Formula ford 2013.

[brakedisc]

Formula Ford in 2013.

This new " what the drivers want " Formula Ford series that is to be introduced in 2013 poses a few questions.

Will it happen?

Will the £150,000 that Mike Norton says Ford will invest make a difference?

Will certain teams take the money as they did in 2012 rather than move on?

Will anyone other than Mygale build cars?

Will F4, who will struggle to get cars at the quoted price, become FF with wings?

Lots of questions, your thoughts.

[JNWRF01]

Not really sure what you mean on F4 at the quote price - the contract you sign when you pay a deposit is for the price quote. So don;t see how there can't be any change to that - whether RFR make any money is another matter.

In terms of FF - I think that it has a huge amt going for it except the price of the new cars - which are going to be what ? £45-50k plus engine lease. I can't see any teams outside those already in the championship (which is JTR, Jamun and Cullen) rushing to buy cars... but hope to be proven wrong. Shame they just couldnt' step back to Duratec - stick wings on them (ie make them a F4/FF2000 car) and run with that until the economy improves.

[Flavio Galtieri]

Originally Posted by JNWRF01

Shame they just couldnt' step back to Duratec - stick wings on them (ie make them a F4/FF2000 car) and run with that until the economy improves.

All their problems stem from the decision to abandon Duratec, which was providing excellent racing and would probably have enjoyed expanded grids.

If the marketing reason d'etre was to have Ecoboost as the name on the engine cover then they could have just rebranded them and left the race engine and car alone. It wouldn't be the first time and frankly their public probably wouldn't have known the difference anyway, let alone cared. It's the racing that's so important.

It's just a huge marketing own goal imho, which saddens me as I have loved the formula since it's inception, long before the current crew managing Ford's affairs were born I'm sure.

I'd go BARC Renault or F4 now. Toca TV coverage is worthless if you are paying a fortune to race on a tiny grid.

[brakedisc]

Glad to see that I am not alone in thinking that incompetance has wreck Formula Ford. In this weeks autosport Marcus Pye has given over his column to the subject of the "junior " single seater formulae. At the Walter Hayes trophy event Richard Hayes, son of the man who was being celebrated and a career marketing man declared that "this class is still fantastic" "it takes a special kind of skill to screw up a winning formula"

How true. Will sense prevail or will a few fall into the trap and take the sweeteners that Ford are offering to shore up the decision to go with an even more expensive formula.

[BtccLee]

Jamun finalising a three car line up. First driver confirmed is race winner Luke Williams. The two others could be two Argetinian drivers Federico Paolini and Alvaro Perlo. So that's three(Ok getting ahead a bit). How many do people think we will see in total and which teams?

[Good Publicity]

Ecoboost 200 (http://www.britishformulaford.co.uk/...012/221112.htm) is understandable commercially, from the point of view of a series promoter trying to please its principal financial backer and competing against universally 'winged' opposition categories, but it's a retrogade step for entry level motorsport.

Unlike Duratec and this year's Ecoboost, which only gave the existing concept more power, the addition of wings destroys the essence of what FF has been from the start: a way for drivers to learn to optimise a racing car's mechanical grip without the distraction of aerodynamic devices.

Ecoboost 200 can only have less spectacle, at inevitably higher cost.

RIP FF.

[BtccLee]

For those who said Formula Ford is dead: Oh how the opposite is true. Ray and Sinter have just confirmed they are builing cars for next year and will sell cars to customers.


I reckon we will have big grids and with regards to the aero it will have a minimal effect

It's looking very good indeed...

[bella]

it's all very well building cars but you have to actually have customers and someone who will pay to race the things. otherwise you have no formula. that goes for all motorsport.

first rule of business

[BtccLee]

Originally Posted by bella

it's all very well building cars but you have to actually have customers and someone who will pay to race the things. otherwise you have no formula. that goes for all motorsport.

first rule of business

But as you say, would they build them if there wasn't significant and serious interest.

I am not on about you but a lot of people seem to be very negative about this. Give Ford a chance and also would Alan Gow have signed the series if he thought it was going to turn up the goods?

[bella]

the problem is that it's trying to become something that failed already in this very same economic climate against another new series that has far more going for it on paper. the people who are being negative are sadly the people who would look at running or buying the cars in the first place. the fact that these same people would support a return to the original regs and many of them would consider racing in it should give you a clue.

i agree with you that there's a lot of negative talk and it should be recognised that ford and alan gow and trying to encourage takeup, but i, like many, would have preferred that the original pre-ecoboost format had been supported and not the wingy one. i certainly don't want to see the formula ford name disappear.

good luck to them. in all liklihood they'll need it.

[kipper]

Originally Posted by BtccLee

But as you say, would they build them if there wasn't significant and serious interest.

By the same token, about a year ago Sinter were planning on building a car to 2012 regulations. This never came to fruition.

[BtccLee]

BTCC test for top two finishers.

Full story and interesting details here:
http://www.btcc.net/html/generalnews_detail.php?id=3271

Seems there are some very good ideas.

[CraigTypeR]

Just a quick update for anybody interested.

