NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP Your Career Starts Here! Advanced Technology Great Racing Compete Against the Best
Your Career Starts Here! Advanced Technology The modern Formula Ford 1600 chassis is an extremely cutting edge piece of kit. From the sleek, wind-cheating bodywork to the comtempory suspension design and the telemetry systems which enable drivers to analyse their technique in great detail. Mirroring Formula 1, the regulations relating to vehicle dynamics are completely open therefore those who compete in the National Championship gain experience of developing the whole car not just a restricted number of components as in a onemake formula. With no restrictions on testing, undoubtedly this gives those who race with us an advantage later in their careers. Great Racing For 50 years Formula Ford 1600 has been a great training ground aimed at young drivers with many competitors going on to carve their names in history; these include Formula 1 stars Emerson Fittipaldi, Nigel Mansell, Ayrton Senna, Jenson Button and Mark Webber. This tradition has been strengthened with the inclusion of the National Championship in the Mazda Road to Indy Programme. With an emphasis on mechanical grip, Formula Ford 1600 provides the opportunity to build solid foundations for a future career in motorsport. The next step can then be made into single-seaters that generate high levels of downforce. Professsional motor racing covers many diverse categories not all of which permit cars with advanced aerodynamics therefore Formula Ford 1600 is a stepping stone which helps a broad range of skills to be developed - especially as there are no limits on testing despite costs being far lower than many series aim at young drivers. Mazda Road to Indy Shootout As a Feeder Series for the Mazda Road to Indy Shootout, the National Formula Ford 1600 Championship provides a fantastic opportunity to forge a career in top-line single-seater racing over in the United States. Subject to certain criteria, the National Formula Ford 1600 Champion is eligible to take part in the end of season Mazda Road to Indy Shootout for the chance of winning a scholarship to contest the Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship Powered by Mazda. The man who will be representing our series at the 2016 Shootout, which takes place at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca in early December, is Dublin s Niall Murray who had an outstanding season behind the wheel of a Bernard Dolan Motorsport prepared Van Diemen RF99. As one of the leading contenders, we expect him to give a superb account of himself. There are many who say the racing in Formula Ford 1600 is the best in the world. This is because the lack of aerodynamic aids makes it possible for the cars to closely follow each other through corners while the open wheels discourage the crash bang wallop antics of touring cars. Overtaking opportunities are ever present but have to be executed with precision to avoid wheels interlocking with devastating consequencies. The BRSCC s National Formula Ford 1600 Championship visits the UK s greatest circuits from the fantastic natural amphitheatre at Brands Hatch to the self proclaimed home of British Motorsport, Silverstone. This enables drivers to hone their skills on a wide variety of challenging tracks that are full of legendary corners. Compete Against the Best The BRSCC s National Formula Ford 1600 Championship attracts a range of high quality drivers from all over the world and it takes an exceptional talent to win the title. As well as up and coming rookies, those with a little more experience often step back into the category to relaunch their careers as it is a low cost category. They provide an excellent benchmark for those who are new to car racing.
"I wish I had begun my career in Formula Ford 1600 as it teaches the basics before you progress to a category that is more advanced - and more expensive!" Luke Williams Graham Carroll "Formula Ford 1600 taught me how to control a car that is constantly sliding; a key skill for any racing driver." Josh Smith
2017 Calendar At the time of going to press, the 2017 Calendar was still being finalised. For indicative purposes, these are the circuits which we hope to be racing at: The 2016 National Championship drivers do battle at Brands Hatch, birthplace of Formula Ford 1600 Oulton Park International Described as a mini Nurburgring, this track sweeps and swoops through lush parkland Castle Combe Legendary corners such as Camp, Quarry and Tower will test any driver Knockhill Situated on a hill in Fife, significant elevation changes make this circuit a real rollercoaster Kirkistown Ireland is a hotbed of Formula Ford therefore expect some epic racing at this County Down venue Donington Park A fabulous fast, flowing former F1 track where Ayrton Senna did that amazing opening lap Anglesey Coastal With spectacular views over the Menai Strait to the mountains of Snowdon - a wonderful location Silverstone National The Wellington Straight - a mecca of slipstreaming - always generates a feast of overtaking Brands Hatch Indy Home of the end of season Festival, this speedbowl was seemingly built for Formula Ford 1600 Those who are not aiming to build a career but race just for fun will be able to contest the Clubman Championship which will run alongside the National series. For those who cannot afford a full season, there will be mini-championships in the first and second half of the year while the Northern Championship offers regional and circuit-based series. 50 Years as THE Starter Category 2017 marks the 50th Anniversary of the first Formula Ford race at Brands Hatch. This is the story of the inception of the World s greatest Starter Category. In the 1960s, the Racing Schools that coached aspiring Grand Prix drivers employed a fleet of 1-litre Formula 3 and Formula Junior cars. Their tiny, highly tuned power units were expensive to buy and would self-destruct on a regular basis putting great stress on the finances of the schools. This was a time when the UK s circuits largely operated independently and around the middle of the decade the school at Brands Hatch fitted standard road-going 1,500cc motors from Ford Cortina GT sports saloons to a couple of their single-seaters. As these cars proved just as fast as those with the pure-bred racing engines, students were quite happy to use them. Over the Winter of 1966/7, the legendary boss of Brands Hatch - John Webb - and Geoff Clarke who operated the Motor Racing Stables School at the circuit decided to commission the construction of a fleet of racing cars which would have road-going engines and tyres. Not only would they be used by the school but an entry-level Championship could be created for them to compete in. Naming the new category Formula Ford enabled a deal to be brokered with the manuafacturer on an initial batch of 54 Cortina GT engines while Lotus were commissioned to provided the chassis. They converted their 1964 Formula 3 car to create the Lotus 51. Soon other racing schools were adopting the concept, most notably the one operated by Jim Russell at Snetterton, power was supplied by the same Cortina engine as at Brands but chassis and gearboxes were made by other manufacturers. By the summer of 1967 there were enough cars in circulation to stage the first Formula Ford race at a pukka race meeting - this took place at the spiritual home for the category, Brands Hatch on 2nd July. Half of the 20 entrants were driving Lotus 51s, including the winner Ray Allan. Soon the power unit had evolved to become the 1600cc Kent crossflow engine that is still in use today with a Hewland gearbox becoming the standard transmission. Formula Ford 1600 quickly spread right around the Globe with Emerson Fittipaldi becoming the first graduate to become Formula 1 World Champion in 1972. Underlining what a great concept the category originally was, many today still believe that it is the best place for a young driver to begin their career.
BRSCC FORMULA FORD 1600: National Championship Fast Facts Power: 117 BHP* Torque: 150 N-m* Max Revs: 6,800* Weight (inc driver): 500kg *Typical figures The Tech Single-seater Racing Car Advanced In-board Suspension Cutting Edge Data Logging Work with the Entire Package Unlimited Testing Get Involved Although you ll not find fiercer competition out on the track, the BRSCC Formula Ford 1600 Paddock is a very friendly place with many willing to assist newcomers. While there are Lad & Dad operations who run their own car, many prefer to pay established teams, who have a wealth of experience, to takecare of the technicalities. For more information: Visit our website www.brsccff1600.co.uk and click the Join In tab or telephone the BRSCC on 01732 780100 Compiled by Gramtext Photographs by Bourne Photographic