Formula Ford 1600 Season

After taking a year off racing in 2018, I’m delighted to say that I’m going to be back behind the wheel or a racing car this year but with a difference. I’ve signed up with Wayne Poole Racing to race a Formula Ford 1600 in the Castle Combe Championship.

I don’t know how I was able to fit in here!

Last weekend at Silverstone I had my first experience in a Formula Ford. After passing the ‘do I fit’ challenge (see the photograph, not sure how I got in that tiny car) I had to work through a three fold challenge. First time in a Formula Ford car, first time at Silverstone, first time in a race car for well over 6 months. Good news was that it was wet. If that car was going to let me know how it was going to handle, the conditions were perfect.

I had 6 runs during the day. I took my AiM Solo and after the first couple of sessions, I dropped it in to start seeing how I could improve as I love using the predictive feature to learn how to find time on a new track. The track dried in the afternoon and I made great progress falling only a couple of seconds short of the fastest C class from the Walter Hayes Trophy from the previous year.

It’s fair to say that I loved it. I loved the feeling of being so connected with the car and track. You could feel EVERYTHING in a way that you just can’t in closed wheel cars. It was back to the basics I had learned in the PRO3 years with no ABS, no power steering, no servo assisted braking and despite being exhausted at the end of the run it was an exhilarating experience.

Interestingly, the power to weight ratio was all but the same as a Spec E46. 1/2 the power of the SE46 but also 1/2 the weight and even with treaded tyres, the corner G force was equal if not higher than in the BMW.

I have so much to learn in these cars but I am really up for the challenge. I’m going to complete in a C class (pre 1990) car this year in the Castle Comb Championship and then finish the year at the big Walter Hayes Trophy meet at Silverstone at the end of the year.

My first is over Easter Weekend. I’m off to the gym as I need to fitter as FF is exhausting!