Driver Database News

Andre Borell and Master Electricians Racing are looking to finish the 2009 Genuine Ford Parts Australian Formula Ford Championship in style. With the championship already decided with Nick Percat having taken the 2009 crown – the Nikon SuperGP on the Gold Coast may not be a series decider – but will still be an exciting event with everyone looking to stamp their authority on the streets of Surfers and signal their intentions for 2010.

Andre Borell started his preparation for the Nikon SuperGP by racing on the streets of the Gold Coast in a different disciple recently – the ITU Triathlon World Championships. Andre stunned his competitors by placing 2nd in the Male 20-24 SprintMan category. Andre loved the event, intending to compete in the world famous Noosa Triathlon in November. “It’s a great sport, I love it. I didn’t expect to place on the podium on the Gold Coast. I had a really bad swim, but recovered on the bike and blew them away on the run. I intend to get into it a lot more – the fitness benefits translate directly to how you feel physically in the Formula Ford”.

With his full attention now turned to the Nikon SuperGP, Andre intends to go one better than his Triathlon performance come October. “We are making some massive changes to the car for meeting. The circuit is all about braking and power-down. We are fitting new brakes as well as redesigning the suspension geometry to make the car better in these two areas, especially power-down. That is where we have struggled all season. It’s a big move, and it will either pay dividends or be a disaster. It’s all or nothing here – win it or bin it. Actually I’ll be happy with a Top-5, but that doesn’t sound as cool” said a jovial Borell.

With Master Electricians confirmed to be staying on board for 2010, Andre also hopes to have a strong showing so that he can carry some momentum into the 2010 Australian Formula Ford Championship. Andre explains his decision, and his affection for Formula Ford: “Why would you race any other category? It’s second only to V8 Supercars in terms of professionalism and on-track competitiveness in Australia. Racing Formula Ford again is a no brainer, you can’t race at a higher level in this country unless you are in a V8. Next year we will have more resources, new equipment, and we are going for the Title”. Borell however remained tight lipped on his exact plans for 2010, including team and chassis choices. “We’ll announce that in good time…” said the 22-year old.

With his SuperGP and 2010 Formula Ford plans so ambitious – Andre Borell and Master Electricians Racing are faced with a very steep mountain to climb, but the evidence so far indicates they are up to the task. Andre is also up for nomination to win an entry into the GRAND PRIX SHOOTOUT competition held in the UK – make sure you head www.driverdb.com/drivers/33514/ and register your vote.

Andre is supported by Master Electricians, simPRO, Extreme Safety, Wizzard Concrete, Xtreme Racing, PM Lubricants and Powerade. For more information please visit www.andreborellmotorsport.com

Andre Borell and Master Electricians Racing have broken this season’s points drought and now have some runs on the board for the 2009 Genuine Ford Parts Australian Formula Ford Championship. Borell also won the ‘EWP Hard Charger’ award for the second time in as many rounds after a disappointing qualifying session left him with an uphill climb in the races.

Saturday morning’s Qualifying session didn’t go to plan, with Borell only posting a time good enough for 15th place on the grid. Borell made no excuses, and pointed the finger squarely at himself: “That wasn’t very good was it! I didn’t get a good slipstream which is key here, and I didn’t really put a good lap together anyway. I made a few mistakes pushing too hard for a good time. Oh well – we have pace so we can go forward in the races”.

Race 1 on Saturday afternoon saw a solid and level-headed drive from Borell, dodging the erratic driving in the midpack to bring home the Master Electricians Racing car home in 10th spot – and gain that elusive first championship point. With the CEO from both Master Electricians and simPRO present, the result could not have come at a better time.

Race 2 early Sunday morning was a similar story to race one, with Borell dodging the mayhem to come home on 10th spot again. His job was made harder however by a clutch and brake problem that would persist over the rest of the weekend. Andre explained the issues “The clutch wasn’t fully disengaging, so on the start line it was wanting to creep forward even with the clutch all the way in. I had to use all the pedals at once to keep the thing stationary and not get a jump start penalty – I really needed a third foot! We also had a severe brake shudder that tried to shake the wheel out of my hands every time I braked. We can’t fix either issue for Race 3 so too bad for me I guess, I’ll just drive around the problems”.

Race 3 saw a stellar performance from Borell, who ran as high as 6th at one point and eventually finished in 8th spot gaining even more points towards the tally. The superlative drive dealing with brake and clutch issues highlighted Borell’s talent and ability to run with the best in the Formula Ford ranks. Despite finishing in the best position of the season, Andre still felt he could have done better: “Martin Swindells was blocking me like a lunatic for the last half of the race. He was weaving four or five times on nearly every straight, everywhere I tried to go he would move across and nearly run me off the track. I should have got past him for 7th, but the guy is a headcase and would have taken me out before he let me past. I’d rather 8th than a DNF”.

