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64-493: Formula Ford is not a one-make championship. It allows freedom of chassis design, engine build and numerous technical items of specification on the car. This opens the door to many chassis manufacturers, large and small. Many other single-seater formula series impose fixed specifications. Only two other professional single-seater racing formula series in the world offer the same freedom of chassis and engine build: Formula Three and Formula One . The origins of Formula Ford began in

128-496: A Formula Ford constructor, dominating sales for that year. Other new manufactures included Crosslé Car Company , Dulon, Elden Racing Cars , Hawke Racing Cars and Royale Racing Cars, together with existing constructors such as Brabham choosing to build a Formula Ford chassis. As the production Ford Cortina engine evolved to a new 1600cc crossflow unit, so did the Formula Ford regulations. Increasing costs forced them to relax

192-716: A Formula One Grand Prix. In 1972, he became the first Formula Ford graduate to win the Formula One world championship. In the United States, starting with a 1983 debut race and victory at the 1983 SCCA Runoffs the Swift DB-1 became the dominant chassis in North America Formula Ford racing with ten championships between 1983 and 1996. The DB-6 evolution of the chassis won an additional six championships through 2008. During this time Formula Ford

256-719: A cheap point of entry for lesser funded teams and drivers. Formula Three cars are monocoque chassis , using slick racing tyres and wings . Currently, Dallara manufactures the overwhelming majority of F3 cars, though Mygale , Lola (formerly in partnership with Dome of Japan), Arttech , and SLC also have a limited output. In many smaller or amateur F3 racing series older cars are frequently seen. Usually these series are divided into two or more classes, to allow more participation. Engines in FIA Formula 3 are all 3.4- litre , 6-cylinder naturally aspirated spec engines. Engines in others Formula 3 series must be built from

320-407: A direct path to a seat on a Formula One car, the highest level in open wheel motorsport. Australian Tim Schenken won over two dozen Formula Ford races in 1968, two years later he was driving a Formula One car for Frank Williams . Emerson Fittipaldi impressed during the 1970 Formula One Grand Prix season after a short stint in Formula Ford. In 1970, he became the first Formula Ford graduate to win

384-609: A fully adjustable aerodynamic package which includes front and rear wings previously never used in the British championship. Another change for the 2013 season was Duratec class cars being ineligible for the championship, leaving only the EcoBoost class. The series also moved back to supporting the BTCC . In the 2015 the championship was renamed MSA Formula . In 2016, it was rebranded as F4 British Championship . Several former drivers of

448-677: A production model block ( stock block ), and often must be sealed by race or series organizers, so no private tuning can be carried out. Honda engines (prepared by Mugen ) have perennially been popular, as have engines produced by Volkswagen , Alfa Romeo , or Renault . Currently the HWA-tuned Mercedes and the Volkswagen engines dominate the British and European series, with Mugen, TOM'S – Toyota , Opel , and Fiat being used by some teams. Complete regulations: "fia.com" (PDF) .   (1213  kiB ) Until

512-471: A resounding success in the school. The earliest experiments with radial tires bore fruit as well: the students of the day did not care that these were not the racing engines or racing tires, just that the cars were equal. At an informal meeting at the December 1966 racing car show day at Olympia, Webb and Clarke were discussing the possibility of building a fleet of identical open wheel race cars based on

576-487: A restricted air intake were introduced. The 1971–73 seasons were contested with these cars, as aerodynamics started to become important. Two-litre engine rules were introduced for 1974, still with restricted air intakes. Today engine regulations remain basically unchanged in F3, a remarkable case of stability in racing regulations. As the likes of Lotus and Brabham faded from F3 to concentrate on Formula One, F3 constructors of

640-403: A statistical point of view, Parker was the most successful F3 driver. Although coming to motor racing late in life (at age 41 in 1949), he won a total of 126 F3 races altogether, and was described by Motor Sport magazine (in his 1998 obituary) as "the most successful Formula 3 driver in history". Although Stirling Moss was already a star by 1953, Parker beat him more than any other driver, and

