Formula Ford 2012

[davyboy]

Originally Posted by Deemun

Good result for Eric but pity he only had 3 EcoBoost cars to compete against yeaterday and that dropped to 2 today after Williams accident in race 2.

It hasn't been much of a Euro Cup this year & I don't think EcoBoost is quite the success Ford were hoping for. Wel done to Michael Florie for his Duratec class win.

Only 3 Ecoboost cars... oh no... this isn't good at all. Do we know if more people have said they're committing to EcoBoost this year or next ? If not, I'd be considering switching to a different series right now if I was an EcoBoost driver.

[Deemun]

Really sorry to see this great class and once great championship in the doldrums this year. Unfortunately it seems that the critics of the wisdom of introducing the EcoBoost Class in the current economic climate so far seem to be proved correct.

There was just six Ecoboost cars and a further six Duratec cars making up a small mixed grid at Snetterton. Added to that the talent pool doesn't seem to be that great either. Scott Malvern's 2011 lap record set in a Duratec car is actually faster than the ECOboost time set in dry conditions this weekend! The Ecoboost should of course be considerably faster! Nick Tandy driving his JTR Ecoboost was 3 secs under Scott's 2011 Duratec record at Spa last month as you would expect him to be. See http://www.britishformulaford.co.uk/records.htm

The Duratec grid isn't very strong either with the fastest times some 5 seconds slower at the weekend. See http://www.tsl-timing.com/?loc=major...&tabletype=gif

Those that are familar with my posts on here will know that I am a great fan of FF so it really disturbs me to see the class struggling in this way. Thankfully evenys such as the FF Festival & Sir Walter Hayes Trophy will ensure the survival of FF for sometime all be it mainly in the long standing Kent division but as a serious junior single seater develpoment class for career minded drivers I'm sorry to say that unless Ford themselves step in with a major incentive to save the day then the writing is on the wall.

[gomick]

Latest Standings after Silverstone...

[kobefly]

Eric Lichtenstein is rocking! Well done!

[gomick]

Won a lot of races lately...

[ivanalesi]

I think it will be fair to point in this thread that as recently as 2010, FFord was still able to produce good a racer! Speaking of Tio Ellinas who just landed the F1 test for Manor as their best GP3 driver and played Santa Claus for Mitch Evans at Monza

[Deemun]

Originally Posted by ivanalesi

I think it will be fair to point in this thread that as recently as 2010, FFord was still able to produce good a racer! Speaking of Tio Ellinas who just landed the F1 test for Manor as their best GP3 driver and played Santa Claus for Mitch Evans at Monza

I don't disagree with you Ivan, Tio has done well but don't forget that Scott Malvern beat him in the championship in 2010 in what was considered by many to be an inferior car and with a team that were returning to the series after 4 years away so their data and knowledge was limited to say the least.

When Scott moved over Jamun and drove the all conquering Mygale chassis in 2011 he pretty much wiped the floor with the competition.

I've no doubt that he could emulate what Tio is doing if he were given a chance in GP3

[ivanalesi]

Yeah, but this season I think the budgets won't go as low as last season with the new car. F2 will surely have some exciting talent and it can be great preparation for a bang on the winning pace GP3 season It will be interesting to see him in winter testing with the old car as it probably won't be oversubscribed, surely he must do well as he has more experience in downforce cars.

[Deemun]

Mike Norton of Ford said at the weekend at Donington in his closing remarks for the 2012 Dunlop MSA Formula Ford Championship to expect a big announcement around the 15th of this month regarding the future of the championship.

Could this be the predicted addition of aero to the ECOboost cars from 2013 & the championship moving from the F3/GT (SRO) package to the BTTC (TOCA) package?

[The SpeCTator]

[QUOTE=Deemun;3145042]Mike Norton of Ford said at the weekend at Donington in his closing remarks for the 2012 Dunlop MSA Formula Ford Championship to expect a big announcement around the 15th of this month regarding the future of the championship.

Could this be the predicted addition of aero to the ECOboost cars from 2013 & the championship moving from the F3/GT (SRO) package to the BTTC (TOCA) package?[/QUOTE

Another 12 car grid for the TOCA package

[markreeves]

Originally Posted by Deemun

Could this be the predicted addition of aero to the ECOboost cars from 2013 & the championship moving from the F3/GT (SRO) package to the BTTC (TOCA) package?

I dont understand the adition of the aero, FF is the stepping stone between karting & Winged formula categories, which no doubt will mean another championship will be created to take its place therfore another champ with low grids, Classic example of introducing a new car which wasnt needed.

Also putting wings on the FF cars will surely make them be competing with F4, GP3, F2, intersteps, FR Barc so even slimmer grids accross the board

[bella]

at some point though i guess they have to have a look at the car and realise that young drivers with money aren't going to be too keen on driving something that looks like the doctor prescribed it for an unfortunate illness. yes, it's shallow and vain, and yes, i agree, it puts the car into generic boring single seater with stabilisers territory, but if it'll bring in one or two more drivers... so be it.

[Tim 27]

To me there are two trains of thought here.
Is it beneficial to a driver straight out of karting to learn set up, grip levels, racecraft etc in a relatively low powered car with no wings?
If the answer is yes, then there is still a place for Formula Ford, as it has been for the last 45 years.
If that learning is not so important, and sponsorship can be more easily found putting more cars on grids simply because the car has wings, then the answer is no.
I found it hard enough to grasp when slicks were introduced, if wings are now added my beloved Formula Ford will be no more.
And if wings are added, as Bella says it will become just another "generic boring single seater with stabilisers", and leads straight back to my post in "Is Single Seater Racing *Really* In Crisis?" found here:

http://www.ten-tenths.com/forum/show...=132830&page=7

[davyboy]

Originally Posted by Tim 27

To me there are two trains of thought here.
Is it beneficial to a driver straight out of karting to learn set up, grip levels, racecraft etc in a relatively low powered car with no wings?
If the answer is yes, then there is still a place for Formula Ford, as it has been for the last 45 years.
If that learning is not so important, and sponsorship can be more easily found putting more cars on grids simply because the car has wings, then the answer is no.
I found it hard enough to grasp when slicks were introduced, if wings are now added my beloved Formula Ford will be no more.
And if wings are added, as Bella says it will become just another "generic boring single seater with stabilisers", and leads straight back to my post in "Is Single Seater Racing *Really* In Crisis?" found here:

http://www.ten-tenths.com/forum/show...=132830&page=7

I'd disappointed if the new Formula Ford melts into the plethora of wings and slicks junior single seater formulae, but I guess it's either that or it's demise. I don't think it can survive another year of what's happened in 2012.

Regarding the question of whether kart racers need a non-wings/slicks formulae as a stepping stone onto to the junior single seater ladder, I'm not so sure. In the past chassis and geometry set up, together with adapting to the feeling of weight transfer was an important skill to learn as these parameters were significant factors in single seater set-up all the way to F1. FF1600 isolated these from aero, making it an excellent training ground. However, such is the importance of aero in single seaters these days, that those skills have been significantly usurped by the need to get to grips with aero set-up. So I guess drivers are keen to get immersed in that as soon as they move from karts.

[Tim 27]

If that is the case davyboy, then better for it to stop altogether and let those thinking of joining in 2013 boost the grids of other championships at the bottom of the ladder already using slicks and wings.
I'm sure I'm not alone in wanting to see a full grid of junior single seaters rather than four championships with five cars in each, but of course the manafacturers and promoters have their own interests to look after...