nature of the track and how fast it is around the back. There’s no room for error and it’s a real driver’s circuit.

“It’s about being brave and very precise - there’s no runoff and the walls are very close. It’s very easy for it to go wrong but it does also reward the drivers who take the most risk.

“It’s about finding that balance about how much risk you can take while making sure you don’t make a mistake.”

Sharp and his team will be looking for options to carry on the good form next year.

“I can’t thank Rodin and others [enough] for what they’ve done for me in my career. They are a great team and have given me a great car this year. We’re in discussions about what might happen next year and are working on a clear plan. At the moment, I’m concentrating on winning the GB3 championship.”