Josh Burdon is a young Tasmanian driver competing in the Australian Formula 3 Championship.  He is a privateer in the truest sense.  Bankrolled by friends and carrying a thanks to his nan-and-pop on his car, he struggles to get from round to round.  A massive crash at Morgan Park put his season in jeopardy but he was able to fight back.  Somehow finding the money and coming back as a stronger driver than before.  He is partly here because of that, partly because of his place in the ladder of Australian motorsport, partly because he is a great guy and partly because when we put a call out as to who you wanted to hear about, Josh’s name came up.

It will be interesting to see if he can make the 2012 season – we hope he does, he certainly deserves to.

Hi Josh, thanks for joining me – you had an up and down 2011 season.  Some highlights and lowlights, can you take us through some of those?

You’re right, it was an up and down season.  He had a limited budget and we had no testing – added to that we had a couple of circuits we had never been to.  I started off the season well at Winton with a second but at Morgan Park we had a big crash in race 1, lap 1, turn 1 where we basically wrote the car off.  We also missed the three races, which put us out of Championship contention, but we were able to get some funds to fix it and make to the next round at Sandown.  We won the feature race there.  Phillip Island – we won there as well and the last round at Symonds Plains, we had a couple of suspension problems and once we fixed that we ran out of brakes, which was a pain but you have to run with what you’ve got.

On Morgan Park – it was a spectacular crash – do you have any memories from inside the car?

I can basically remember going into the corner – I got a good start, held position and was going on the inside of someone.  A guy behind me locked up his brakes and had no where to go and his front left wheel clipped my right rear wheel and I can’t remember getting the hit – this was from the video footage.  I can’t remember anything apart from once looking at the ground, no comprehending what was going on while I was in the air.  Once I woke up, I had a medical crew around me and that was it.

We know budgets are tight so how difficult was it for you to get back after Morgan Park?

This year we have done it off basically no budget and I have a friend down here who has basically bankrolled me for the year.  After a crash like that it is pretty devastating when you don’t have a budget to start with.  After the crash we had a big meeting with the family and extended family.  My great-grandmother who is 90 years old got me to the next round at Sandown and that is one of the best things that happened really as that is where I got the monkey off my back.  It was our first win of the year.

Looking towards next year are you looking to raise the funds for another year in F3?

Yeah that is right.  We have had a few offers for next year – teams wanting to do a deal.  Formula 3 that is the goal – the premier category in Australia.  I am not looking to run National category next year, if I am going to race, it is going to be in a Championship car and go all out for the Gold Star.  If I can win that it could set me up really nicely.

My great-grandmother who is 90 years old got me to the next round at Sandown and that is one of the best things that happened really as that is where I got the monkey off my back.  It was our first win of the year.

What are your long term plans?

I had an opportunity to go overseas this time last year to go testing.  Formula Palmer Audi, British Formula 3, with Rod McLean, one of the guys that used to run Team Australia.  It was all planned to go ahead, had the money to go but before I went I injured myself badly – I got third degree burns on my right hand and had to miss the trip.  I thought, I have never really wanted to go overseas – it was something that popped up, I haven’t really dreamed about it.  Ever since I was a young kid I wanted to stay in Australia. I have been so one-eyed about it and getting into V8 Supercars.  I have talked to a few people and realistically making it in Europe and in Formula 1 are unrealistic.  I like to keep it realistic and go full on for V8 Supercars.

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Thanks Josh – is there anything you would like to add?

I would like to say how much thanks I have.  Particularly for the owner of R-Tek and the owner of Formula 3.  Just how much he has turned it around, he has given up his life the past couple of years.  Without Ian and Merrill, his wife, I wouldn’t have been able to race a full season this year, that is for sure.  R-Tek have put up with me this year  – through the down times and there has been quite a few of them.  They have always had faith and towards the end of the season I started to repay it and win races.  Without them, I would have never done any of it and it was basically the biggest racing and learning year of my life.  The experience I have gotten out of it is something I will never forget and I have come on in leaps and bounds from what I have learnt.  I can’t wait for next year and to see what opens up.

Fantastic, thanks Josh, and best of luck in raising the budget for 2012.

Thank-you.

Interview and article, by Sam Tickell, November 2011.

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