Falcon Motorsport's third season contesting the Dunlop MSA British Formula Ford of Great Britain championship came to a sensational close at Brands Hatch. The 2013 Scholarship class champions scored podiums in each of the three races over the two-day event, taking away no less than seven trophies from this year’s season finale and securing at least second place in the Drivers’ Championship plus second and third in the Scholarship Class honours.2013 Scholarship Class champion and 2014 Championship leader on Saturday morning Harrison Scott set the tone for the weekend with two P2 grid positions for races one and three in an impressive qualifying performance. Team mate Ricky Collard left the best until last by posting the third-quickest time overall in the Duo-backed Mygale in the closing minutes of the session, whilst Manxman Chris Mealin set the eleventh fastest lap time in the #23 Falcon charger before being caught out by the tricky, wet conditions on Paddock Hill Bend, resulting in slightly shorten qualifying.Round 28 on Saturday afternoon was interrupted by several incidents and a safety car period as slippery track conditions continued. Harrison took his fourth win and 23rd podium of the season by 1.3 seconds over his Falcon team-mate Ricky Collard, who also claimed another Scholarship Class winning trophy. Harrison, from Essex, ended the day eight points ahead of Championship title rival Jayde Kruger (JTR team).
Chris Mealin survived brief contact with the cars of Jack Barlow and Max Marshall on the final lap to bring his Falcon Mygale home in seventh position for more valuable Scholarship Class points.Sunday morning saw the threat of rain remaining and, for the last time in the reverse-grid formatted race two, Ricky sat in P3 for the start of Round 29, Harrison in P4 and Chris in P7.The crucial moment of the weekend for 18 year old Harrison was, voiced by many in attendance at Brands Hatch last weekend, a clear example of poor driving standards. Kruger ran wide out of Clearways from pole position allowing Harrison, who had made a brilliant start to shoot up to second, to draw level down the main straight. Harrison then tried to pass into Paddock Hill Bend, then again but this time successfully, at Druids, and pulled away a clear car length in front. Kruger then appeared to turn in to Harrison’s left rear, breaking his suspension.Attention was then diverted to the battle for third place with Ricky, on slick tyres, maintaining position until Clay Mitchell, who had started from the back of the grid on wets, found his way past at Druids. An error cost Mitchell the position on lap nine and MBM driver Michael O’Brien held third for a lap before ceding the final podium slot to Ashley Sutton. Ricky finished in a disappointing fifth position, ultimately regretting his tyre choice.Chris Mealin also rued the decision to run on slicks as he struggled to keep on track as the rain began to fall in the latter stage of the race. However, Chris came home in eleventh and with a good points finish to secure his third place podium in the 2014 Scholarship Class championship.
The five-hour long gap between races on Sunday proved to be an excruciating time for the team. Falcon Motorsport decided to lodge a protest against Kruger’s on track actions immediately after race two which had resulted in Harrison’s retirement. Having viewed footage of the incident and heard evidence from both drivers, the championship’s Clerk of the Course opted to penalise Kruger for causing an avoidable incident. However, his JTR team appealed that decision and the independent Stewards rescinded the penalty. Falcon Motorsport reacted immediately and is appealing the decision by the Stewards to overturn the original decision by the Clerk.
Heading in to the final round of the 30 race long season Harrison had it all to fight for. If the team were to be unsuccessful in its appeal and he was to clinch the Championship, Harrison would have to win Round 30 with Kruger in eleventh place or lower.From the front row of the grid Harrison made a charge through Dingle Dell when pole sitter Sutton ran wide and drove a very commanding race to produce an overwhelming victory. Unfortunately, Kruger was to finish eighth, and six points ahead of Harrison in the Championship title bid.“It was kicking off everywhere, a really good race,” said 18 year old Ricky from Hampshire who was fighting for third with several contenders throughout the battle for position. “A massive thanks to everyone at Duo, the Falcon Motorsport team and everyone who has supported me this year. It’s wicked to finish the season on such a high and after such a fantastic weekend.”Chris finished in ninth position to complete a solid season with the Oxfordshire based team, despite some dramatic moments for the 21 year old. “We came here to secure third place in the Scholarship Class competition, and I’m delighted to have done that in very tricky conditions. It’s a great way to end the year and I have very much enjoyed being part of the Falcon family – thank you to everyone who has supported me.”Ricky and Chris finished in seventh and eighth place respectively in the last ever Dunlop MSA Formula Ford Championship of Great Britain. In addition, Chris was awarded the 2014 “Dunlop Spirit Award” for his “dedication to Motorsport training and development throughout the season and positive example in keeping to a strict programme of coaching in all areas of Motorsport.”Nick Streatfield, Team Owner:“Overall we have had a brilliant weekend at Brands; the podiums we achieved, and the way that we achieved them, was a superb way to finish the season. Our drivers and the team have done an incredible job all year and I would like to thank everyone who has supported Falcon Motorsport, also Ford, Dunlop and the MSA for a great Championship. As we wait to hear from the MSA council we’ll start preparations for next year’s MSA Formula series, and wish Harrison all the best as a McLaren Autosport Award finalist in his tests in the coming weeks.”
Provisional 2014 Final Championship Standings:1 Kruger 717 points; 2 Harrison Scott 711 points; 3 Sutton 567; 4 Rosso 561; 5 Marshall 560; 6 Abbott 556; 7 Ricky Collard 436 points; 8 Chris Mealin 314 points; 9 Richardson 292; 10 Holloway 268*The final championship results remain provisional pending an appeal to British motor sport’s governing body, the MSA, by the Falcon Motorsport team following the incident in Round 29 involving Kruger and Harrison which led to Harrison’s retirement. The team is appealing the decision by the Stewards to overturn the decision made by the Clerk of the Course to exclude Kruger from round 29 and to reinstate the penalty.*Scholarship Class Standings:1 Sutton 609; 2 Ricky Collard 444 points; 3 Chris Mealin 334 points