704-454: A three-year life-cycle, with only minor annual updates. It was agreed however to extend the life-cycle of the current F308 to four years to assist teams; this chassis however, has been replaced in 2012 with the new F312 chassis, intended to be run until 2017. Most F3 championships, most notably the British series, offer a secondary class for cars from the previous life-cycle in order to provide

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768-585: Is also a popular choice in the US and Canada. The class provides a venue for Formula Ford 2000 as well as the earlier Formula C (1100 cc pure racing engine) and Formula Super Vee (production-based VW engines) cars. Formula Continental cars employ aerodynamic effects (front and rear wings). In the United States, used Formula Ford racing chassis are also proving to be a popular source of conversion into Formula 1000 cars and their closely related sports car bodied cousins D Sport Racing . Ford Motorsport administers some of

832-515: Is known for its Formula Ford designs, particularly for the FF1600 class, and during the 1970s drivers of Crosslé cars won numerous championships. The company has produced cars for other national and international formulae, including Formula 5000 , Formula Two and Formula Junior . It has also produced well-regarded cars for various classes in sports car racing . Many drivers who have since gone on to become household names drove Crosslé cars while in

896-525: Is known for major non-championship races typically including entries from the national series, the best-known of which is the FIA Formula 3 World Cup (previously known as FIA Formula 3 Intercontinental Cup) at Macau . The first Formula Three Grand Prix of Macau was held in 1983 and won by Ayrton Senna . Michael Schumacher , David Coulthard , Ralf Schumacher , and Takuma Sato have also won there. The Formula Three Grand Prix of Macau traditionally marks

960-546: Is no overarching point score to declare a series champion. The Australian Formula Ford Series is an Australian motor racing competition for Formula Ford racing cars. It has been held annually since 1970, originally as a national series and from 1993 to 2013 as the Australian Formula Ford Championship. The control engine was changed from the first-generation Kent engine to the third-generation Mazda-sourced Ford Duratec engine in 2006. In 2014

1024-403: Is the current incarnation of a pan-European championship for Formula Ford competitors, last held previously in 2001. The 2011 series was aimed at giving drivers experience at European race circuits. Three national Formula Ford championships are involved in the revived championship, these being the British , Benelux and Scandinavian championships. While individual events nominate a winner, there

1088-469: The Brands Hatch circuit. This brought him in contact with John Webb; managing director of developments at Brands Hatch. At about this time, two of the school's Lotus Formula Junior chassis were fitted with a standard 1498cc Ford "Kent" pushrod engine as featured in the recently introduced Cortina GT saloon . The 1500 Cortina, with its reliability and horsepower output fairly close to “F3 proper” proved

1152-611: The Lotus 51 . He agreed to provide the first of two 25 car batches at £850 per car. The only stipulation Chapman had was that a Renault gearbox was used. This proved to be fundamental weak point in the drive train. Difficulty with the Renault transmission resulted in a failure to continue with the second batch of cars for MRS. Russell approached Chapman to supply Formula Ford cars for his own school. Chapman insisted Russell match Clarke's 50 car order; Russell would only commit to 10 cars so

1216-539: The Royal Automobile Club 's competition director, to establish rules for this new class. Late in 1967, Ford announced the new Formula Ford class to the world. Clarke then set about approaching existing race car constructors to build the first Formula Fords. Both Bruce McLaren and Jack Brabham turned down the idea; Colin Chapman however dusted off the obsolete Lotus 31 Chassis and reinvented it as

1280-637: The Second World War ; British motorsport after the war picked up slowly, partly due to petrol rationing which continued for a number of years and home-built 500 cc cars engines were intended to be accessible to the "impecunious enthusiast". The second post-war motor race in Britain was organised by the VSCC in July 1947 at RAF Gransden Lodge, 500cc cars being the only post-war class to run that day. Three of

1344-561: The monocoques found in other types of single-seater racing. The more popular marques as of 2012 were Van Diemen , Mygale and the Australian-built Spectrum , but smaller manufacturers such as Ray Race Cars and Vector have had some success. Historical designers who have made a mark on the series have included: Titan, Lotus , Merlyn, Hawke, Citation, Swift , Euroswift, Elden , Reynard , Crosslé , Lola , Zink, Bowin , Royale, and Cooper Racing . Top speeds in

