but still in search of last-minute sponsorship support
As one of the most highly-rated karting drivers in the country, it was perhaps inevitable that Callum Bowyer would ultimately take the next step up the motorsport ladder into cars – and in agreeing terms to join Antel Motorsport for the 2011 BARC Formula Renault Championship, that is precisely what he is set to do, but he is still reliant upon some vital last-minute support from sponsors.
Callum has been a front-runner in UK karting circles for five years, finishing inside the top four in the British Championship in every season bar one since 2006 and storming to both national titles in the Mini Max class in 2008. That has left the talented young Peterborough star primed to make the move into single-seaters, and Antel has been quick to recognise his outstanding promise and potential.
“We watched Callum in KF3 and KF2 karting, and he stood out to us immediately,” explained team principal Brett Parris. “I rate him extremely highly and we’ve been desperate to get him into our car for well over a year now, so I’m thrilled that we’ve managed to put a deal together for 2011.”
“We did our first test with Antel before Christmas to see how we got on, and after that went well, we tried to get everything sorted,” added the Gunthorpe ace. “They’re a great bunch of guys – they’ve really welcomed me, and we all work together really well. I’m already very comfortable as part of the team, and it feels like I’ve been here for ages – I really feel at home at Antel. Hopefully, that will all translate into good results on-track this year.”
One factor that will undoubtedly help the 16-year-old in his transition is the presence of an experienced team-mate alongside him to learn from in the shape of Dino Zamparelli, a driver with prior knowledge of BARC Formula Renault from 2009. Acknowledging that the ability to share data in the quest for mutual improvement and progress will be a boost, Callum is clearly keen for the pair to push each other and in so doing drive the whole team forward.
Thus far, the former Ken Stimpson School pupil has tested his new toy at Oulton Park, Brands Hatch, Silverstone, Thruxton and Croft – five of the six circuits that will constitute the 2011 calendar, with Donington Park the only remaining track still to visit, albeit on the agenda for before the season starts. The car racing rookie admits that the distinctly capricious elements – good practice for the famously unpredictable British summer, at least – have scarcely aided his apprenticeship, but the approach that he is adopting is palpably a mature one, and one that should serve him well over the months and challenges to come.
“I was quite open-minded going into the first test about what to expect,” he reflected. “Apart from a Ginetta Junior shoot-out last year, all the experience I’ve had so far has been in karting, which is very different. I knew it would be a big step-up; I’ve seen other drivers going from karts into cars, and some have struggled whilst others have done quite well. Obviously it’s a big jump in terms of the speed and the size of the tracks and the cars – I certainly can’t go for little gaps anymore like I used to!
“It was quite straightforward getting used to the car, to be honest, although pulling out of the garage for the first time did feel a bit strange. The BARC Formula Renault has a lot of power – at Thruxton in the wet I was heading up towards the chicane at 135mph and sitting just an inch off the floor! It’s an amazing feeling. I’ve got a gearbox to deal with now and weight transfer to have to think about, too. It just takes time to get used to it all, and the weather hasn’t helped us – it’s rained at nearly every test so far. That has made it difficult to learn, but you’ve just got to get on with it.
“The aerodynamic grip has been one of the biggest changes to adjust to. It’s all a question of mind-over-matter – you go into a corner and you’ve got no grip, and then you go into the same corner again but 20mph faster and you’ve got loads of grip, because the extra speed forces the car down to the ground. That’s been one of the hardest things to learn, simply because it’s the complete opposite of what you would expect – you think you’ll go off if you go in too fast, but the car just reacts to it and grips around the corner. I still haven’t quite mastered that yet, but I’m getting there.
“Every circuit we’ve gone to has been a lot of fun and really good to drive, with plenty of undulation and demanding corners – I’ve really enjoyed them all. Testing has gone really well so far, and we just need to keep on building upon that now every time we go out. I’m getting consistently closer to the pace, and we’ve never been that far off, in truth – even on my first day in the car I was straight into the top ten, which was really encouraging. Since then, I’ve had five more days and seem to be getting closer-and-closer every time.
“It’s still quite difficult to assess where we are in the pecking order at the moment – in karting, I knew who would be quick and who I would need to look out for from one year to the next, whereas in BARC Formula Renault, I’m not really sure who’s who yet – but at the media day at Silverstone every driver competing in the championship should be there, so that will be a good opportunity to gauge our relative position. I’m really looking forward to it.”
Although an agreement with Antel has been reached in principle, Callum still needs more funding to be able to finalise the deal and participate in BARC Formula Renault in 2011. With the final meeting of the year due to support the high-profile, live ITV-televised British Touring Car Championship at the celebrated ‘Home of British Motor Racing’, Silverstone, interested backers have a superb opportunity not only to invest in and support the burgeoning career of an exciting young racing driver who is clearly going places – and fast – but also to benefit from unparalleled nationwide publicity at the same time.
What’s more, corporate race weekend hospitality as well as car, pit and garage tours offer a unique possibility to take a privileged peak behind-the-scenes of a sport that is widely-held to be the most glamorous – and certainly the fastest – the world over.
If you are interested in backing Callum, please contact Tracey Bowyer on 01733 701099 or 07960 400731, or e-mail: callumkf3@hotmail.com
