There’s a unique atmosphere in the paddock immediately following any Formula Ford Festival, one that consists of disappointment, hard luck stories and no shortage of ‘what if’ scenarios.
Drivers and teams that have spent days testing, battling through heats and semi-finals to come within reach of the ultimate prize and a place in history leave empty-handed as there can only be one winner. This year, for the time being at least, Josh Smith added to his triumph in 2018 with Oldfield Motorsport and, in many ways, it was perhaps fitting that it was his car that should win.
The triumphant Van Diemen sported a tribute livery and the same ‘200’ number with which Gerrit van Kouwen had claimed his own Festival victory 40 years ago. The likeable Dutchman was an ever-present figure at the Brands Hatch blue-riband event, only missing the 2020 edition because of COVID-19 restrictions and last season’s fixture due to the illness that would ultimately claim his life earlier this year.
To celebrate the memory of van Kouwen and his achievement four decades ago, the event was named after him, while a replica of his 1984-winning Lola T644E was put on display in one of the garages and also took to the track in a demonstration run over the weekend. His family were in attendance, including wife Suzy.
This writer had the privilege of speaking with his brother Martin, who recalled the experience of supporting his older sibling at Brands as a 12-year-old, when van Kouwen became the first man to set a lap under the 49-second barrier at the Festival.
The final in many ways proved to be a fitting tribute, consisting of several changes for the lead, controversial incidents and an outcome that remained unknown until the chequered flag – and even after it!
The race was helped by a new initiative implemented by the organising British Racing & Sports Car Club, which was to add laps run behind the safety car back onto the total race distance. It meant that the scheduled 20-lap final was extended by five laps, a move certainly welcomed by fans and drivers for a contest that lasted nearly 30 minutes.
What was noticeable, however, was that despite entries being slightly up on last year generally, the number of top-quality drivers at the front of the field was perhaps lacking compared with other editions. Two-time winner Niall Murray was a no-show due to other commitments in Ireland, while there were no entries from Kevin Mills’s frontrunning outfit. Nor was there any presence from the Team USA Scholarship.
Even so, the likes of two-time victors Rory Smith and Joey Foster were competing, and the latter could well have won the event outright for the third time but for an incident, the fallout of which is set to rumble on for a few more weeks.
At no point did Foster’s front wheels move past Smith’s rear tyre, nor did Smith lose control or make any contact
The Firman driver ended up in the gravel at Clearways having tried a move to the outside of leader Josh Smith. The matter was looked at by the clerk of the course, then the stewards at the behest of runner-up Chris Middlehurst, but both sets of officials came back with a verdict of no further action being necessary.
Reigning Walter Hayes Trophy (WHT) winner Middlehurst, who will look to defend his crown next month, now plans to take the matter to the National Court in a situation similar to what happened at the Silverstone event two years ago. In that scenario at the WHT, on-track winner Max Esterson was handed a five-second penalty for a similar incident with Tom Mills. That also went to the National Court, with the appeal unsuccessful.
While there are parallels between the two, there are also crucial differences. Both took place on a long, sweeping right-hand bend with the leading car on the inside but the optimal racing line in wet conditions being at the very edge of the track. In the case of Esterson versus Mills, however, the latter had placed his car much further alongside, before the American lost control briefly and slid into his opponent, making contact, and forcing him off.
In last weekend’s incident, at no point did Foster’s front wheels move past Smith’s rear tyre, nor did Smith lose control or make any contact – although it could be argued there would have been had Foster not taken to the gravel.
If anyone should feel aggrieved, it is Foster. Instead, the appeal is being taken up by Middlehurst who, although directly behind the incident, was in no way impeded by what occurred ahead.
Middlehurst made it clear that Smith should have been penalised just as he had been for an incident at Clearways during the heats. In that instance, Smith had moved to the inside of leader Jason Smyth and forced him off, but the pair were directly wheel-to-wheel and a penalty for Smith – in the form of a one-place grid drop for the semi-final – was merited.
Regardless, the whole situation has left a somewhat bitter taste in the mouths of many and capped off an event that showcased both the good and the bad of Formula Ford.