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1408-558: The 1.1-litre Coventry Climax FJ and later the "Kent" engine from the Ford Anglia 105E , cost around £3,000 at the time in addition to the Dunlop racing tires which cost £80 a set. Furthermore, these engines were incredibly fragile and had a tendency to self-destruct. All these factors contributed to a steep maintenance and upkeep cost of the schools. In 1963, Geoff Clarke; the owner of Motor Racing Stables, moved his racing school to

1472-433: The 1970s included Alpine , Lola , March, Modus , GRD , Ralt , and Ensign . By the start of the 1980s however, Formula Three had evolved well beyond its humble beginnings to something closely resembling the modern formula. It was seen as the main training ground for future Formula One drivers, many of them bypassing Formula Two to go straight into Grand Prix racing. The chassis became increasingly sophisticated, mirroring

1536-765: The 2010 season. It is sanctioned by the United States Auto Club , and is a part of Road to Indy . The F1600 Championship Series was created by the SCCA in 2011. The series is organized by Formula Race Promotions, the same organization which organizes the F2000 Championship Series . The class operates under the same rules as the SCCA Formula F, with both the Ford Kent and Honda L15A7 engines permitted. Therefore, many drivers from

1600-500: The British Formula 3 championship. Perhaps the most curious of all was the small All-Japan Formula Three Championship . Although few drivers spent a significant amount of time there, future stars such as Ralf Schumacher and Jacques Villeneuve scored victories there. An Asian series was established in 2001 and grew to produce past A1 drivers for Indonesia and Australia. In addition to the many national series, Formula Three

1664-543: The British championship have become successful in Formula One, including Eddie Irvine and Anthony Davidson , while Formula Ford champions Ayrton Senna and Jenson Button also went on to win the Formula One Drivers' Championship . For many years the highlight of the Formula Ford season was the Formula Ford Festival at Brands Hatch , England. Entries of several hundred cars from all over

1728-451: The EcoBoost car utilises power from a turbocharged engine and a sequential gearbox . The new car has 121 kW (165 PS; 162 hp), with identical engine calibration for every competitor's car. The chassis remains a steel spaceframe construction, with free chassis design open to all manufacturers. New to the car is its compliance with Formula Three safety standards, which involves mandatory crash structures, side-impact panels running

1792-515: The Formula Ford world were common into the 1990s, with racers competing in knockout heats to decide the grid for a grand final. Entries later declined, and later festivals struggled to attract more than 40-50 cars, enough for two heats and a final. More "historic" FF1600 cars had been turning up for the supporting races than contemporary Zetecs, however in 2006 the Festival saw the Duratec engine for

1856-598: The National Class are easily as high as in the other junior formulae of BMW and Renault , but cornering speeds tend to be lower as Formula Ford cars lack the downforce-producing aerodynamic aids on the other cars; handling is therefore entirely down to mechanical grip, and the lack of wings ensures that cars following another are not aerodynamically disadvantaged, allowing some of the closest racing with plenty of overtaking. Series' rules may permit slick or treaded tires, generally supplied either by Dunlop or Avon . As

1920-467: The championship was downgraded to a national series with Duratec-engined cars and Kent-engined cars both eligible to compete alongside each other. Currently, the winner wins a ticket to a scouting combine for INDYCAR at the end of the calendar year. The USF2000 Championship is an American racing series using the American variation of the Formula Ford formula, Formula Ford 2000, that resumed operation for

1984-544: The deal fell through. Russell then approached Taylor who built the Alexis car and a deal was struck to jointly produce the Russell-Alexis. This car had a Hewland racing gearbox which made the car more expensive (£999), but was more reliable and allowed interchangeable ratios. The first standalone Formula Ford race took place at Brands Hatch on July 2, 1967. Of the 20 cars that competed, 10 were MRS Lotus 51s, including

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2048-558: The early 1960s, where motor racing schools such as the Jim Russell school and Motor Racing Stables featured single-seat Formula Junior and Formula Three -like machines from world-class constructors like Cooper and Lotus . Many aspiring Formula One stars looked to these schools in the hope of learning the craft and also looking the part. However, although there was no shortage of aspiring drivers, these schools had much trouble avoiding bankruptcy. The 1-litre Formula Three engines,

