Posted on 29th November 2016
SENNA'S ORIGINAL RACE MACHINE HEADLINE'S FORMULA FORD 50TH ANNIVERSARY DISPLAY AT AUTOSPORT INTERNATIONAL
â—¾Formula Ford celebrating 50 years of racing at the world's foremost pre-season motorsport show, Autosport International
â—¾Ayrton Senna's Van Diemen RF81 plus the car that started it all, the Lotus 51, will be on display at Autosport International
â—¾Historic Sports Car Club (HSCC) hosting a stunning line-up of famous Formula Fords dating back to the very first race at Brands Hatch in July 1967 to the present day
â—¾Formula Ford played a pivotal role in developing top motor racing talent with alumni including Nigel Mansell, Damon Hill, Ayrton Senna, David Coulthard, Mark Webber, Daniel Ricciardo and many more
â—¾Visit the HSCC in Hall 6 Stand 6710 to witness five decades of this iconic single-seater series
The Historic Sportscar Club (HSCC) will kick off the 50th anniversary celebrations of Formula Ford at Autosport International with a major display of iconic single-seaters. The spectacular nine-car display will showcase landmark Formula Ford designs as well as those cars with prominent histories.
One such car headlining this once-in-a-lifetime display is Ayrton Senna's original race machine Рthe Van Diemen RF81 that he raced during his debut European season in 1981. The car's provenance and iconic look will undoubtedly draw the crowds at Autosport International as will Nigel Mansell's Crossl̩ 25F, which he piloted during his debut season in 1976. Seven-time Formula One World Champion, Michael Schumacher, finished as runner-up in Formula Ford in 1988 driving a Van Diemen RF88, which will take pride of place as part of this unmissable display.
The first purpose-built Formula Ford car, the Lotus 51, will be making an appearance at Autosport International in January alongside the legendary 1969 Lotus 61.
The star cars don't end there as the HSCC has confirmed that the Colchester Racing Developments' 'Magic Merlyn' Mk11A will be on the stand in January. Chassis 238 was driven by Emerson Fittipaldi during the 1969 season and is now owned by former F1 legend, Jodi Scheckter.
The Rory Byrne-designed Royale RP24 adds more glamour to this stunning display as does the hugely popular Royale RP26 – originally designed by Williams F1 Racing's Chief Technical Officer, Pat Symonds.
Finally, the modern Medina Sport JL16, which debuted at the Walter Hayes Trophy this year, will showcase the very latest Formula Ford single-seater and provides visitors with a fantastic chance to see all nine stunning cars spanning five decades of thrilling racing.
The early history of Formula Ford was centred in Great Britain, with the first race featuring a grid of 17 cars. Many of the cars were linked with either the Jim Russell Racing School or the Motor Racing Stables run by Geoffrey Clark. Soon the popular formula spread to Australia, New Zealand, USA, Canada, and South Africa.
Formula Ford was considered by many for years as the best single-seater series for nurturing and developing driving talent after karting. A number of the world's most recognisable names in motor racing have competed in Formula Ford, with the likes of Damon Hill, Johnny Herbert, David Coulthard, Mark Webber and Daniel Ricciardo all having raced in this renowned series.
More driver announcements are planned over the coming weeks so make sure you don't miss this rare opportunity to see this fantastic display on the HSCC stand (6710) in Hall 6.
Tickets for Autosport International start from £35pp for a Standard pass (£23pp for children between 6-15yrs) and are available through the Autosport International website at www.autosportinternational.com.
