- Australian Formula Ford Championship
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Australian Formula Ford Championship Category Open Wheel Racing
Formula FordCountry or region Australia Inaugural season 1970 Drivers 37 Teams 16 Constructors Mygale
SpectrumEngine suppliers 1.6 litre Ford Duratec Tyre suppliers Avon Tyres Drivers' champion 
Cameron WatersOfficial website formulaford.com.au 
Current seasonThe Australian Formula Ford Championship is a CAMS sanctioned national motor racing title for drivers of Formula Ford racing cars. It has been held annually since 1970, originally as a national series, and later as the 'Driver-to-Europe' series. The series was upgraded to Australian Championship status in 1993 and has been known officially as the Australian Formula Ford Championship since that year.
Contents
History
The Formula Ford category was established in Great Britain in 1967 and two years later Australia’s first Formula Ford race was staged at the Sandown circuit in Victoria.[1] A national series was contested in Australia for the first time in 1970 and then annually through to 1992. In the following year the series was granted national title status by CAMS and officially became the Australian Formula Ford Championship.[2] After having powered Australian Formula Fords since the introduction of the category, the 1600cc Ford “Kent” engine was replaced by the Ford Fiesta unit for the 2006 Championship.[3] The “Kent” powered cars continue to be raced in various State championships under the “Formula Ford 1600” category name.[4]
The series has served as a stepping stone for many Australian racing drivers who have gone on to greater things in motor racing both in Australia and overseas. Notably, 1971 winner Larry Perkins went on to race in the Formula One World Championship and other winners Russell Ingall, Craig Lowndes, Garth Tander and Jamie Whincup have each gone on to claim V8 Supercar titles.
Formula Ford has also proven a popular proving ground for Australian racing car manufacturers. In its early years the series was dominated by Australian designs from Elfin Sports Cars, Bowin Cars, Mawer and Birrana. 1987 to 1997 was dominated by the British marque Van Diemen, winning eleven straight title. The streak was broken in 1998 by Australian marque Spectrum, built by Borland Racing Developments. Van Diemen faded in the mid-2000s and Australian grids are now almost exclusively filled with Spectrums and French made Mygales.
Once almost exclusively the domain of competitor self-run teams, the modern Australian Formula Ford Championship is dominated by professional racing teams. Sonic Motor Racing Services, Brad Jones Racing, Team BRM as well as specialist Formula Ford outfits Synergy Motorsport, Minda Motorsport and Borland Racing Developments all field multi-car teams.
State Championships
Formula Ford has also proved to be a very popular category for state level series and state championships have been contested regularly, these include championships held in New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, Western Australia and South Australia. State level series have served as a stepping stone for kart racers looking for a cheap entry level into circuit racing before moving into the national series.
Champions
National Series
The Reynard FF83 with which Tomas Mezera won the 1985 Motorcraft Formula Ford Driver to Europe Series
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Season Series Name Series Winner [5] Car 1970 Formula Ford National Series Richard Knight Elfin 600 FF 1971 Formula Ford Driver to Europe Series Larry Perkins Elfin 600 FF 1972 TAA Formula Ford Driver to Europe Series Bob Skelton Bowin P4A 1973 TAA Formula Ford Driver to Europe Series John Leffler Bowin P6F 1974 TAA Formula Ford Driver to Europe Series Terry Perkins Elfin 620B 1975 TAA Formula Ford Driver to Europe Series Paul Bernasconi Mawer 1976 TAA Formula Ford Driver to Europe Series Richard Carter Birrana F73 1977 TAA Formula Ford Driver to Europe Series John Smith Bowin P4A 1978 TAA Formula Ford Driver to Europe Series John Wright Bowin P4A 1979 TAA Formula Ford Driver to Europe Series Russell Norden Mawer 1980 TAA Formula Ford Driver to Europe Series Stephen Brook Lola T440 1981 TAA Formula Ford Driver to Europe Series Phillip Revell Lola T440 1982 TAA Formula Ford Driver to Europe Series Jeff Summers Elfin 620B 1983 Formula Ford Driver to Europe Series Bruce Connolly Galloway 1984 Formula Ford Driver to Europe Series Ron Barnacle Royale RP31 1985 Motorcraft Formula Ford Driver to Europe Series Tomas Mezera Reynard FF83 [6] 1986 Motorcraft Formula Ford Driver to Europe Series Warwick Rooklyn Elwyn 003 1987 Motorcraft Formula Ford Driver to Europe Series Peter Verheyen Van Diemen RF86 1988 Motorcraft Formula Ford Driver to Europe Series David Roberts Van Diemen RF87 1989 Motorcraft Formula Ford Driver to Europe Series Mark Larkham Van Diemen RF89 1990 Motorcraft Formula Ford Driver to Europe Series Russell Ingall Van Diemen RF90 1991 Motorcraft Formula Ford Driver to Europe Series Troy Dunstan Van Diemen RF91 1992 Motorcraft Formula Ford Driver to Europe Series Cameron McConville Van Diemen RF92 Australian Formula Ford Championship
Garry Jacobson (Mygale SJ08a) at the opening round of the 2011 Championship.
Season Champion[5] Car 1993 Craig Lowndes Van Diemen RF93 1994 Steven Richards Van Diemen RF94 1995 Jason Bright Van Diemen RF95 1996 David Besnard Van Diemen RF96 1997 Garth Tander Van Diemen RF95 1998 Adam Macrow Spectrum 06 1999 Greg Ritter Mygale SJ98 2000 Luke Youlden Mygale SJ2000 2001 Will Davison Van Diemen RF01 2002 Jamie Whincup Van Diemen RF01 2003 Neil McFadyen Van Diemen RF94 2004 David Reynolds Van Diemen RF04 2005 Daniel Elliott Van Diemen RF05 2006 John Martin Spectrum 011 2007 Tim Blanchard Mygale SJ07A 2008 Paul Laskazeski Spectrum 011b 2009 Nick Percat Mygale SJ07A 2010 Chaz Mostert Spectrum 012 2011 Cameron Waters Mygale SJ10A References
- ^ History Retrieved from www.formulaford.com.au on 25 September 2009
- ^ CAMS Manual of Motor Sport > About CAMS > Australian Titles Retrieved from www.camsmanual.com.au on 25 September 2009
- ^ What is Formula Ford Retrieved from www.formulaford.com.au on 25 September 2009
- ^ A quick Overview of Kent Formula Ford Retrieved from www.formulaford1600.com.au on 25 September 2009
- ^ a b Records & Stats Retrieved from www.formulaford.com.au on 26 September 2009
- ^ Reynard Owners Listings Retrieved on 24 August 2011
External links
Formula Ford British Formula Ford Ch'ship 1987 • 1988 • 1989 • 1990 • 1991 • 1992 • 1993 • 1994 • 1995 • 1996 • 1997 • 1998 • 1999 • 2000 • 2001 • 2002 • 2003 • 2004 • 2005 • 2006 • 2007 • 2008 • 2009 • 2010 • 2011U.S. F2000 National Ch'ship 1995 • 1996 • 1999 • 2001 • 2002 • 2003 • 2004 • 2005 • 2006 • 2010 • 2011 (Winterfest) • 2012 (Winterfest)F2000 Championship Series 2006 • 2007 • 2008 • 2009 • 2010 • 2011Australian Formula Ford Ch'ship Formula Ford EuroCup 2011Formula Ford Festival • New Zealand Formula Ford Championship • Canadian Formula Ford Challenge • List of Dutch & Benelux Formula Ford championsCategories:- Australian Formula Ford Championship
- Motorsport categories in Australia
- Formula Ford series
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