22 Drivers turned up to the Taster Day at Silverstone last saturday. 2 Cars were on track with full aero conversion, whilst a third was on display in the garages. Coupled with the fact that a host of new teams were there to display interest in joining the championship, and many multi-national drivers. Also numerous workshops and presentations by Tom Onslow Cole, Louise Goodman and more. Safe to say Im getting very excited about 2013! Report can be found here http://www.britishformulaford.co.uk/...012/161212.htm

Formula Ford 200 is being fantastically supported by the BTCC paddock. Coupled with the fact that its providing the top 2 drivers with a BTCC test end of the season, Id be willing to say that it provides a somewhat more realistic prize in current motorsport. Not all drivers can afford or ever get to F1 levels based on their ability. So why not look at Touring Cars/GT cars etc.

Needless to say, I wish Formula 4 the best of luck for next year. Its a fantastic idea and I hope it takes off. But I feel that Ford have the upper hand at this point, despite not releasing masses of media updates etc. The package overall is simply better

[Flavio Galtieri]

Originally Posted by CraigTypeR

Needless to say, I wish Formula 4 the best of luck for next year. Its a fantastic idea and I hope it takes off. But I feel that Ford have the upper hand at this point, despite not releasing masses of media updates etc. The package overall is simply better

I wish FF200 all the best and I hope it gets a full grid.

Whether it's "better" than F4 or not we'll have to wait and see. It's certainly more expensive. I doubt anyone will be running their own cars.

More importantly it hardly fulfils the original Formula Ford ethos of getting more people involved in single seater motor sport. That's what made Formula Ford so great and I for one am sorry it's abandoned that principle.

From the company that firstly made motoring and then motor racing accessible to several generations, I'd have liked to have seen a little more imagination.

[justracing]

Do I take it that the traditional festival at Brands Hatch is now officially dead? I no it's been dying om its feet for years but as as a bit of a purist and a long time season ticket holder at BH, it would be sad to see it disappear altogether.

[simon drabble]

Flavio I would be surprised if F200 is more expensive as budgets tend to include testing, the £65k talked about for F4 is without testing.
Sadly I am not sure how the teams can get the costs down, there certainly is not much profit in running an FF team.

[CraigTypeR]

There isnt much profit running ANY racing team in all honesty, but FFord is no different. To make a small fortune in motorsport, have to start with a big one


Yes, its a shame that Formula Ford as everybody knows it is gone. BUT who is to say that it may or may not make a return at some point in the future as a feeder series to the winged cars? I read too many posts on here though stating that during a formula ford race, spectators and others would simply uproot themselves and go find food or something else to do. Not really a decent view from a public forum thats meant to show the support of motorsport in general :/

Plus its a stale argument that has been dragged out for too long now. Drivers want winged cars that represent other higher formulae. The pros and cons of driving wingless cars and learning mechanical grip has practically lost its meaning in the modern world. So its time to move on or get left behind. Dont forget that even with wings, the Formula Ford 200 cars provide less downforce than a FRenault. So even with aerodynamic additions, Im sure the racing will still be as brilliant as its ever been... unlike FRenault/Follow the leader.

Im sure the Formula Ford Festival will still go ahead as usual. There are too many kent and Zetec cars around as well as the support series to think about before the write the event off fully. All it will mean is a slightly subdued entry list from Duratec (Unless the club championship really takes off) and Id imagine the majority of the FFord200 challengers

[barnettracing]

It's all well and good saying that the cars need wings in order to appeal to people. I actually agree. In this day and age, everyone wants to start driving 'slicks and wings' as soon as possible.

However, it is pointless creating a slicks and wings championship, if it costs too much to compete in. It doesn't matter how 'ideal' the specification of the car is, if there is no one to race it, it is pointless.

Wings aren't the major problem in modern motorsport. It is money.

[dulon]

Oh i do hope not, i'm looking forward to entering next year in my old 1973 classic.

[acb9]

your classic ff wont be competative at the festival and will suffer at the champ of Brands (as you know from your novice year attendance last year) despite your personal improvements, but rest assured i'm quite sure you will be welcomed.

[BtccLee]

I think 2013 could be a very good year and the bosses seem quietly confident of good/full grids.

I wish people would leave behind the rose tinted "shouldn't have wings" it's 2013...

There is no reason why F4 and it cannot co-exist, at this level there is almost too much talent, certainly enough for two series...

[Wendy Wool]

The max grid will be 15 for the new category, would you be the 16th car just missing out on "the deal"?

[BtccLee]

Originally Posted by Wendy Wool

The max grid will be 15 for the new category, would you be the 16th car just missing out on "the deal"?

There will be more than that. By the sound of it, a lot more...

[Deemun]

Originally Posted by BtccLee

There will be more than that. By the sound of it, a lot more...

Was told today by a reliable source that there are 18 so far with more waiting to confirm. Some quite interesting names as well.

[BtccLee]

Originally Posted by Deemun

Was told today by a reliable source that there are 18 so far with more waiting to confirm. Some quite interesting names as well.

Stupid question what is the max? think it is 24 or 28 (or anything in between).

I think it will be an (Really sorry but I must use this word) EPIC! year. When will we find out about these new "recruits", I believe soon. (Reliable source FFord UK twitter)