A pair of bright young stars will front Eurasia Motorsport’s assault on the 2015 Formula Masters China Series (FMCS), as Australian hopeful Aidan Read and Singapore’s Sean Hudspeth are welcomed to the fold.
As its name suggests, Eurasia is a bi-continental amalgamation of world class driver development, international engineering excellence and the highest standards of preparation, and boasts broad and wide-ranging foundations in single-seaters and Pro-Am sportscar racing.
Having achieved no fewer than 40 championship titles since 1994, the team has a remarkable record and is renowned for propelling many drivers to the uppermost echelons of international motor racing.
However, its unquenchable thirst for success remains and Eurasia has ambitions to continue its winning ways in some of Asia’s most prestigious single-seater, sportscar and touring car racing arenas in 2015.
It will mount a four-car attack on next year’s FMCS, which has developed into a captivating entry-level single-seater championship since its launch in 2013 and ensures only the most talented drivers come to the fore as it tours the Asia-Pacific region’s greatest circuits in China, Indonesia, Japan and Malaysia.
Young Australian Read and Singaporean Hudspeth will fill two of the seats in 2015, although Eurasia Motorsport continues to evaluate its options for the final two openings in what will no doubt prove to be a popular and over-subscribed series.
Read, from Perth, enters the Formula Masters China Series full-time in 2015 having acquitted himself well during an encouraging debut outing in this year’s season finale in Shanghai and finished runner-up in the WA Sporting Car Club Formula Vee State Championship in his native Australia.
The 15-year old hotshot raced Karts from the age of ten, has already demonstrated his natural flair behind the wheel of a racing car and is now broadening his horizons by progressing to higher profile categories in Asia, with the ultimate aim of competing on the international stage.
Fresh from being nominated as runner-up for the 2014 season at the Confederation of Australian Motor Sport (CAMS) Awards presentation, Read said: “Going into the 2015 season, I feel well prepared thanks to the large amount of preparation in the last 12 months. The drive in 2015 is something I have been working towards for years now, and I feel extremely motivated. I’m ready for the challenge. Testing begins in January but I plan to get plenty of seat time. I learnt a huge amount in Shanghai in every aspect of the sport and I’ve mainly been working on my fitness since then. My first season will be a steep learning curve, for sure, as I am new to the extreme level of competition in the FMCS. However, the weekend in Shanghai was a valuable experience that will take the edge off of my first race weekend next year.
“The expertise and brilliant track record of the Eurasia Motorsport team gives me a great deal of confidence, as I know I am part of a professional outfit, capable of winning. It’s up to me to perform and provide the results the team deserves. I don’t really want to state any aims for my first season, but all I know is that I’ll be giving 100 per cent for myself and for the team.”
Hudspeth had a successful Karting career and, after initially testing a Eurasia Motorsport-prepared Formula Pilota racer in 2012, was all set to contest a full season in the revitalised Formula Masters China Series when his plans were postponed due to National Service commitments for the Singapore Army.
The 20-year old spent 15 months away from the racetrack in a Reconnaissance Deputy Team Commander position with the elite 1st Battalion Guards and demonstrated supreme skill during his term in the military.
Not only did he win team and individual gold and bronze medals as part of the Guards Team at the Army Shoot Meet, but he was presented with the Chief of Guards Army Coin for exceptional performance and great commitment and then the Full-time National Serviceman of the Year 2014 award.
Sporadic outings followed and top five finishes at the Zhuhai International Circuit were the highlights of a partial campaign, but Hudspeth is now fully focused on reviving his motorsport career as one quarter of Eurasia Motorsport’s 2015 Formula Masters China Series line-up.
“I wouldn’t say I have a lot of experience in Formula Masters China machinery, but what I would say is that I’m a quick learner and I am very confident going into the 2015 season. The car suits my driving style and I feel physically and mentally prepared to give it everything. While doing National Service is never ideal for any athlete due to it being very time consuming, there are some advantages to it, including the fact that I am now fitter than ever and the army gives you mental resilience and discipline and teaches you that nothing is impossible if you put your mind to it. These, of course, are all essential qualities in a successful racing driver.
“I believe there is always room for improvement and, since I am now free of National Service, I will be able to do a lot more pre-season testing. I feel that, as a driver, I have improved massively since the start of the year, therefore the learning curve should be more gradual next year when I will be looking to fine tune everything. Eurasia Motorsport is definitely one of the strongest teams in the paddock and I have complete confidence in its ability. The 2015 season will be a very important one for me and this is the year I intend to go all out to show what I can do in a car. There’s no point in going at something like this half-heartedly and winning a championship like the Formula Masters China Series would definitely stand me in good stead for the rest of my racing career. Now we have to give it everything!”
Eurasia Motorsport Chairman and Team Principal, Mark Goddard, said: “Eurasia is renowned for developing the Champions of tomorrow and we are excited to have signed two future stars already. Having Aidan (Read) and Sean (Hudspeth) aboard this early will allow us to undertake a good pre-season testing campaign, which will result in both drivers being fully prepared for the 2015 Formula Masters China season. Knowing we have two potential race winners in the team is a great motivation and the guys are looking forward to working with Aidan and Sean at the Sepang test days in January.”
