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One of the great strengths of the British Formula Ford Championship is that it is not a one-make formula. All cars must conform precisely to a technical specification; however chassis and engines do not have to come from the same company.

There are many established teams in the paddock who have experience of setting up race cars in a highly competitive series. The efficiencies resulting from sharing of crew and travel costs with one or two other team-mates can also be an advantage. A list of teams can be found here.

Drivers in two- and three-car teams also seem to learn faster because of the exchange of information that occurs during testing and practice sessions, not to mention the natural competition against one’s own team-mates.

It is suggested drivers contact two or three teams to discuss budgets, pre-season testing etc before signing. Most established teams have preferred chassis and engine combinations, which should be considered in making your final selection.

Starting a team

There are generally two main reasons why a driver would opt to start his/her own team.

For those with a limited budget, some technical ability and some talented volunteer crew persons, a significant amount of money can be saved enabling one to seriously compete in the ultra-competitive British Formula Ford Championship at a fraction of the cost. Others who have what would be considered a proper full budget sometimes choose to form a team to retain total control of their programme, including chassis, engine and all set-up decisions.

Running your own team can be a rewarding experience but it is definitely a time-consuming effort and having total control does not always mean making the right decisions. Nevertheless, if you chose to start a team, the key decisions include choosing your chassis and your engine-builder, and then hiring or otherwise retaining a crew chief. Information and pricing on new chassis can be obtained from the chassis manufacturers and engine suppliers listed here and they will provide the same information on their services.