The 2011 Dunlop MSA Formula Ford of Great Britain season is set to burst into life this weekend at Silverstone, with over twenty Duratec-powered Formula Fords set to take to the grid, piloted by drivers from across Europe, the USA and Australia.
Leading the entry once again will be Jamun Racing Services, the team that secured a record sixth consecutive championship title with Scott Pye last season. Returning to the team and leading their line up will be last years runner up, Scott Malvern.
Ilford-based Malvern said: “I know that the pressure will be on me to get great results again this year, especially after what we achieved last year. I am still learning how to get the best out of the Mygale, which requires a different driving style to the Ray I drove last year.
“Pre-season testing has gone extremely well so far, including being fastest in the official championship launch day at Silverstone. But while this is encouraging I will be keeping my feet firmly on the ground and not taking anything, or anyone, for granted. There will be some very good drivers to compete against.”
Joining Malvern at Jamun are two young Australians who will be hoping to emulate their countryman Pye, 20-year-old Melbourne driver Nick McBride and 18 year old Spike Goddard from New South Wales.
Completing the Jamun line up are two series returnees, Jeroen Slaghekke and Jake Cook. Slaghekke stays with Jamun, while Cook moves from Getem, with both of them looking capable of challenging at the front.
Another Aussie joining the series is Geoff Uhrhane from the Gold Coast. The 19 year old will lead the JTR team and will be looking to impress after finishing as last year's Formula Ford Australia championship runner-up.
Joining him in JTR-Mygales will be Dan de Zille and Tristan Mingay. Jersey-based de Zille has competed in the series for last two years, while Mingay enters as the reigning Scholarship Class Champion.
Fluid Motorsport Developments are looking to run two ‘works’ Van Diemens this season, though currently have one driver confirmed in Matthew Parry. The 17 year old has impressed many in his karting career, including AirAsia and the Team Lotus F1 team, who will be supporting him through the year.
Also joining the series will be American Neil Alberico, running a Cliff Dempsey Racing Ray GR10. The team have high hopes for the 18 year old Californian, who they believe can challenge former driver Malvern for the title.
A fourth chassis will be on the grid with Ipswich racer David Ellesley running a Juno, the former Fiesta championship winner using the new Ewan Baldry design.
Leading the entry in the Scholarship class will be new team Tockwith Motorsports, running two Rays for 16 year old former Ginetta Junior driver David Moore and 17 year old Jake Jackson. Competing against them will be Derbyshire driver Cavan Corcoran in a Getem Racing run Mygale.
Three experienced drivers returning to the series in Mygales are Finnish Formula Ford Champion Antti Buri, running with his family team LMS; 28 year old Frenchman Philippe Layac, whose family outfit RV Racing has joined forces with Enigma Motorsport; and 19 year old Luke Williams, also running with a family outfit.
Looking ahead to the season, Championship manager Sam Roach of RacingLine said: “It is going to be very exciting all round, with a number of front-running drivers from last year returning, some great talent arriving from overseas and some fresh-from-karting drivers who will, I think, adapt very quickly to car-racing and surprise a few people.
“This is also the first season for the EuroCup, a series of races separate from the Dunlop MSA Formula Ford Championship of Great Britain, which will see our best Formula Ford drivers and teams going head to head with their Duratec-driving counterparts from the Netherlands and Scandinavia on some of the best circuits in Europe. It is going to be a fascinating season.”
Dunlop MSA Formula Ford Championship of Great Britain
Provisional entry as at 1/4/11
1 Jeroen SLAGHEKKE / NED Jamun Racing Mygale
2 Scott MALVERN / GBR Jamun Racing Mygale
3 Nick McBRIDE / AUS Jamun Racing Mygale
4 Spike GODDARD / AUS Jamun Racing Mygale
5 Matt PARRY / GBR Fluid Motorsport Van Diemen
9 Jake COOK / GBR Jamun Racing Mygale
11 Neil ALBERICO / USA Cliff Dempsey Racing Ray
13 Philippe LAYAC / FRA RV Racing / Enigma Mygale
15* Cavan CORCORAN / GBR Getem Racing Mygale
17 Luke WILLIAMS / GBR Luke Williams Racing Mygale
19 Dan de ZILLE / JEY JTR Mygale
21 Geoff UHRHANE / AUS JTR Mygale
22 Tristan MINGAY / GBR JTR Mygale
24* Jake JACKSON / GBR Tockwith Motorsports Ray
25* David MOORE / GBR Tockwith Motorsports Ray
39 David ELLESLEY / GBR Race Car Consultants Juno
77 Antti BURI / FIN LMS Racing Mygale
* Denotes Scholarship Cup contender
