Is there still a brittish F Ford 2000??

I remember years ago reading about brittish formula ford 2000 and how some very good drivers like Mark Blundell raced in the series ..but I havent heard anything about for quite some time...the only thing I have heard is about the USA series mainly because of a few Aussies have raced in it and done very well and how that series is an excellent one ...but nothing about the brittish series.

So is there still one and what is the competiton like and does is hold some kind of regard in racing circles unlike the Formula Renault series that seems to have died a slow and painfull death ???

No FF2000 died out in the late '80's in the UK, its territory being taken away by F. Vauxhall Lotus (first season '87) which that year featured two young chaps with marlboro backing, Mika Hakkinen and Allan McNish. Wonder what they're doing now? :rotate:

I'm a bit puzzled by your comment about F Renault too (which has now replaced F Vauxhall as the main slicks and wings formula in the UK below F3) as it seems to be in rude health at the moment, having been woon by Kimi Raikkonen in the UK last year.

Thanks for the info on F Ford 2000 Marshall..I didnt realize that the series had folded.

as for Formula renault ..I guess it just shows how far away we are here in Oz ..as I assumed the series had gone bust because of the lack of any news about it....it may have been the Formula Vauxhall series I was thinking of and there seems to be a heck of alot of junior classes ..

but thanks for the info anyway :)

Now there is a subject to get your teeth into. Yes marcus, you are quite right, there are too many junior formulae in the UK. It is getting better though, FFirst and FVauxhall Junior both passed on as professional classes last year, which probably explains why FFord and Junior FFord are booming. FRenault and FPalmer Audi are the intermediary slicks and wings Formulae between FFord and F3, and both of those seem to be on the wane. If we could go to just having FFord and F3 in the next few years that would be fantastic. Who cares you'd need 2 or 3 heats and final, it would be good racing.

And let us not forget where Mr. A. Pizzonia came from... :)

what.....Brazil ???

I think Mr. A is talking about FRenault :laugh:

Whoaa!! - hold on guy's British FF2000 isn't dead - although it is no longer a commercial formula, it is however one of the really good UK club formulae. FF2000's currently have the following places to race.
URS Classic FF2000 championship - probably the premier series for pre '83 cars, part of the BARC Classic package.
750 M/C Formula 4, sharing the formula with CVH powered single seaters, HSCC Classic F3 and Derek Bell Series.
CFFC European FF2000 championship.
Gone is all the commercial hype that modern single seater formulae demand, but still there is some of the exciting driving and close racing. Classic formulae have seen a bit of a revival in the last 2 or 3 years and are certainly providing drivers with the opportunity to drive this exciting machinery without having to find the extortionate budgets that todays front line single seater circus demands.
:p You should know better Marshall - URS Classic FF2000 was at Combe with us when I went flying at the end if last season.

Tony, you're quite right I should know better. What I should have said was that it died out as a professional class in the late '80s, but is still raced enthusiastically today as a club formula.

Yours humbly etc etc :o

OK Marshall - grovelling apologies duly accepted ;) Yes I guess if we're talking "professional" ladder rung stuff you can't include FF2000, it is purely a club formula now.
Nothing between FFZetec and F3... (heats in F3 - that'd be fun) mmmmm, well the Zetec's are as quick as the old FF2000, a bit less stable on the twisty bits though, maybe what's missing is something below that, basically what the original FF1600's on Kent engines and treaded tyres produced. But then we didn't have the big karting scene we have now to cut your teeth on.
BTW I haven't got a round at Combe this year - you marshall anywhere else ? - so's I can "drop in" on you again :rotate:

I do. You guys normally run with the BARC classic package don't you? I'll have to see if I can manage to fit at least one of those into my busy schedule!

Yes that's right, I will be doing the BARC Classic package this year, all of it I hope as the plan is to be out in something slightly different..... watch this space.
It kicks off at Thruxton on Easter Monday, 16th April - see you there maybe ? :cool:

no u have to come down to snett easter weekend for the british f3!!!!!!!!!

