Rodin Carlin’s Costa Toparis is a relative newcomer to racing compared to his rivals on this year’s GB3 grid, but despite this, the young Australian has shown well so far during his maiden campaign of European competition.
The 16-year-old jumped into GB3 having claimed the title in the NSW Formula Race Car Championship’s F4 division last year before racing in a contemporary F4 category for the first time at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix and then representing Australia at the World Motorsport Games at the end of 2022.
Despite going up against a hugely competitive field in GB3, with 24 other drivers around him and many with considerably more race car experience, Toparis has proven his raw pace with an excellent qualifying record, and in the races, has recorded six top-10 finishes.
His points haul so far puts him just outside the top-10 in the championship standings, and the 16-year-old credits his performances so far to preparation and teamwork.
“I knew this journey would be thrilling, but with jumping the F4 category, I also knew it would be a steep learning curve” he says. “I had prepared myself physically with a strict training routine as this was one thing I could get right in Australia before arriving.
“I've had the privilege of racing alongside some of the most talented drivers in Europe, and the competition is fierce. The highs and personal bests have given me confidence in pushing forward to the front of the grid. The lows have taught me invaluable lessons and fuelled my determination to improve. My sponsor Rodin Cars, the amazing circuits, my passionate family, and the professional Rodin Carlin team have made this a remarkable experience.
His biggest strength so far has been raw pace. On average Toparis is the eighth fastest driver in qualifying despite his inexperience against this year’s big grid, with a best result of third at Silverstone earlier in the season.
“It's truly a testament to the hard work, dedication and team preparation” he reckons. “Motor racing is all about qualifying. Every qualifying session, I push myself to the limit and extract every ounce of speed from my car. I owe a huge thanks to my teammates, their expertise and guidance have been invaluable in helping me achieve these impressive results.
“The grid of experienced drivers have set the bar high, and being among the top qualifiers is an honour. It's a constant reminder that I'm on the right path and that my hard work is paying off. I am pleased with my raw speed and the progress I've made in such a competitive environment. But there is still a long way to go, and I’m determined to keep pushing the boundaries, chasing podium finishes and making my mark on this exhilarating sport.”
Having broken into the top-six in three races so far, his next target is to achieve a podium finish.
“Yes, a podium finish is within reach. I firmly believe that I am getting closer to achieving that goal with each race. The competition is fierce, but my determination is unwavering. I'm constantly fine-tuning my skills and working closely with my incredible team to maximise our chances of success.
“I will be very proud when it comes, and it will be a testament to the faith my sponsor Mr David Dicker and Rodin Cars, have placed in me. I will be striving to make that podium finish a reality.”
He admits to being pleased at showing his potential so far, and his main aim for the remainder of the campaign is to display his speed on a more regular basis while continuing to make small adjustments in and out of the cockpit.
“Reflecting on the first half, I am happy about my raw speed when I put the lap together, and now need to work on consistency. I am happy that my physical fitness is optimal and allows me to concentrate on refining my driving skills.
“Equally important is the communication with my team; I've been working hard on changing my language to an engineering language. We've been working together seamlessly, constantly fine-tuning our strategies and analysing every aspect of our performance. The trust and synergy we've built is invaluable.
“I’m determined to push myself to the limit and improve my qualifying performance, aiming for a better grid position to give me an edge on race day.
“I've been working hard on my launch techniques [for race starts] and reaction times to nail those race starts and gain an early advantage over my competitors.
“The ultimate goal is to secure my first podium finish. I'm ready to give it my all, and I'm confident I can make it happen.”