Although the 2014 Formula Ford event at Brands Hatch in Kent was a support race for the final round of the British Touring Car Championship, the Formula Ford event was, as normal, an exciting and dramatic part of the weekend. Formula Ford in the UK dates back to a race at Brands Hatch in 1967, with the first national championship in 1976. The series has seen plenty of champions who have gone on to become household names, like the 1981 British champion, Ayrton Senna, Eddie Irvine in 1987, and Jenson Button in 1998.
The 2014 season started in Brands Hatch, racing on the Indy circuit, and after a tour of the UK circuits – Donington, Thruxton, Oulton, Croft, Snetterton, Knockhill, Rockingham and Silverstone – the series returned to Brands Hatch in October, this time on the full Grand Prix circuit.
The weekend saw plenty of close racing, with one of the stars of the series Ashley Sutton taking a sizeable lead in Saturday’s race. However, his lead was short lived, with him heading off the track at Paddock Hill and into the barrier.
The race continued, with Harrison Scott taking the win from second place Ricky Collard, who had some drama when he managed not to get his car onto the right grid spot at the beginning of the race, although he managed to rectify that before the start.
The second race of the weekend saw South Africa’s Jayde Kruger win from Max Marshall.
The final race of the weekend saw Harrison Scott return to the top step of the podium, ahead of Ashley Sutton. However, the person celebrating most after this, the thirtieth and final race of the season, was the Jayde Kruger in eighth place. The South African took the title from Harrison Scott, by only six points. Third place finisher, Ashley Sutton, was 150 points behind Kruger.
It will be interesting to see what the next steps are in Kruger’s career, and if he can emulate the success of some of the previous series winners.
Just before the final race, I was heading out of the BTCC paddock through the tunnel, as the Formula Ford cars came through ready for their event. It was exciting to see them making their way through the tunnel and along the narrow road.
Here are some photos from the weekend.
