BRSCC COMMITS TO INVEST IN THE FORMULA FORD FESTIVAL
The Formula Ford Festival, which takes place at Brands Hatch on the 26 – 27 October 2019, is one of the key dates in the UK’s motorsport calendar attracting approximately 70 Formula Ford drivers from the UK, Ireland, Europe and around the world.
However, the organising club, the BRSCC knows that in the current climate it is important to review how it promotes this event and to reach out to drivers, teams and spectators.
Peter Daly, Chairman of the BRSCC comments “The Formula Ford Festival is a truly historic event which has had a variety of motorsport legends appear on its grid including Jenson Button, Michael Schumacher, Mark Webber, Anthony Davidson, Eddie Irvine and Indy Champion Josef Newgarden.
“But we know we need to invest in the event to ensure it continues to attract large grids and interest grows in both the Festival and the National FF1600 Championship.”
The BRSCC has committed to having a live stream of the whole Formula Ford Festival event for the first time as well as setting up a project team to promote both this year’s Festival weekend, but more importantly to put in the foundations on which to build the promotion of future events.
The format of the Festival gives drivers the opportunity for plenty of track time and it is a strategic challenge for teams and drivers to make it through the heats, semis and into the Final. New for 2019 is a ‘Heats Last Chance Race’ at the end of Saturday in which the 30 quickest drivers who didn’t get through the heats stage have one final chance to grab a slot in the semi-finals and then a final Last Chance race where there are six grid places up for grabs in the Grand Final race on Sunday.
Dominic Ostrowski, Competitions Director at the BRSCC said “We want to give drivers as much track time and chances as possible. We know there are many Formula Ford cars out there and it would be great to see the maximum numbers of cars at this year’s Festival.
“The racing is always spectacular and there is nothing like a swarm of these unique looking single-seaters heading into Paddock Hill Bend.
“The Formula Ford Festival has a unique atmosphere which everyone enjoys, and we want to secure future success for this historic event.”
Formula Ford 1600 racing is an ideal and comparatively affordable step on motorsport’s career ladder. It is known for its close racing and the lack of aerodynamic devices means drivers learn how to maximise mechanical grip and nose-to-tail racing before moving onto other series.
This is exactly what last year’s Festival champion, Josh Smith, has done as he is now part of the 2019 McLaren Young Driver Programme and competing in the British GT championship.
Qualifying starts at 10.20 on Saturday 26 October with the Heats Last Chance Race at 15.15.
The semi-finals start at 11.30 on Sunday 27 October with the Grand Final at 16.05.
It is a packed weekend of motor racing with support races from the Classic Formula Ford Championship, Sports 2000 Duratec Championship, Sports 2000 Pinto Championship, Ask Irish Supercars & GT Global Lights, BRSCC Fiesta Junior Championship Racing with MRF Tyres & BRSCC Fiesta Championship Racing with MRF Tyres
For all the latest information about the Formula Ford Festival go to:
https://brscc.co.uk/events/oct-26-27-formula-ford-festival/
Words: Alex Birley
