| Even Schuey's only
got 7......
A casual mention of Simon in David and Patrick's recent piece
on Formula Ford provoked the question - just how many championships has
our esteemed administrator won in Formula Ford based cars?
Simon was very reluctant to give us an answer but after some gentle persuasion,
blackmail (thanks, Judith) and waterboarding we were able to glean the
following facts. Simon was even kind enough to dig out some pictures too.
So we have here probably the best collection of diverse Formula Ford pictures
you will find on one page on the internet.
The answer to the question is, in fact, 15. And they are:
| Year |
Championship |
Car |
| 1979 |
Carlton & Bullen Pre '74 FF1600 |
Dulon MP15 |
| 1981 |
BRSCC Pre '74 FF1600 |
Dulon MP15 |
| 1982 |
MCD Champion of Snetterton FF1600 |
Van Diemen RF78/79 |
| 1983 |
MCD Champion of Snetterton FF1600 |
Van Diemen RF81 |
| 1984 |
Monoposto Kent |
Van Diemen SF78 |
| 1985 |
Monoposto Kent |
Kinell MB85 |
| 1985 |
MCD Champion of Snetterton FF1600 |
Van Diemen RF82 |
| 1988 |
BARC Intercon '74-'78 FF1600 |
Van Diemen RF78 |
| 1993 |
BRSCC Pre '85 FF1600 |
Lola T640E |
| 1998 |
BRSCC Super Classic FF1600 Class A |
Reynard FF88 |
| 1999 |
Monoposto 1600 |
Reynard FF83 |
| 2000 |
Monoposto 1600 |
Reynard FF83/Van Diemen RF78 |
| 2002 |
BARC URS Classic FF1600 Class B |
Van Diemen RF78 |
| 2003 |
BARC URS Classic FF1600 Class B |
Van Diemen RF81 |
| 2010 |
Avon Tyres BRSCC Southern FF1600 Class B |
Swift SC92 |
The editorial guess is that the championships won't stop at 15.
The pictures (with Simon's captions) are as follows:
| 
1976 Croft, FF Nike Mk 10b: second FF1600 meeting |
1977 Brands, FF Nike Mk 10b: middle of front row for Kent Messenger
Champ
race. Front right shocker is broken: hit the wall on lap 2… |
1980 Cadwell, FF Dulon MP15 #27: pre ’74 FF1600 Champ
race, followed off the line by Andy Wallace, Mike Dicken, Mark Goddard,
Peter Bell et al |
| 
1981 Mallory, FF Dulon MP15 #75: pre ’74 Champ race,
Steve Bradley in close attendance |
1983 Snetterton, FF Van Diemen RF81: on pole for a Champ of
Snetterton round, Paul Sleeman and Bernard Horwood alongside |
Same race, some young twerp has obviously nicked the garland |
| 
1984 Silverstone, Mono Van Diemen SF78: apparently about to
accost a very svelte looking David Dudley |
1984 Cadwell, Mono Van Diemen SF78: very wet race caught the
whole field on slicks, won outright, believed to be the only time
this has been done by a 1600 |
1985 Silverstone, Mono Kinell MB85: home-made copy of an RF81 |
| 
1986 Silverstone, F3 Ralt RT3: International F3 race, this
is the same car raced today in Mono by Jeremy Goodman |
1994 Oulton, FF Lola T640E: pre ’85 FF1600 Champ race,
pursued here by Dave Cooper |
1988 Thruxton, Formula E Race, FF Van Diemen RF78: comprehensively
taken out by Roger Ecclestone at the last corner, while leading |
| 
1998 Croft, FF Reynard FF88: hacking through the Super Classic
FF1600 field after a poor practice |
1999 Combe, Mono Reynard FF83: alongside Ian Hughes. This car
still holds several Mono 1600 lap records |
2000 Combe, Mono Van Diemen RF78: hastily brought in after
the Reynard was sold, just held off Adrian Wright for a first time
out win. |
| 
2002 Combe, FF Van Diemen RF78: same car now in FF1600 trim |
2003 Thruxton, FF Van Diemen RF81: trying very hard… |
2010 Spa Mono race, FF Swift SC92: one of those wasps |
Questions:
Pic 1: The road cars behind Simon are Cortina, Cortina, XJ6 and ...what?
Pic 6: How long under the hair dryer?
Pic 9: How was the name "Kinell" derived? Who built it?
Pic 12: What was the key feature that FF's in Formula E had to have?
Pic 12: Is the caption libelous?
Pic 14: Who is Ian Hughes? Surely in 1999 this must be a different one
to the Vettel-like youth who races with his child bride?
Results and Captions - Simon Davey, questions and intro Tony
Cotton
|
