TWENTY-PLUS YOUNG DRIVERS READY TO GET A TASTE OF FORMULA FORD
Rockingham the venue for EcoBoost Formula Ford tests with the top championship teams
More than 20 new-generation drivers are expected at Rockingham on Tuesday (12 Nov) to gain their first track experience of the EcoBoost Formula Ford car.
Organisers of the Formula Ford Sampler Day say they are delighted by the quantity and the quality of the prospective entrants for the 2014 Dunlop MSA Formula Ford Championship of Great Britain, and that they are looking forward to a productive day’s testing at the Northamptonshire speedway.
“We are very pleased indeed to have in excess of 20 young drivers queuing up to familiarise themselves with an EcoBoost Formula Ford,” said championship manager Sam Roach, of RacingLine. “Even more gratifying is that they are all serious, licence-holding prospects who are keen to try the car and find out more about the championship, having seen the races live on ITV4 and of course trackside as an important supporting event to the British Touring Car Championship.”
Among the drivers set to attend are:
Hugo Besley, 16 and from Northamptonshire, who has been karting for three seasons in the Junior Rotax Series; Hugo’s father is historic racer Crispian, who started his track career in Formula Ford
Ricky Collard. The 17-year-old son of BTCC racer Rob has been karting with success for six years, latterly in the WSK Euro Series. He’s never raced a single-seater before but has had Ginetta Junior experience
Max Cornelius: the Wiltshire-based 19-year-old is a former Clay Pigeon Mini Max kart champion and KF3 West Midlands Champion looking to re-establish his career in single-seaters after three seasons away from the track
Sam Dible. The 17-year-old from Wiltshire is the current NKRA National kart champion. He graduated to senior karts in 2012 after winning several junior-series title
David Dugaesescu, 17 and from Romania. Has been karting since 2007, winning his home national KF3 championship in 2010 and the Romanian KF2 title the following season. Contested the WSK Euro KZ2 series 2012/’13
William Everington. The Rutland-based 17-year-old is looking to switch to single-seaters after multiple kart wins at Buckmore Park
Greg Holloway. The 27-year-old Australian is a three-season veteran of single-seater racing, having contested Formula Ford in his home country and Skip Barber F2000 events in the USA
Jonathon Jones. Sixteen and from Cheshire, Jonathan has been racing karts from the age of nine with championship success at junior level
Chris Mealin. The 20-year-old Manxman started karting five years ago and has twice contested the Le Mans 24 Hour kart race. He has also raced 750MC Saxmax and in Formula Ford 1600
James Reveler, a 17-year-old kart racer from Middlesex. Among James’s many karting successes are championship wins at Buckmore Park
James ‘JJ’ Ross, the newly crowned Ford Fiesta Junior. The 16-year-old from Hertfordshire, who won the 2012 MSA British Junior Rallycross Championship, is considering a switch to single-seaters for 2014 after two seasons of competition in saloons and a kart career which started at the age of eight
Anton Spires, 21 and from Northamptonshire, Anton graduated from karts to the Saxmax series in 2008. He was a winner in the Young Guns championship in 2010 and went on to compete in club FRenault
Harrison Wignall. Seventeen and from Somerset, Harrison has been karting for four seasons, for the last two in the British Rotax Super 1 series
The Formula Ford Sampler Day is the championship’s annual ‘open day’: an opportunity for prospective drivers to try the cars, meet the teams and find out more about what Formula Ford can offer them in their racing careers. It’s the first step on the path for young drivers wishing to emulate 2013 Formula Ford Champion Dan Cammish.
Prospective drivers, who must hold a racing or kart licence, will be able to test Formula Ford EcoBoost chassis in short track sessions. Many of the top teams from the 2013 season, including Falcon Motorsport, SWB, Radical Motorsport, Richardson Racing, Meridian Motorsport and multiple Formula Ford champions Jamun Racing, will be in attendance with their chassis and technical staff from Sinter and Mygale.
Formula Ford personnel will be on hand throughout the day to discuss technical and sporting matters, paddock hospitality, media coverage and all other aspects of the championship, and there will be talks on sponsorship-hunting and the practicalities of competing. It is also a day for prospective teams to find out what part they can play in the championship.
Gerard Quinn, Head of Ford Racing in Europe, is looking forward to the Sampler Day: “Last year’s Sampler Day was the first opportunity that Dan Cammish and Harrison Scott had to try the EcoBoost Formula Ford. They loved the car, signed up to race and went on to finish first and second in the championship. It’s very exciting for everyone involved to watch the youngsters take the cars through their paces.”
Quinn is expected on Tuesday to announce several innovations for the 2014 Dunlop MSA Formula Ford Championship of Great Britain, the first rounds of which will take place at Brands Hatch over the weekend of 29/30 March. “I am delighted that the series continues to be a support-race series to the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship and will enjoy live coverage on ITV4,” he added.