F3 - pah! - just a bunch of banger racers looking for their next big break - not their money so what do they care about driving people off the track to get past - ( :) that should put the cat among the pigeons hee, hee, ;) ;) ;) ) Club racing's where you want to be Marshall matey, we even make the effort to come and see you at your post - won't get an F3 pilot doing that now. :D Anyway Thruxton's closer to home - isnt it ?

I'm afraid it'll be bad news for the 16 April (probably the same for Marshal)... first meeting at Combe and Thruxton.... And I have to say that I'll be driving past Thruxton on my way to Combe!!

They still haven't sorted club racing - 2 meetings on the same day, less than 40 miles apart... and I have to make a tough choice that I have to miss the CSCC package yet again.

Just to prove my point.. Weekend of the 16 September.

Powertour at Brands
Goodwood
2 day meeting at Combe
2 day meeting at Lydden
Meeting at Gurston Down

Why do they do it??

I'm still waiting for the Autosport calender so that I can make my final decision on where I'm going when, but if I'm anywhere on Easter Monday (Having in all likelyhood spent the Friday and Saturday at the ALMS meeting at Donnington) then it'd probably be Combe.

But back to the classic package, are you guys going to Mallory this year, I haven't been there for ages and I'm hankering after a return.

As for Dan's point, the season looks very strange this year, from what digging I've done, April, May and June all look very busy, then hardly anything till the end of August, when it all gets too busy again through September. Negotiations start with Mrs. Marshal soon!

Yes the calendar does look a bit odd overall, I tend not to look at all the meeetings like you guys, just what I intend doing. the BARC Classic package (inc CSCC) for this year is as follows;
16-Apr Thruxton
7-May Cadwell
19/20-May Brands
2/3-June Snetterton
17-June Mallory Marshall please note
1-July Anglesey ??? (Not sure about this one)
5-Aug Lydden (I think maybe the last car race here, Rallycross on 27-8)
1/2-Sept Pembrey
29-Sept Oulton
14-Oct Rockingham
I guess when it gets to the club level meetings there isn't too much liasion between the organising clubs, they tend to fill whatever dates are left, I think they apply for dates first then decide what to put on later, everything of course revolves around F1 then F3 and the big money formulae. You're right though Dan, all these meetings on the same day will of course dilute the number of people they will get through the gate.
Still whatever you guys manage to get to come over and say hello, if you fancy coming and are not marshalling let me know, I often have spare tickets and extra pit crew is always welcomed ! :cool:

"Negotiations start with Mrs. Marshal soon!"

Handy hint towards household bliss - Do what I did - get her involved in marshalling ;)

Tried that, with limited success!

hey don't b so down on the f3 guys!!!! some of them r really lovely and would love to come and see u at ur marshalling posts!!! who do u want and i will tell them to go visit u! ne way f3 is much classier racing than the stuff u r talking about

Hey J-P wondered whether you'd take the bait !!! ;) most of the F3 guys are OK and pretty damn good racers, but you got to admit there are one or two who could do with staying at home and playing on their PS2 !
f3 is much classier racing than the stuff u r talking about - ooohh not so sure about that bit - more expensive yes but classier?, why do you think they call ours the Classic series eh.
btw the reference to "dropping in" on Marshal was me coming out of the sky at him at Combe last year. :rotate:

Main difference is that after they 'visit' us the Classic guys want us to pick up and return all the bits - the F3 guys tend to just bugger off - I guess they need the time to work out the excuse ;)

Best story along these lines was from an FF race at Oulton Park many years ago (so long ago that I was still a track marshal) - after a multiple car shunt one of the drivers said 'When you are sorting out the wheels - mine is the one with the good tyre!'

They obviously have too much money -I still have Mark Webbers front wing - as deposited at Thruxton chicane..