2112-683: The end of the Formula Three season, with drivers from almost every national series participating. Other major races include the Pau Grand Prix (from 1999 to 2006), the Masters of Formula 3 (traditionally held at Zandvoort ), and the Korea Super Prix at Changwon . These events give fans in locations not visited by other major series a way to experience major international racing. The Monaco F3 Grand Prix held until 1997

2176-532: The engine of the Formula Ford car, it has long provided a relatively inexpensive way for drivers to race purpose-built racecars. There are many Formula Ford 1600 series for drivers of the older Kent-powered cars. A Formula Ford car is one of the more distinctive-looking open-wheel race cars because it does not have wings to create aerodynamic downforce. In order to reduce cost and allow smaller manufacturers to produce their own design of chassis without prohibitive tooling costs, chassis are steel space frame , unlike

2240-603: The eventual winner, Ray Allen. The Russell-Alexis car won its debut race in August 1967, and by 1968 54 Russell-Alexis had been sold. Based on this success Russell opened two more racing schools in Britain, another in Canada, and another in the United States. Chapman and his Lotus 51 did recover, replacing the troublesome Renault gearbox with the Hewland unit, even claiming Russell as a customer in 1968. Also in 1968, Meryln debuted as

2304-401: The first time thereby having a final for all three marques at one meeting for the first time. The Walter Hayes Trophy now recognises the continuing interest in 1600cc 'Kent' Formula Ford and attracted over 150 entries in 2006, including several drivers who more commonly compete in much more senior formulae. The Formula Ford EuroCup, known originally as the "European Formula Ford Championship",

2368-411: The full height and length of the cockpit, an FIA -specified headrest and an extricable safety seat. In addition to the safety enhancements, some mandatory elements of bodywork shape have also been introduced. These will define the shape, size and orientation of the sidepod air intakes and the roll-hoop cover. By mandating these the frontal areas will be equalised between different manufacturers, removing

2432-463: The heavier but not significantly more powerful Zetec engine in 2006), and for 2012 are beginning to adopt the new EcoBoost 1600 turbo engine; and a mainly amateur, club-racing series attracting serious enthusiasts using the now rejuvenated 1600 Kent engine with which the formula ran from the mid-1960s to mid-1990s, as Ford restarted production of the Kent engine in 2009 for motorsport reasons. Whatever

2496-601: The income this generated enabled the company to develop into the senior categories. Other notable marques included Kieft , JBS and Emeryson in England, and Effyh, Monopoletta and Scampolo in Europe. John Cooper, along with most other 500 builders, decided to place the engine in the middle of the car, driving the rear wheels. This was mostly due to the practical limitations imposed by chain drive but it gave these cars exceptionally good handling characteristics which eventually led to

2560-507: The intent of providing power similar to the existing Kent motor. Honda developed an install kit around the Swift DB-1 chassis. With the introduction of the Honda motor SCCA changed the class name from Formula Ford to Formula F. Formula Ford has given birth to several other categories of racing: Formula Ford 2000 evolved in the 1970s to use a Pinto engine and, although it used basically Formula Ford chassis, permitted use of slicks and wings; it

2624-413: The late 1960s to create a sportscar category related to Formula Ford but using a 1300 cc Ford engine; the cars were heavy and slow. The proposed Formula Turbo Ford , an attempt to update FF2000, of the mid-1980s was limited to one Reynard that ran a few demonstration laps. Formula Ford remains popular in its 1600 cc form—the cars are widely raced , sprinted and hillclimbed. Formula Continental

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2688-573: The launch of the FIA Formula 3 Championship in 2019, there has never been a World Championship for Formula Three. In the 1970s and into the 1980s the European Formula Three Championship and British Formula 3 Championship (once one series had emerged from the competing British series in the 1970s) were the most prominent, with a number of future Formula One champions coming from them. France, Germany, and Italy also had important Formula Three series, but interest in these

