Formula 4 series sponsor, Jayco, ran an Ultimate Speed Comparison with an F4 racer, hot hatch, motorcycle, and a Jayco campervan. Yes, a campervan.

As part of the buildup to the launch of the new Formula 4 entry-level open wheeler category, series sponsor Jayco decided to do stage a rather unusual race.  The format is tried and tested; four vehicles line up, the slowest departs, then the next slowest and so on, with gaps designed to make the finish as exciting as possible.  It’s not a new format – there’s one every year at the F1 Grand Prix – but the types of vehicles were a bit unusual.

Cars and drivers

Fiat Ducato 3 litre FD.20-4 Conquest Motorhome – 130kW, 400Nm, 6 speed automated manual driven  by well-known grassroots motorsports organiser and all-round good guy Bruce Astbury, who is also Sales Manager and Chief Motorhome Racetrack Evaluation Engineer at Jayco.

Honda CRF 250R 4 stroke single cylinder uni-cam – ridden by Geran Stapleton – Penrite Honda Racing Supercross Rider 

Renault Megane RS 265 4 cyl 2.0L 194kW – driven by Cameron McConville, Formula 4 Championship Director/ex V8 Supercar Driver, current driver of various racecars

Formula 4 racecar, 4cyl 1.6L Ford EcoBoost Turbo 120kW – driven by Karl Reindler, ex V8 Supercars Driver

Start times

Jayco – 0:00 (standing start lap 3.07)
Motorbike +0:40 (from Jayco)
Renault  +1:11
Formula 4  +1:32

And here’s what happened:

Maximum speed of the Jayco?  Bruce reports 150km/h down the main straight, aided by a tailwind during his two practice laps.  Not bad for a diesel-powered house on wheels with a GVM of over 4000kg.  And hey CAMS, forget open wheelers, let’s see a race series for recreational vehicles – winner is first one to complete a lap and make a cup of tea for the flaggies!