British Formula Ford
 |
|
| Category | Single seaters |
|---|---|
| Country |
 United Kingdom
|
| Inaugural season | 1976 |
| Folded | 2014 |
| Constructors | Mygale, Sinter |
| Engine suppliers | Ford |
| Tyre suppliers | Dunlop Tyres, Hankook |
| Last Drivers' champion |
 Jayde Kruger
|
| Last Teams' champion |
JTR
|
The British Formula Ford Championship was an entry level single seater motor sport category, designed to give racing drivers their first step into car racing after karting. Drivers from across the world were attracted to the United Kingdom to compete in the series, and successful Formula One drivers such as Ayrton Senna and Jenson Button won their first single-seater titles in the championship. The championship was run to various Formula Ford regulations over the years, based on the engines provided for the championship by Ford Motor Company. These engine based regulations/specifications include the Ford Kent engine, Ford Zetec engine, Ford Duratec engine and in the final years the Ford EcoBoost engine.
From the 2015 season onwards, the championship will be replaced by MSA Formula, which conforms to the FIA's new Formula 4 regulations. Many of the teams and drivers which competed in the final season of British Formula Ford will move to the new series.
Although the first British Formula Ford Championship was not held until 1976, Formula Ford's roots are firmly situated in the British racing scene. The first Formula Ford race was held at Brands Hatch in 1967 and was the precursor to the birth of the domestic championship. The first British Formula Ford Championship, held in 1976, was the original Formula Ford Championship which gave birth to many others over the years, including successful championships in Australia and New Zealand.
The championship started out with the 1600cc Ford Kent engine and continued to use it until Ford introduced its newer, more powerful 1800cc Ford Zetec engine. Although this engine change didn't affect the other technical regulations, which still called for steel space frames which were much more economical to build and run compared to their carbon fiber counterparts, the increased engine power accelerated chassis development, causing many of the smaller manufacturers stopped producing cars, resulting in fewer constructors represented in the championship. The Zetec regulations lasted only 12 years up until the Ford Duratec engine was introduced in 2006, providing better handling and power due to its lighter weight even though the specification had returned to 1600cc engines.
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Wikipedia