2752-480: The local club racing scene make their appearance in the national series. The Southern Formula 1600 Championship was created by Right Turn Promotions and Primus Racing Parts for 2018. The series races on SCCA event weekends, alongside the Southern Formula 2000 Championship. The class operates under the same rules as the SCCA Formula F. Racing at traditional road race tracks in the southern United States,

2816-501: The main entry level class in the mid-2000s; the demise of Formula BMW in Europe after only a few years of operation caused somewhat of a resurgence in support for the Ford grids. In the UK there are many club-level regional series aimed at the amateur enthusiast, as well as championships for older Fords. Since 2009, Ford officials in the United States has begun active production of Kent engines in

2880-453: The mid-1980s and the national series became correspondingly more important. For 2003, French and German F3 , both suffering from a lack of competitive entrants, merged to recreate the Formula 3 Euro Series . Brazil's SudAm Formula Three Championship , which now has the most powerful engine of all Formula Three series, was known for producing excellent drivers who polished their skills in

2944-458: The mid-1980s replacing traditional aluminium or steel monocoque structures. Dallara however, after an unsuccessful Formula One project, focussed their attention on the formula in the early nineties and obliterated all the other marques with their F393. Within a couple of years, the chassis was considered a prerequisite to competitiveness, and today Dallara chassis are ubiquitous to the formula. In order to keep costs down, their chassis have had

3008-418: The mid-engined revolution in single-seater racing. The 500cc formula was the usual route into motor racing through the early and mid-1950s (and stars like Stirling Moss continued to enter selected F3 events even during their GP careers). Other notable 500 cc Formula 3 drivers include Stuart Lewis-Evans , Ivor Bueb , Jim Russell , Peter Collins , Don Parker , Ken Tyrrell , and Bernie Ecclestone . From

3072-502: The more senior formulae – ground effects were briefly used in the early 1980s but were banned, in line with other FIA single-seater formulae; carbon fibre chassis started to be introduced from the mid-1980s. Historically, March (up to 1981), Ralt (up to the early 1990s) and Reynard (1985–1992) had been the main chassis manufacturers in two-litre F3, with Martini fairly strong in France; Reynard pioneered use of carbon fibre in

3136-431: The national Formula Ford championships around the world, and continue to control the technical regulations for all cars globally. The older Kent-engined cars are very popular with club racers, providing the ground for several organizations to run their own series. Many racing schools offer driver training in Formula Ford cars. However, in many countries, Formula BMW and Formula Renault Campus had superseded Formula Ford as

3200-608: The potential for significant aerodynamic advantage, making driving ability and the skills of engineers and designers in car set-up the major factors. In the United States Formula Ford continues to use the earlier Ford Kent engines. For 2010 the Honda L15A7 engine used in the Honda Fit was introduced as an alternative engine. The Honda engine was developed in partnership with Quicksilver RacEngines with

3264-472: The rules limit engine modifications, all cars are relatively equal and racing results tend to be close. Formula Fords allow suspension, damping, gearing and braking bias changes, but not aerodynamic options such as winged cars. In 2012, new specifications and regulations were introduced, allowing the use of the new Ford EcoBoost engine along with improvements in chassis design. Unlike its predecessors, that used naturally aspirated engines and manual gearboxes,

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3328-481: The same rules and regulations, with minor variations for local conditions. The British series is the main Formula Ford championship in the world . Created in 1976, the championship has run to all four generations of regulations and specifications. In 2013, the series adopted the Formula Ford EcoBoost 200 specification, which include an increase in the EcoBoost engine's power, along with the addition of

3392-530: The series attracts drivers from across all forms of club and pro racing. The SCCA National Championship Runoffs is the end-of-year championship race meeting for Sports Car Club of America Club Racing competitors. Divisional champions and other top drivers from the SCCA's 116 regions are invited to participate at the Runoffs. National championships are awarded to the winners of each class. Formula Ford (now Formula F)

3456-422: The seven entrants were non-starters, and, of the four runners, all but one retired on the first lap, leaving Eric Brandon in his Cooper Prototype (T2) trailing round to a virtual walk-over at an average speed of 55.79 mph (89.79 km/h), though his best lap (which was the fastest recorded for any 500) was 65.38 mph (105.22 km/h). Cooper came to dominate the formula with mass-produced cars, and

