Brands Hatch Formula Ford Thriller! - 5 July 2008
It was an absolute classic HFF battle at Brands Hatch last Sunday...
HFF Superprix Race A Thriller
The Grandstand Tours HSCC Historic Formula Ford Championship at Brands Hatch on Sunday was a true Formula Ford thriller with the win going to Callum Macleod by just 0.08 of a second!
Qualifying was a close affair with series newcomer Darren Burke taking pole position in his DuPaul Engineering / Westone Bathrooms / PA Motorsport Macon MR8 from reigning Duratec Formula Ford Champion Callum Macleods Merlyn Mk20A. It was Burkes first taste of the Brands Hatch GP circuit which made for an even more impressive lap of 1.39.236, Macleod was the only other driver in the 1m39s. Michael Lyons was third fastest with a 1.40.9 well clear of an on form Westie Mitchell with 1.42.4. Mitchell had pipped series sponsor David Wild by just a tenth who in turn was just ahead of Amanda Whitakers ever improving Elden MK8 (Having her first BH GP race in an FF) and Chris Sharples’ freshly rebuilt Palliser. Clive Fidgeon had a good qualifying to secure 8th place in his Lola T200 with Andrew Garside and John Hayes Harlow rounding out the top ten.
Wil Arif only just managed to scrape in three laps after pushing his throttle pedal past its stop to snap the throttle cable on the opening lap! A quick repair saw a few strands of cable connected enough to complete another two laps. Matthew Sturmer made a welcome return to HFF from F3 and qualified his
The race was to be run over 20 minutes and it was a classic. At the start Burke missed a gear to drop to third with Michael Lyons getting the Jump on Callum Macleod to lead onto the GP circuit for the first time. However, when the cars re-appeared at Clearways both Macleod and Burke had found a way past Lyons and the three were glued together. Mitchell, Wild and Whittaker were still in close contention as well as things started to shape up into a typical Formula Ford classic.
Burke and Macleod were never more than inches apart, the youngsters showing that while they were super quick, they were also super fair as we would expect from our series! They began to break away from Lyons who in turn had pulled a small gap on Mitchell and Wild. The man on the move was Wil Arif already up 16 places in two laps!! Chris Sharples was keeping Amanda Whitaker honest, his fresh engine revelling in the long back straight that makes up the fantastic GP circuit at Brands.
Burke appeared to have the upper hand on Macleod through Graham Hill and pulled off a simply scintillating pass on Macleod into Surtees. As the two cars disappeared onto the GP circuit it was anyone’s guess who would reappear at Clearways in the lead. After what seemed like an age, the two leaders burst back onto the Indy circuit and this time it was Burkes red Macon MR8 that was in front. Macleod was ideally placed to tow up behind Burke onto the main straight and made a pass at Paddock Hill bend that stuck to place his Merlyn back in front.
Next time round and Burke again got a super run on Macleod going through Graham Hill bend, this time seemingly too good and the Macon hit the rear of the Merlyn and looked set to take off. It landed well (!) and continued with just damage to the nosecone. It transpired later that Macleod had missed a gear and Burke was just so close he had nowhere to go.
Westie Mitchell really was getting to grips with the GP circuit now, having only driven it in the wet previously and after a brief safety car period helped calm the nerves of the spectators (!) it was Mitchell who made a pass on Lyons going into Stirling’s and to make it stick for third place. Meanwhile battle royal was still raging between Macleod and Burke at the front with both cars running side by side through
On the last lap it was anyone’s guess who might appear at Clearways in the lead….it was Macleod by about half an inch, Burke right on his gearbox, as the two crossed the line it was just 0.08 of a second that separated the two with Burke taking a new lap record in his Macon MR8 of 1.39.163, an impressive debut by anyone’s standards. Mitchell secured another podium finish by coming in third with David Wild in 4th and the following Eldens of Whitaker and Truelove 5th and 6th respectively. Arif was still on the move ending up in 12th place by the end pondering what might have been!
Race Report: Peter Alexander
Photo: Darren Burke took pole position and a new lap record on his debut in the Westone Bathrooms / PA Motorsport Macon MR8. Photo by Bear Media
