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<body> <Table Width="550" border="0" style="border-collapse: collapse" cellpadding="0"><TR><TD Width="35"><IMG SRC="//www.totalmotorsport.com/images/spacer.gif" WIDTH="35" HEIGHT="1"></td><td> <CENTER><Table border="0" width="100%"> <TR><TD width="100%" align="center"><B><FONT FACE="Tahoma" SIZE="5">FORMULA FORD</FONT></B></TD></TR> <TR><TD width="100%" align="left"><B><FONT FACE="Tahoma" SIZE="2">15/05/2002</FONT></B></TD></TR> <TR><TD width="100%" align="center"><B><FONT FACE="Tahoma" SIZE="4">A Brief History</FONT></B></TD></TR> <TR><TD width="100%" align="center"><B><FONT FACE="Tahoma" SIZE="3">of Formula Ford</FONT></B></TD></TR> <TR><TD width="100%" align="center"><FONT FACE="Tahoma" SIZE="1">  </FONT></TD></TR> <TR><TD width="100%" align="left"><FONT FACE="Tahoma" SIZE="2">Since its inception in 1966, Formula Ford has been the recognised training-ground for stars of the future. World Champions Michael Schumacher, Ayrton Senna, Mika Hakkinen, Damon Hill and Nigel Mansell all launched their careers in this most competitive of single seater formulae. And, of course, Formula Ford’s most recent graduate, Jenson Button, became Britain’s youngest ever Grand Prix driver when he made his stunning debut for Williams in 2000.<BR> <BR> Such is the success of the Formula Ford category that 22 countries worldwide now boast a Formula Ford series - and of the 22 drivers who competed in Formula One Grand Prix in 2001, ten of them came through the Formula Ford ranks.<BR> <BR> It all started towards the end of 1966, Geoffrey Clarke M.D of the Motor Racing Stables racing school, fed up with students blowing up expensive Formula 3 engines took a 1500cc Ford Cortina GT engine (some sources say it was a BMC engine) and bolted it in to a Lotus 31 F3 chassis and was impressed by the results. His hybrid was discussed during a meeting with Motor Circuit Development’s John Web and Ford’s Henry Taylor at the 1966 Olympia Racing Car Show. The specification for a new low-cost racing series was agreed and Ford allowed their name to be used for the formula.<BR> <BR> The specification was basic, to keep down the costs, a spaceframe chassis, standard Cortina J rims and 5½" tyres, and Cortina GT 1600cc ‘Kent’ engine and gearbox. Originally there was a cost limit for the chassis but this was quietly dropped later. The first cars had Lotus 31 chassis but Lotus soon produced the Lotus 51 chassis specifically for the series. By the end of 1967 a total of 12 firms were offering chassis for FF.<BR> <BR> The first Formula Ford race was at Brands Hatch on the 2nd July 1967. It was a effectively a match race between Motor Racing Stables and the Jim Russell Racing Driver School. 17 cars were on the grid. MRS star pupil, Ray Allen, won the race followed by Malcolm Payne (a Norfolk duck farmer) and Belgian Claude Bourgoignie (who became the European FF champion 3 years later).<BR> <BR> By 1975 there were so many FF cars in circulation that drivers were being turned away from meetings. To ease this problem Formula Ford 2000 was introduced. These cars used 2 litre single overhead cam Ford Pinto engines with slicks and wings. For reasons which are unclear, this new formula was not as successful though the cars still race in the Pre '83 FF2000 Championship.<BR> <BR> Formula Ford 1600 continued successfully and is still going strong today. In the early nineties the format got a little tired however and was not attracting the young drivers who have been enticed by the more modern single make formulae that have sprouted up in the wake of FF. Some changes were made to redress the balance: in 1994 the new Ford Zetec 1800 engine was introduced to replace the ageing ‘Kent’ 1600cc unit and in 1995 slick tyres were introduced. Wings are still not allowed.<BR> <BR> In 2002 each Formula Ford chassis conforms to strictly policed technical regulations but still displays the very latest thinking in engineering and safety. Powered by an 1800cc Ford Zetec engine (developes approx. 150 bhp at 7050 rpm), all cars run on Avon control tyres and, unhampered by aerodynamic aids. Car and driver has a minimum weight of 525 kg. Top speed is 160 mph and 0-60 takes about 3.8 seconds, this usually provide quite stunning racing.</FONT></TD></TR> </TABLE><BR> </CENTER> <BR><CENTER><font size="1" color="#808080" face="Tahoma">Copyright ©2000-©2023 TotalMotorSport</font></CENTER> </td> </tr> </table> </body>