From the 2015 season onwards, the championship was replaced by MSA Formula, which conforms to the FIA's new Formula 4 regulations. Many of the teams and drivers which competed in the final season of British Formula Ford moved to the new series.
Although the first British Formula Ford Championship was not held until 1976, Formula Ford's roots are firmly situated in the British racing scene. The first Formula Ford race was held at Brands Hatch in 1967 and was the precursor to the birth of the domestic championship. The first British Formula Ford Championship, held in 1976, was the original Formula Ford Championship which gave birth to many others over the years, including successful championships in Australia and New Zealand.[1]
The championship started out with the 1600cc Ford Kent engine and continued to use it until Ford introduced its newer, more powerful 1800cc Ford Zetec engine. Although this engine change didn't affect the other technical regulations, which still called for steel space frames which were much more economical to build and run compared to their carbon fiber counterparts, the increased engine power accelerated chassis development, causing many of the smaller manufacturers to stop producing cars, resulting in fewer constructors represented in the championship.[2] The Zetec regulations lasted only 12 years up until the Ford Duratec engine was introduced in 2006, providing better handling and power due to its lighter weight even though the specification had returned to 1600cc engines.[1]
The biggest changes to the championship came in 2012 when the latest Ford EcoBoost engine and specification was adopted as the main championship. The EcoBoost car marks a substantial change in the direction of Formula Ford racing as it introduces both smaller capacity Turbocharged petrol engines and for the first time a sequential gearbox.[2]
The car
2012 Formula Ford EcoBoost Car
The championship currently allows two specification of Formula Ford car to race: the current generation EcoBoost car and the previous generation Duratec car. The championship is multi-chassis, featuring manufacturers such as Van Diemen and Mygale. To help keep costs low, cars are made from steel, as opposed to the more exotic carbon fibre commonly found in higher categories of racing. The Duratec cars were introduced in 2006, when all the cars in the series were required to use the 1600cc Naturally aspiratedFord Duratec engine which replaced the Ford Kent engine that had been used since the championships inception. Beginning in 2012, the EcoBoost class was introduced to run as the premier class alongside a secondary class for the aging Duratec cars. The EcoBoost class utilises Ford's latest EcoBoost engine which provides greater power thanks to the introduction of a Turbo Charger. The chassis however remains a steel space frame rather than the carbon fibreMonocoque found in other formulae.[3]
From 2015 onwards, the MSA Formula will use Formula 4 regulations. Mygale will continue to provide the carbon-fibre monocoque chassis (As opposed to the Tatuus supplied chassis used in BRDC F4. The engine will be a Ford 1.6L EcoBoost engine as used in the more modern Formula Ford cars, tuned to a maximum of 160 PS. All engines will be tuned by the same race engine preparer, in an attempt to reduce costs. Similarly, all tyres will be provided by Hankook. Sadev will provide the sequential paddle shift transmission and data logging system.
The Championship
From 2013, the championship is composed of 30 rounds held at ten events in support of the British Touring Car Championship.[4] Both EcoBoost and Duratec classes compete in the same races as each other. Drivers who have competed in less than 4 junior formula races in the past are eligible to compete for the Rookie Cup, whilst both Teams and Constructors have separate championships for themselves. The Nations Cup is awarded to the highest placed registered driver from each country excluding UK.[3] In 2015, the series will again run 30 rounds at ten events in support of the BTCC, despite becoming the MSA Formula.
Weekend Format
A 20-minute qualifying session is used to decide the grid for all the weekend's races. The drivers fastest lap decides the grid for race one, their second fastest time decides the grid for race two and their third fastest time, the grid for race three. All three races will be run over 15 miles.[3]
Points system
Current points system
Points are awarded to all finishing drivers in each race as well as the driver setting the fastest lap using the following system:
Main Class, Teams Cup & Nations Cup points systems.[5]
Such was the popularity of the formula in the UK over its history; there is an abundance of second hand chassis from previous generations of the championship. This has led to the formation of several other national and club level championships within the UK catering for legacy chassis, engines and cars.
