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For immediate release DUTCH SQUAD BOOSTS FORD GRID AT SILVERSTONE August 4, 2005: Crack Dutch team Geva Racing is set to take on the best of Britain at Silverstone next weekend (13/14 August) when the UK Formula Ford Championship visits the home of the British GP. Osterhout-based Geva will field two cars in rounds 15 and 16 of the Ford-backed championship, a 2005-specification Mygale for Dutch Formula Ford Championship leader Dennis Retera, and an older-model Mygale for Hungarian Balazs Vatja. Championship organisers are expecting the biggest field of the season at Silverstone, with 28 cars already entered for the twin races on Silverstone's Grand Prix circuit. Nineteen-year-old Retera was third in the Benelux Formula Ford Championship last year and currently enjoys a handsome lead in both the Benelux and Dutch national series. Dennis last visited the UK in October, when he placed seventh in the Formula Ford Festival. Vatja is a 23-year-old pilot with Dutch national carrier KLM and is in his maiden season of motorsport. With only six rounds of the UK Formula Ford Championship remaining, Silverstone's double-header will prove crucial to the hopes of the three title protagonists, Charlie Donnelly, Joe D'Agostino and Duncan Tappy. Surrey-based 21-year-old Tappy is the man in form, having won the last three rounds for Jamun Racing. He's now only 35 points behind championship number two D'Agostino and says his confidence is "sky high… I am really looking forward to Silverstone, even though I have never raced there before. When we tested there I was quicker than Charlie, which is encouraging, but I think the guy to beat will be Joe." Brackley-based American D'Agostino scored a notable UKFF race win at Silverstone last year for Team JLR on his way to the Scholarship Class title, and believes the circuit should suit his Van Diemen. Joe is also the most prolific race victor of 2005, having taken six wins to Naas-based Donnelly's five. But the Irishman has a handsome points lead and no need to display any heroics at the wheel of his Jamun-prepared Mygale. Scholarship leader and championship fourth-place man Stephen Roberts (Whitchurch) will be looking to claim yet another class victory - he's already taken 11 from 14 starts for Kevin Mills Racing - and will be supported by a new team-mate at Silverstone in the shape of 17-year-old novice James Littlejohn, from Warwick. Roberts' closest Scholarship rival is Farnham Common driver Jonny Baker, who will once again partner D'Agostino and Norwegian Thor-Christian Ebbesvik at Team JLR. There will be a fourth JLR Van Diemen in action also, for Warrington novice Ed Tilley, 21. Sarah Playfair (East Lothian) is expected once again to partner Rob Sunderland (Yatton Keynell) in the Mackie Motorsport squad, and there will be a car also from the Myerscough College team for Sean Gaffney (Durham). Ulsterman Darwin Smith has entered to race his Kartstart-prepared Spirit, and there will be a Promotosport car for West Lothian's Mark Adams. Philip Richmond (Harlington) completes the UKFF entry list, and a further 11 Formula Fordsters are expected on the grid from the Avon Tyres Clubmans FF1800 Championship, including overall top three Linton Stuteley, Neil Tofts and Jason Down.
For further media information: Please contact Nick Carter at Max Communications on 01530 563200 or nick.carter@maxcomms.com
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