JOEY Mawson’s replacement for this weekend’s S5000 Australian Drivers’ Championship round at Sydney Motorsport Park has been named.
Up-and-coming Supercars talent Aaron Love will be thrust into the seat vacated by Mawson, whose licence has been provisionally suspended amid an ongoing supplement investigation.
With uncertainty around how soon Mawson could return, the situation has blown the 2023 Gold Star race wide open.
Mawson is 77 points clear at the top of the standings at the season’s halfway mark; behind him is Cooper Webster, James Golding and Aaron Cameron.
Golding is just five points behind Webster but Kody Garland has taken over his seat for the remaining rounds given all clash with Supercars. Cameron, the 2021 Tasman Series winner, meanwhile is suddenly in the hunt at 50 points behind Webster, who is also missing SMP.
As for Love, SMP will mark his S5000 debut.
The 21-year-old has shot into the spotlight this month after emerging as the driver in line to lead a Blanchard Racing Team Supercars wildcard at the Sandown 500 and Repco Bathurst 1000.
With his Super2 campaign not resuming until Sandown itself, SMP provides an opportunity for additional seat time in a V8 beast.
Love’s car will be entered by 88 Racing and run by Team BRM, making for a reunion with the latter following their 2018 Australian Formula 4 Championship campaign together.
“It’s exciting to jump into a Formula car for the first time in a long time,” Love said.
“I’ve been doing some Radical stuff but it’s been a long time since I’ve raced anything like this, so I’m really looking forward to the challenge and learning the car and the series.
“There’s no doubt it’s going to be competitive and close at the front.
“Thanks to Albert (Callegher, 88 Racing owner) and ACM Finance for their support and to Team BRM, it’s great to be back with the team that helped launch my national racing career.
“It’s a great opportunity for more seat time in a fast, challenging car in a long break between Super2 rounds and I plan to make the most of it.”
Love completed a seat fitting last Friday and a brief test yesterday at The Bend Motorsport Park.
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