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For immediate release PROSPECTS BRIGHT FOR UK FORMULA FORD 15 November, 2005: With a new motive force behind it and enhanced marketing support, the UK Formula Ford Championship looks all set to enjoy a bumper season in 2006. Top UK Formula Ford teams are reporting 'unprecedented' levels of interest from potential drivers looking to get in at the start of the championship's 'third age', ushered in by the adoption of Ford's new 1600 Duratec engine. RacingLine, promoter of the Ford-backed series, this week confirms that the UK Formula Ford Championship will once again be a chief support event to the British Formula 3 International Championship, appearing alongside the nation's premier single-seater series at all of its headline British dates. Sky TV coverage of all meetings is confirmed also, as is the career-enhancing prize on offer to the 2006 UK Formula Ford Champion - a free entry into the 2007 British Formula 3 Championship. 'This is a fantastic offer, said RacingLine director Sam Roach, 'and one which hopefully will give next year's UK Formula Ford Champion a real chance of landing an F3 drive. 'We are delighted that the F3 community is making this prize available exclusively to UKFF, as it demonstrates their belief that a winner in Formula Ford is going to be a competitive prospect in their championship also. This year UKFF graduates Charlie Kimball and Dan Clarke both claimed F3 wins in their debut seasons, and that's a powerful endorsement.' An enhanced prize fund is another attraction already in place; details of this, as well as provisional dates and regulations, will be released to teams in a week or two. Roach reports that UKFF teams are enthusiastic about prospects for 2006: 'Genuinely there is a level of interest in the championship that they haven't witnessed for several seasons, and that is exciting both for them and for us.' Team JLR boss Richard Dean says his squad is committed to UKFF for 2006 and beyond: 'It looks like it will be a great season; there is competition between the chassis manufacturers and career-minded drivers are showing great interest in the revitalized series. JLR will announce its first signings in January.' The championship class of the 2006 UKFF will be for chassis equipped with Ford's new Duratec powerplant, currently undergoing final development work. Early indications are that, in addition to being around 40 kg lighter than the 1.8 Zetec unit it supplants, it will also be better balanced and more powerful. The 1800 engine will still have a place on the UKFF grid, powering the year-old Scholarship class cars and helping to keep costs down for young drivers seeking a foothold on the first rung of the racing ladder. The new-look championship is also attracting new teams: Essex-based Avenues Race Engineering, having enjoyed success at club-level Formula Ford competition, plans to step up to the UKFF's championship class in 2006 with a three-car team. Avenues drivers Nick Lay and David Mayes recently tested the latest Ray chassis at Snetterton. Squad boss Julian Chaplin-Perkins said: 'Ford's backing and commitment to the championship once again places Formula Ford as the key first step into professional motorsport, unrivalled by any other category. It is the most cost-effective and professional championship, and this is reflected by the feedback and enquiries we are receiving from young drivers. For further media information: Please contact Nick Carter at Max Communications on 01530 563200 or nick.carter@maxcomms.com |
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