A grid of 27 cars from six different chassis manufacturers, drivers from 11 nations and stunningly close race action with victory margins measured in hundredths – those are the statistics from the opening rounds of the Dunlop MSA Formula Ford Championship of Great Britain which underline the healthy state of the country’s favourite single-seater series….and they are all heading North this week for rounds 4, 5 and 6 at Knockhill.
Oulton Park’s Easter trio of races were the first for the Ford championship’s new Dunlop radial tyre, and the results were spectacular: in the first round, Jamun Racing’s new signing Scott Pye shattered the circuit’s two-year-old lap record by in excess of half a second.
Championship manager Sam Roach, of RacingLine, was delighted by all aspects of the opening meeting of the Formula Ford season. “To see 27 cars arrive at Oulton to qualify at the start of the fourth season of the Duratec engine-era Formula Ford was a real pleasure,” he said. “That’s four more cars than we had at the start of 2009 and six more than in 2007 and ’08. There were drivers from Australia, India and Mexico, as well as six from Scandinavia and five from European states other than mainland Britain, which drives home the point that Formula Ford is still, in its 44th season, regarded internationally as the best single-seater training there is.”
The championship’s next rounds are at Knockhill on 8/9 May, supporting the Avon Tyres British GT Championship and full Scottish Championship classes. The event will feature a radical new format with BOTH one hour British GT races on the Sunday 9th. Event Director Stuart Gray said “I can’t wait for both the Formula Fords and GT’s. Each class has a bumper number of entries over last year and have already served up fantastic racing at their opening event at Oulton Park. The twists and turns of Knockhill serve up an extra element of challenge, often throwing up surprise winners!”
Action is from 9am with tickets at the gate. £15 for adults, consessions £8