January 28, 2015

 

Big changes have been made in the interests of finance and performance at Cornish outfit.

Following a highly testing and straining 2014 Kernow Sport, near the brink at one stage, has taken steps this winter to relight the fires in our little Cornish hearts and bring the team back to life, stronger, better and more importantly for Superleague, faster than ever. Deep in our St. Austell workshop, in the shade of the china clay tips, Cornish lads and maids have been spending tiresome hours between regular pasty breaks to build a new car on a very tight budget.

Out goes Krevder engine production in a streamlining and cost-cutting change. In comes Trinity engine power from our old friends at Woods Racing. Out goes Chief Designer Jonathan Sinclair to be replaced by up-and-coming new design talent Fernando Pichardo, who has a broader range of talent rather than a specialist development area. There has also been change in the Commercial department. Long-time Manager Daniel Diaz has left and been replaced by Erik Mahler. Who instantly scored heavy success with the sponsorship bids; leaving the team in hugely better shape than we even started 2014 with! Mersin Zrnec remains Chief Mechanic for a second season.

The car is a fresh new design from Pichardo. The MW4 features a tighter body, fitting snuggly around the Trinity-TRIN003 power-plant. A sleeker car that should be more aerodynamically efficient and lighter than our previous model: and more responsive to our driver inputs - the handling overall should be more stable and predictable. This car represents the hopes of the team to get itself back into the top half of the Superleague grid, perhaps even higher.

The livery comes in our traditional Cornish colours and the team sports numbers 12 and 83 this season on its cars: that we hope to see driven by a consistent line-up this year!

Ansum innum. As you may notice I'm spotted driving the #12 MW4. Now this doesn't necessarily mean I, Mark Wicks, will be racing it come Melbourne. I will be out on track testing in preseason but whether things'll change I'm not sure. For now I'll say I?m 90% sure I will be back on the Superleague grid full time for the first season since 2012. That may make it three drivers surviving from 2002, along with the Phoenix boys.

In a Reserve driver capacity, Formula Challenge regular Jayden Wright will perform testing and stand-in duties. The very enthusiastic Australian drove well for the team in last years end of season YDT and has earned a permanent spot in the team.

Our last announcement is who will be driving the #83 car. That man will be the Belgian Bart De Vos. Former Supercup champion Bart has shown a happy desire to get back on the Superleague grid and determination to pedal the Kernow Sport car to success.

All in all this team has been reinvigorated with optimism for the coming season. A Superleague season that'll surely see brilliantly exciting racing, unpredictable scenarios and oodles of controversy. Who'd have it any other way!