3520-504: The success of combining the Ford power plant and road wheels, radial tires, and Formula Junior style chassis. Not only would they make ideal school cars, but would also provide a new entry level formula for a race series. They felt if they called it “Formula Ford" they could get backing from Ford itself. Webb was on the phone the next day to Ford competition manager Henry Taylor , who agreed to provide Clarke and MRS with 54 Cortina GT engines at £50 each (£15 below retail). Webb also approached

3584-553: The wake of the United States rules allowing Honda engines. Ford officials have noted the US-made Kent blocks are based on modern stamping, and shows how well-established the formula has become. Championships for Formula Fords are run in many countries around the world. The major series is the British Formula Ford Championship , however there are many other thriving series. Each run to essentially

3648-487: The £1,000 price ceiling on Formula Ford as Blueprinting of the engine was now allowed. Belgium hosted the first race outside England, in 1967. Formula Ford racing quickly spread across Europe and North America, with the first official Formula Ford race in the United States on March 23, 1969, and was included in the SCCA Runoffs that same year. By the late 1960s and early 1970s, Formula Ford had established itself as

3712-489: Was Formula 3 Champion in 1952, again in 1953, and in 1954 he only lost the title by a half-point. He took the title for a third time in 1959. 500cc Formula Three declined at an international level during the late 1950s, although it continued at a national level into the early 60s, being eclipsed by Formula Junior for 1000 or 1100 cc cars (on a sliding scale of weights). A one-litre Formula Three category for four-cylinder carburetted cars, with heavily tuned production engines,

3776-518: Was also a famous special race. It was restored in 2005 only, as a part of the F3 Euro Series. Crossl%C3%A9 Car Company The Crosslé Car Company Ltd. is a racing car manufacturer based in Holywood , Northern Ireland . Crosslé was founded in 1957 by John Crosslé . Crosslé considered to be one of the oldest surviving specialist racing car manufacturer in the world. Crosslé

3840-772: Was first included in the Runoffs in 1969. Formula Three Formula Three , also called Formula 3 , abbreviated as F3 , is a third-tier class of open-wheel formula racing . The various championships held in Europe, Australia, South America and Asia form an important step for many prospective Formula One drivers. Formula Three (adopted by the FIA in 1950) evolved from postwar auto racing , with lightweight tube-frame chassis powered by 500 cc motorcycle engines (notably Nortons and JAP speedway). The 500 cc formula originally evolved in 1946 from low-cost "special" racing organised by enthusiasts in Bristol , England, just before

3904-544: Was on the decline in the US for several reasons. The rising cost of competition, SCCA's introduction of a spec sports racer, Sports Renault, and the dominance of the Swift chassis helped to collapse the class in the US. Currently, Formula Ford racing exists in two main forms in Europe: National Series for aspiring 'career' drivers run around the world which have used the 1600 Duratec engine , (which replaced

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3968-457: Was originally subsidiary to national formulae – Formula Renault in France and Formula Super Vee in Germany. These nations eventually drifted towards Formula Three. The Italian series tended to attract older drivers who moved straight across from karting whereas in other nations drivers typically graduated to F3 after a couple of years in minor categories. The European series died out in

4032-744: Was reintroduced in 1964 based on the Formula Junior rules and ran to 1970. These engines (a short-stroke unit based on the Ford Anglia with a special 2- valve Cosworth or Holbay OHV down-draught head , initially pioneered by Brian Hart, being by far the most efficient and popular) tended to rev very highly and were popularly known as "screamers"; F3 races tended to involve large packs of slipstreaming cars. The "screamer" years were dominated by Brabham , Lotus and Tecno , with March beginning in 1970. Early one-litre F3 chassis tended to descend from Formula Junior designs but quickly evolved. For 1971 new regulations allowing 1600 cc engines with

4096-407: Was seen as a natural step up from the 1600cc formula and a stepping stone to categories such as Formula Three . Formula Ford 2000 engines and transmissions were married to sports-racing chassis to produce Sports 2000 . Older Formula Fords, with outboard shock absorbers, race in the United States as Club Formula Fords in SCCA and other club racing series. Formula F100 was an unsuccessful attempt in

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