BRSCC Formula Ford Duratec Championship - Created at the end of 2012, the proposed championship will give a home to the previous generation Duratec class Formula Fords after the British Championship switched solely to the new EcoBoost class.[6]
Formula Ford 1600 Championships - Operated by the BRSCC, this championship caters for cars built to the Kent specification, utilising the Ford Kent engine. Consisting of two regional and one national championship, it give opportunities for a range of drivers to showcase their talents. A two class structure based around the construction year of the chassis allows a range of different chassis to remain competitive.[7]
Several Club level championships are also arranged. Of note include the Monoposto Racing Club Championship[1], the 750 Motor Club Formula 4 championship , the Castle Combe Formula Free championship [3] and the Classic Formula Ford Championship[4].
The Formula Ford Festival is an annual meeting of Ford powered single seat racing cars which is held at the end of the British racing season, at the Brands Hatch motor racing circuit in the county of Kent, in Southern England. The events are held over the course of a weekend and although various classes of past and present Formula Fords are present, the high point for many is the championship in which young but skilled drivers from Ford competitions in Europe and beyond race against one another. Often it is a rare chance to compare the skills of drivers who take part in different Ford competitions around the world. The event is administered by the British Racing and Sports Car Club.
References
^ ab. [britishformulaford.com]. Archived from the original on 16 October 2012. Retrieved 30 October 2012.
^ ab"History". [formulafordzetec.co.uk]. Retrieved 30 October 2012.
^ abc"2012 Formula Ford GB Regulations" (PDF). British Formula Ford Championship. BRSCC. Retrieved 29 October 2012.
^ abc"2013 Formula Ford Championship Sporting Regulations" (PDF). British Formula Ford Championship. Max Communications. 14 March 2013. Retrieved 30 March 2013.
^. BRSCC. BRSCC. 29 October 2012. Archived from the original on 2015-01-12. Retrieved 30 October 2012.
^"AVON TYRES FORMULA FORD CHAMPIONSHIPS". BRSCC. BRSCC. Retrieved 31 October 2012.
british, formula, ford, championship, entry, level, single, seater, motor, racing, category, designed, give, racing, drivers, their, first, step, into, racing, after, karting, drivers, from, around, world, were, attracted, united, kingdom, compete, series, suc. The British Formula Ford Championship was an entry level single seater motor racing category designed to give racing drivers their first step into car racing after karting Drivers from around the world were attracted to the United Kingdom to compete in the series and successful Formula One drivers such as Ayrton Senna and Jenson Button won their first single seater titles in the championship The championship was run to various Formula Ford regulations over the years based on the engines provided for the championship by Ford Motor Company These engine based regulations specifications include the Ford Kent engine Ford Zetec engine Ford Duratec engine and in the final years the Ford EcoBoost engine Formula Ford Championship of Great BritainCategorySingle seatersCountry United KingdomInaugural season1976Folded2014ConstructorsMygale SinterEngine suppliersFordTyre suppliersDunlop Tyres HankookLast Drivers championJayde KrugerLast Teams championJTRFrom the 2015 season onwards the championship was replaced by MSA Formula which conforms to the FIA s new Formula 4 regulations Many of the teams and drivers which competed in the final season of British Formula Ford moved to the new series Contents 1 History 2 The car 3 The Championship 3 1 Weekend Format 4 Points system 4 1 Current points system 5 Champions 6 Other UK Championships 6 1 Formula Ford Festival 7 References 8 External linksHistory Edit Formula Ford Duratec car from Mygale Ray and Van Diemen Although the first British Formula Ford Championship was not held until 1976 Formula Ford s roots are firmly situated in the British racing scene The first Formula Ford race was held at Brands Hatch in 1967 and was the precursor to the birth of the domestic championship The first British Formula Ford Championship held in 1976 was the original Formula Ford Championship which gave birth to many others over the years including successful championships in Australia and New Zealand 1 The championship started out with the 1600cc Ford Kent engine and continued to use it until Ford introduced its newer more powerful 1800cc Ford Zetec engine Although