“I’m trying to get the most experience I can at the moment." - Having made her Super2 debut in 2022, Australian up-and-coming star Elly Morrow is making the most out of every outing in any race car - with the goal of maximising every learning opportunities on her path to become the next female Supercars driver since Simona de Silvestro.
The 2022 Dunlop Super2 Series recently concluded its six-round season at the Adelaide 500 with Declan Fraser claiming the title. However, some eyes were on a particular racer who was 13th in the standings prior to missing the finale — Elly Morrow.
The Brad Jones Racing driver concluded her first full-season in slicks and wings machinery, augmenting on her Super3 experience where she completed three races wheeling the Project Blueprint Holden Commodore VE II in 2021.
Speaking with Racers on her season, Morrow commented: “It’s been a massive learning year for me this year.”
“Almost every track we went to on the calendar was my first time", she explained. "This year was not only my rookie year in Super 2 but cars in general. A highlight this year was getting to race at Townsville which was my first ever street track and a cool experience.”
Piloting the Superior Commodore VF, the Victorian achieved a best finish of 11th at the second race of the Townsville round, echoing her thoughts on her season.
Morrow’s car racing debut came in a truncated season deal in 2021 with Brad Jones’s eponymous team after a decade of karting.
Competing at Sydney Motorsports Park and Mount Panorama Circuit, the BJR junior achieved a trio of top-10 in as many outings.
One of seven drivers to then ascend from Super3 into Super2, Morrow completed the Bathurst round ahead of former Triple Eight development driver Angelo Mouzouris and 2021 Super3 champion Nash Morris in the standings.
In the process, the 23-year-old became the first female driver to partake in the championship since Abbie Eaton’s wildcard in 2019.
Across the season, Morrow kept her nose clean and avoided the calamity of other competitors, in turn not relinquishing positions from her starting berth and advancing an average of five positions every race.
Morrow remained dogged on her quest to gain knowledge, displaying an upturn in pace from the first race to the second, as she became more acclimatized to tracks in Townsville, Wanneroo, and Sandown that were foreign.
The Traralgon native also had her first foray in single-seaters when she signed for 88 Racing to compete in the revitalized two-round S5000 Tasman Series.
The field attracted many strong competitors — double S5000 victor Joey Mawson and Trans Am champion Nathan Herne and triple Grand Prix winner Giancarlo Fisichella.
Morrow added on her stopgap championship participation: “If the opportunity presents itself to race S5000 again next year I wouldn’t turn it down.” - she stated.
“I’m trying to get the most experience I can at the moment. So the more time I can spend in a race car the better!”
Morrow’s 2023 plan was a bombshell move to Tickford racing alongside Brad Vaughan, operating the COTF Gen2 Ford Mustang.
Being ensconced with the Victorian-based squad, Morrow elaborated: “I’m excited to be a part of a team with such strong history in both the main game and Super 2.”
“All but one of their past Super2 drivers made it to the main game, so their program is proven.” - she added. “They haven’t put any pressure on me but I definitely am setting my expectations higher.”
“I have a good group of people around me with good equipment so if I do my job properly the results will come.”
In what will be her third distinctive supercar in as many years, Morrow said: “I think it’s been good to experience different types of supercars and not get comfortable in one. It is making me a more adaptable driver.”
The Melbourne racer will also have a teammate in the reigning Super 3 champion, something that was absent in her rookie campaign.
“I think having a teammate is a big advantage. You are able to work together to develop the car on a race weekend. As well as learn from each other.”
“I think Brad and I are going to work really well with each other and I’m looking forward to seeing what we can achieve.”
When asked on whether there is any ambition on a co-driver position in 2024, Morrow remained candid.
“My focus right now is developing myself as a driver and doing a good job in Super 2.
If I do all of that and start getting results, everything else will start to fall into place.”
For now, Morrow heads into 2023 on an arduous path to becoming the first female in the main game since Simona De Silvestro in 2019.