SuperGP on the Gold Coast is the next stop for Master Electricians Racing and Andre Borell. Unlike most other Formula Ford drivers, Andre will gain some racing experience on the Surfers Paradise street circuit in September: “I’m racing in the ITU Triathlon World Championships on the Gold Coast soon, and the bike leg takes in some of the SuperGP circuit. I doubt it’ll be an advantage come October I’m hustling the Van Diemen between the concrete barriers, but you never know!”

Andre Borell is supported by Master Electricians, Extreme Safety, simPRO, Xtreme Racing and Wizzard Concreting. For more information please visit www.andreborellmotorsport.com

Master Electricians Racing and their driver Andre Borell have been awarded the ‘EWP Hard Charger’ prize at Round 5 of the Genuine Ford Parts Australian Formula Ford Championship. The award goes to the driver who makes up the most positions over the weekend from their qualifying position.

The weekend started badly, with Borell being excluded from the Qualifying session. This was due to an infringement of ‘parc ferme’ rules. Andre explained the penalty “Parc Ferme is a lockdown compound the cars go into after each session for technical checks. The last check they do is weight, then you leave. After I weighed, I passed my helmet to my mechanic so I could drive back to the garage, which is the normal procedure we all (the other cars) do. Apparently this was a breach of the rules as they hadn’t ‘officially’ released me yet… stupid”. The penalty was not able to be appealed and Borell would start the races in 19th spot.

Race 1 started well with Andre making another lightning getaway in the wet conditions. At Turn 4, a competitor spun and blocked the part of the track Andre was on. He then had to wait for the other cars to file past before rejoining the pack. As the Safety Car came out for the damaged car, Andre kept his head and planned his next charge. When the Safety Car returned to pitlane and racing resumed, Andre was picked up for passing before the start finish line. “I guess I might have, I have no idea. Anyone who has driven an open-wheeler in the wet, at the back of a 20 car field, will know that you can’t see a thing. It’s like driving into a wall of white” explained Borell. The penalty for this infringement was a drive through penalty. This should have ruined Borell’s race, but another Safety Car came out allowing Borell to rejoin the rear of the field after serving the drive-through. Once racing resumed Andre was a man possessed, passing cars like they were standing still, showing his wet-weather prowess charging up into the top-10. The strong run ended when he was unceremoniously punted off by another driver, dropping him back to 15th. Andre shard his views in no unclear fashion – “I guess these daddy’s boys paying $250,000 a year to come racing don’t like being out-driven by someone in an older model car, spending a quarter of their budget. Anyway, what goes around comes around so I’m not too worried”.

Race two was somewhat less eventful for Borell, once again coming home 15th after battling brake issues. Race three was another great drive from Borell, driving beyond what the car should be capable of. Borell made a lightning getaway being in 9th at the exit of Turn 1. From there more contact from another competitor put Borell back to 11th. The race ended behind Safety Car, with Borell still in 11th spot, once again agonisingly close to a points finish. “To get the Hard Charger award is some kind of recognition that we are doing something right. I keep being told that finishing mid-pack is excellent considering our budget and our car, and that it’s our debut year. To be honest, it’s wearing a bit thin on me and I’m really keen for things to turn around and to fight with these boys at the front. Some drivers might have a crisis of confidence in times like this, but I know it’s not me. Next year, in the right gear, we can win this thing. Having said that, the year’s not over yet, so bring on the home races”.

Andre Borell is supported by Master Electricians, Extreme Safety, simPRO, PM Lubricants and X-treme Racing.

For more information please visit www.andreborellmotorsport.com.au

With the 2009 Genuine Ford Parts Australian Formula Ford Championship at the half way mark, Andre Borell and Master Electricians Racing look back on the opening half of 2009.

With no points on the board thus far, it has been a Baptism of Fire for the fledgling Formula Ford outfit, running strongly on many occasions but always being on the wrong side of lady luck. “I think I have a case of Mark Webber-itis, we just can’t get the monkey off our back” quipped Borell, who went on to say “Being serious for a moment, it has been super tough so far. We’ve had a lot of points finishes in our grasp and had them ripped away by mechanical issues totally beyond our control, or by other driver’s stupidity. It’s been mentally tough to deal with, but we’re a stronger team and I’m a stronger driver because of it”.

The headlines this year have been dominated by the almost unbeatable Formula Ford veteran Nick Percat, racing in the championship for his fourth year. “You can’t compete with that sort of experience, it’s like trying to beat your grandad at lawn bowls, it’s not going to happen! That being said, he is doing a top-job, and you can’t take anything away from the guy” stated Borell about his rivals success this year.

The team has learnt valuable lessons in the first half of the season, and is looking towards the second half for a reversal of fortunes. With Queensland Raceway and SuperGP (rounds 6 and right in the team’s backyard, the signs are good: “Even though QR (Queensland Raceway) is our home track, we have only tested there once this year. We’ve got a half-day test booked for this Saturday, and I should still have an advantage from my State level racing, but it won’t be the same advantage the Victorians enjoyed at Winton. SuperGP will be great, it’s a clean slate like Albert Park. I’ll be going there to win-it or bin-it – simple” explained Borell.