this engine change didn t affect the other technical regulations which still called for steel space frames which were much more economical to build and run compared to their carbon fiber counterparts the increased engine power accelerated chassis development causing many of the smaller manufacturers to stop producing cars resulting in fewer constructors represented in the championship 2 The Zetec regulations lasted only 12 years up until the Ford Duratec engine was introduced in 2006 providing better handling and power due to its lighter weight even though the specification had returned to 1600cc engines 1 The biggest changes to the championship came in 2012 when the latest Ford EcoBoost engine and specification was adopted as the main championship The EcoBoost car marks a substantial change in the direction of Formula Ford racing as it introduces both smaller capacity Turbocharged petrol engines and for the first time a sequential gearbox 2 The car Edit 2012 Formula Ford EcoBoost Car The championship currently allows two specification of Formula Ford car to race the current generation EcoBoost car and the previous generation Duratec car The championship is multi chassis featuring manufacturers such as Van Diemen and Mygale To help keep costs low cars are made from steel as opposed to the more exotic carbon fibre commonly found in higher categories of racing The Duratec cars were introduced in 2006 when all the cars in the series were required to use the 1600cc Naturally aspirated Ford Duratec engine which replaced the Ford Kent engine that had been used since the championships inception Beginning in 2012 the EcoBoost class was introduced to run as the premier class alongside a secondary class for the aging Duratec cars The EcoBoost class utilises Ford s latest EcoBoost engine which provides greater power thanks to the introduction of a Turbo Charger The chassis however remains a steel space frame rather than the carbon fibre Monocoque found in other formulae 3 From 2015 onwards the MSA Formula will use Formula 4 regulations Mygale will continue to provide the carbon fibre monocoque chassis As opposed to the Tatuus supplied chassis used in BRDC F4 The engine will be a Ford 1 6L EcoBoost engine as used in the more modern Formula Ford cars tuned to a maximum of 160 PS All engines will be tuned by the same race engine preparer in an attempt to reduce costs Similarly all tyres will be provided by Hankook Sadev will provide the sequential paddle shift transmission and data logging system The Championship EditFrom 2013 the championship is composed of 30 rounds held at ten events in support of the British Touring Car Championship 4 Both EcoBoost and Duratec classes compete in the same races as each other Drivers who have competed in less than 4 junior formula races in the past are eligible to compete for the Rookie Cup whilst both Teams and Constructors have separate championships for themselves The Nations Cup is awarded to the highest placed registered driver from each country excluding UK 3 In 2015 the series will again run 30 rounds at ten events in support of the BTCC despite becoming the MSA Formula Weekend Format Edit A 20 minute qualifying session is used to decide the grid for all the weekend s races The drivers fastest lap decides the grid for race one their second fastest time decides the grid for race two and their third fastest time the grid for race three All three races will be run over 15 miles 3 Points system EditCurrent points system Edit Points are awarded to all finishing drivers in each race as well as the driver setting the fastest lap using the following system Main Class Teams Cup amp Nations Cup points systems 5 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th 8th 9th 10th 11th 12th 13th 14th 15th Others Fastest Lap30 27 24 22 20 18 16 14 12 10 8 6 4 3 2 1 1Scholarship Class points system 5 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th 8th 9th Others Fastest Lap20 15 12 10 8 6 4 3 2 1 2Constructors Cup points system 5 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 8 7 6 5 4 3Champions Edit 1981 champion Ayrton Senna in his Van Diemen built car Season Champion Constructor Teams Champion Secondary Class Nations Cup Winter Series Champion1976 David Kennedy Crossle Not Held Not Held Not Held Not Held1977 Trevor van Rooyen Royale1978 Kenneth Acheson Royale1979 David Sears Royale1980 Tommy Byrne Van Diemen1981 Ayrton Senna Van Diemen1982 Mauricio Gugelmin Van Diemen1983 Andrew Gilbert Scott Van Diemen1984 Dave Coyne Van Diemen1985 Bertrand Gachot Van Diemen1986 Jason Eliott Van Diemen1987 Eddie Irvine