27 January 2010: Saloon-racing ace David Ellesley is to switch to the Dunlop MSA Formula Ford Championship of Great Britain for the coming season, at the wheel of a works Spirit chassis. The 23-year-old Suffolk driver won the Ford Fiesta ST Championship in 2009 after a tin-top career which began in his teens in autocross; David has never raced a single-seater before.

"This will certainly be a first for me," said David, "and it's all very exciting. I have a lot to learn about Formula Ford but I've joined a team with huge experience and that will benefit me greatly. Formula Ford is where I want to be, and this is a cost-effective option for me. Hopefully I can bring something to the team to help them with their plans for a new car."

Ellesley's 2007 Spirit chassis is to be run in the Ford-backed championship by Spirit Engineering and Steve Wills, the marque's founding father. "We are building a new chassis for next year," said Steve, "and we need to do some serious development work, which is how the deal with David came about. We need to get back out there, have a good time and give it a good go… The car has the potential but has never really had much of a chance to show it."

Wills hopes to have the 2011-specification Spirit running before the end of the season, and has promising youngster Richard Huddart lined up to drive it.

Formula Ford, which this season gains new radial tyres developed by title sponsor Dunlop, gets underway at Easter and will be contested over 25 races, with a mix of double-header and triple-race events spread over 10 meetings. Highlights of the season include five meetings supporting British Formula 3, one alongside the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship, another supporting the DTM at Brands Hatch and a slot at Europe's F3 blue riband event, the Zandvoort Masters.

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