When asked what the biggest lesson has been so far this year, Andre’s usual good humour once again prevailed: “Use a MASTER ELECTRICIAN! If we had one on our team in Darwin maybe we could have found that misfire that ruined our weekend straight away, not a week later on the engine dyno”.

Andre Borell is supported by Master Electricians, Extreme Safety, simPRO, PM Lubricants and X-treme Racing.

For more information please visit www.andreborellmotorsport.com.au

Andre Borell and Master Electricians Racing suffered a cruel twist of fate at Darwins Hidden Valley Circuit at the weekend, which cost the team an almost certain haul of points.

Friday practice went to plan, with the team and driver both learning the circuit and testing different suspension settings in the two sessions. Qualifying also began well on Saturday, with Borell putting in an impressive 1:13.179 on only his second flying lap, just over a second off Formula Ford veteran Nick Percat’s pole time. As the tyres began to fade in the stress of the Northern Territory heat, Andre came in to pit lane to discuss the situation with his engineer. A split second decision led Andre to go out and try for one more quicklap; a decision the team would live to regret. “On my out lap I was chasing down the car in front to get a good slipsteam off them for the start of my hot lap. At Turn 10 I lost the rear big time, unfortunately there’s no run-off there and I hit the wall. It was a driving error, I could tell you the tyres were not up to temp or the cars alignment was a bit out from hitting a curb, but at the end of the day it was still my fault” said Borell.

The situation that followed illustrated the highest of high’s and the lowest of low’s that only come from motorsport. Amazingly the car came back to the garage with no visible damage. Everyone in pit-lane was sure the 160kph impact would have destroyed the right hand side of the car, but there was nothing to be seen. “We were stoked, it was the escape of the century! What we didn’t know is that something must have been damaged in the electrical system by the 10G deceleration, which brought on a misfire in Race 1. That was the story of the rest of the weekend, we just couldn’t find it and couldn’t fix it” said Andre.

Race 1 saw Andre get the start of the year to go from 13th to 7th by Turn 1. “That was the perfect getaway, unfortunately that misfire reared it’s head later on that lap and I was already back down to 13th by the end of the first lap, eventually it meant finishing in a lowly 15th”.

Race 2 and 3 on Sunday saw the misfire worsen, despite the team putting in an all night effort to replace almost the entire electrical and fueling system on the car. “I think we got about 3 hours sleep. Going out for Race 2 in the morning and having it miss again was the most heart-breaking feeling. We need to get the car on a dyno and find what the problem was, not just fix it, but pin-point it. Then we need to get some testing under the belt and hopefully finally realise our potential at Sandown. We’re a team, we’re togther on bad weekends like this, and one day we’ll win together” explained a disheartened but not broken Borell.

Master Electricians Racing and Andre Borell would like to thank all the other teams and category officials who offered their support and assistance in trying to find the problem.

Andre Borell is supported by Master Electricians, Extreme Safety, simPRO, PM Lubricants and X-treme Racing. For more information please visit www.andreborellmotorsport.com.au

The ING Australian Formula 1 Grand Prix marked the start of the Genuine Ford Parts Australian Formula Ford Championship for Master Electricians Racing and Andre Borell.

The weekend didn’t start well with an engine problem stopping any serious running in the one and only 20min practice. Andre remained on the circuit for the session, feeling that the problem could not be fixed in pit lane, and it was not harming the car.

Going into qualifying having not completed a single fast lap of Albert Park, Andre was unsure of what to expect. The qualifying session turned out to be mayhem, with cars crashing and bringing out red flags on two occasions. Because of this, Andre only got one flying lap in for the entire session, going quick enough to put him 12th on the grid. “We were aiming for a Top-10, so we missed that, but we have to be happy considering the engine drama” explained Andre.

Hopes were high for Race 1 on Saturday, with Andre confident he had more left in him and the car. “I got a great start, passing a few people on the run to Turn 1 and then again to Turn 3. I think we were around P8 or P9, Unfortunately it all fell apart from there”. Andre recovered from being forced off the circuit, and then a high speed spin to finish 17th in the race. “We only had 2 racing laps, the rest was behind safety cars, so it was impossible to fight back from our bad first lap. The pace is there, so we’ll press on tomorrow.

Race two again started well, with Andre again launching off the start line, and picking cars off one by one over the first two laps. Andre then got stuck behind a slower driver, who defended his position very aggressively. Andre finally made a move at Turn 15, which saw the two drivers come together. “I was well along side, he saw I was there, there was just no need for it. A little bit of racing room from him and we both would have been OK”. A very dissapointed Borell was forced to retire the car with bent steering.

Attention now turns to Round 2 of the championship in Winton on May 1-3. The signs are very promising with a lot of speed being shown from both the driver and car. “Albert Park was good because it was a level playing field, no one had raced there before. Winton will be different as all the Victorian teams test there. It will be tougher but I’m confident of a scoring points and running in the Top-10. From Tasmania onwards we’ll start aiming for podiums and wins.