Van Diemen1988 Derek Higgins Van Diemen1989 Bernard Dolan Reynard1990 Michael Vergers Van Diemen1991 Marc Goossens Van Diemen1992 Jamie Spence Swift Winter Series Champion1993 Russell Ingall Van Diemen Martin Byford1994 Jason Watt Vector Narain Karthikeyan1995 Bas Leinders Swift Vitor Meira1996 Kristian Kolby Van Diemen Ricardo Sperafico1997 Jacky van der Ende Van Diemen Mark Taylor1998 Jenson Button Mygale Ricardo van der Ende1999 Nicolas Kiesa Mygale Anthony Davidson2000 James Courtney Van Diemen Adam Carroll2001 Robert Dahlgren Van Diemen Joey Foster2002 Westley Barber Van Diemen Alx Danielsson2003 Tom Kimber Smith Van Diemen James Walker Sebastian Hohenthal2004 Valle Makela Van Diemen Not Held Robert Sunderland2005 Charlie Donnelly Mygale Andrew Bentley2006 Nathan Freke Mygale David MayesSeason Champion Constructor Teams Champion Scholarship Class Nations Cup Winter Series Champion2007 Callum MacLeod Mygale Not Held Matt Dobson Not Held Not Held2008 Wayne Boyd Mygale Chrissy Palmer2009 James Cole Mygale Daniel Cammish2010 Scott Pye Mygale Jamun Racing Tristan Mingay Australia2011 Scott Malvern Mygale Jamun Racing Cavan Corcoran AustraliaSeason Champion Constructor Teams Champion Duratec Champion Nations Cup Winter Series Champion2012 Antti Buri Mygale JTR Matt Rao Finland Not HeldSeason Champion Constructor Teams Champion Scholarship Class Nations Cup Winter Series Champion2013 Dan Cammish Mygale JTR Harrison Scott Argentina Not Held2014 Jayde Kruger Mygale JTR Ashley Sutton South AfricaOther UK Championships EditSuch was the popularity of the formula in the UK over its history there is an abundance of second hand chassis from previous generations of the championship This has led to the formation of several other national and club level championships within the UK catering for legacy chassis engines and cars BRSCC Formula Ford Duratec Championship Created at the end of 2012 the proposed championship will give a home to the previous generation Duratec class Formula Fords after the British Championship switched solely to the new EcoBoost class 6 Formula Ford 1600 Championships Operated by the BRSCC this championship caters for cars built to the Kent specification utilising the Ford Kent engine Consisting of two regional and one national championship it give opportunities for a range of drivers to showcase their talents A two class structure based around the construction year of the chassis allows a range of different chassis to remain competitive 7 Several Club level championships are also arranged Of note include the Monoposto Racing Club Championship 1 the 750 Motor Club Formula 4 championship 2 the Castle Combe Formula Free championship 3 and the Classic Formula Ford Championship 4 Formula Ford Festival Edit Main article Formula Ford Festival The Formula Ford Festival is an annual meeting of Ford powered single seat racing cars which is held at the end of the British racing season at the Brands Hatch motor racing circuit in the county of Kent in Southern England The events are held over the course of a weekend and although various classes of past and present Formula Fords are present the high point for many is the championship in which young but skilled drivers from Ford competitions in Europe and beyond race against one another Often it is a rare chance to compare the skills of drivers who take part in different Ford competitions around the world The event is administered by the British Racing and Sports Car Club References Edit a b The History of Formula Ford Racing britishformulaford com Archived from the original on 16 October 2012 Retrieved 30 October 2012 a b History formulafordzetec co uk Retrieved 30 October 2012 a b c 2012 Formula Ford GB Regulations PDF British Formula Ford Championship BRSCC Retrieved 29 October 2012 Formula Ford returns in 2013 British Touring Car Championship TOCA 12 October 2012 Archived from the original on 23 July 2013 Retrieved 12 October 2012 a b c 2013 Formula Ford Championship Sporting Regulations PDF British Formula Ford Championship Max Communications 14 March 2013 Retrieved 30 March 2013 BRSCC ANNOUNCES PLANS FOR DURATEC FORMULA FORD BRSCC BRSCC 29 October 2012 Archived from the original on 2015 01 12 Retrieved 30 October 2012 AVON TYRES FORMULA FORD CHAMPIONSHIPS BRSCC BRSCC Retrieved 31 October 2012 External links EditOfficial Parts Suppliers BRSCC Formula Ford 1600 Championship website British Formula Ford Championship on Twitter Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title British Formula Ford Championship amp oldid 1107705985, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
