Mat Sofi at Phillip Island, en route to his first ever F3 podium and a great weekend at Phillip Island. (Click for Hi-Res download)

One podium just isn’t enough for Transwest Racing’s Mat Sofi.

After charging to a stunning top-three result at Phillip Island a month ago, the 23-year-old Liverpool driver is keen to build on his career-first podium finish when he heads back to Sydney’s Eastern Creek raceway for round six of the 2008 Kumho Tyres Australian Formula 3 Championship this weekend.

Sofi’s #2 Total Developments Dallara F307-Mugen Honda powered chassis flew at Phillip Island and held off Neil McFadyen in the second race by less than a car length to score his initial podium.

After finishing fourth in the first race, Sofi’s Phillip Island performance was his best ever in F3 after struggling in qualifying – starting eighth for race one and ninth for the second.

This weekend he returns to Eastern Creek in Sydney’s west for the second time this season looking to build on the previous round’s results.

Sofi qualified strongly at Eastern Creek in the season opener – less than half a second from pole position – but a slow start cost him in race one and left him to charge though the field.

In the build-up to this weekends’ round Sofi said that qualifying would be key to good results.

“At Phillip Island we showed how quick the car was in the race – we’ve clearly got that worked out,” he said.

”We just need to work on Qualifying and getting the most out of new tyres as soon as we can in the session. It’s so competitive this season that you need to be able to go out and do a lap as early as you can. We have a good race car and this weekend we want to be good in qualifying as well.

”The higher you start, obviously it’s easier to get to the front and contend for wins.”

Mat said that his initial podium had given him further confidence to compete at the front this weekend.

”It’s always good to break though for the first win, or the first podium – it’s a real sign that things are progressing. It all helps with the motivation and the confidence in your driving and spurs you on to try to achieve bigger and better things.

”For me the only way up is to win races, and that’s what we want to do this weekend. The package is there and if all the pieces come together then I think we can do it.” He said.

This weekend’s racing will be held at Eastern Creek between July 11 – 13.

Support action includes the Australian GT Championship, Sports Sedan series and the Superkarts – Mat’s old stomping ground.

First practice gets underway Friday this week with the races held at 09:50am and 1:35pm on Sunday.

For more information head to www.mathewsofi.com

ENDS