Every year, the Walter Hayes Trophy brings together over 100 of the worlds best Formula Ford racers, for a knockout-style event. Each edition has nail-biting racing through the heats and semi-finals, culminating in a tense 36 car final on Sunday afternoon, as the Autumn sun sets. And this, the 25th edition of the event was no different
Both Neil and Jacob competed in the event with KMR Sport, previous winners on multiple occasions and Formula Ford stalwarts. Testing began on Wednesday, with Neil getting used to driving a race car again, after 3 years away from a single seater! Jacob was straight on the pace in wet, damp and dry conditions around the short Silverstone National circuit, perfect for small, 115 horsepower single seaters to go racing!
Saturday morning brought damp conditions on a drying track. Jacob’s heat 1 qualifying session was interrupted and compromised by a red flag, resulting in a disappointing fourth place start. Confident in his pace, he knew he was still in a very good position to win his heat. Jacob had a great start, despite being on the damp side of the grid, and got up to third place by turn one. Going into turn 2 he raced with his head and came out in the lead, and would not relinquish it, taking his heat win, and the Bury Mason Trophy home, beating 4-time Walter Hayes Trophy winner, Joey Foster to the flag after a great battle in the last few laps.
Neil was drawn in a very competitive heat 2 and qualified in 13th place. After a strong race, he just missed out on automatic progression to his semi-final, finishing in 14th place, but needing 13th! This meant he would have to go through the Last Chance Race on Sunday morning, where he raced to a strong fourth place finish, comfortably making it into Semi Final 2. Unfortunately, an unavoidable incident on the first lap of his race ended his Walter Hayes early. A disappointing end after improving so much during the week and races.
Jacob would start in second position for a very competitive Semi Final 1, and once again had a great start, racing teammate Andrew Rackstraw for the lead at turn one. He played the long game in the semi final, avoiding a potentially race ending collision to finish a very strong fourth place.
He would start the Grand Final in sixth place on the grid, and once again got a great start to move up to fifth place straight away. The 15 lap race was everything it was expected to be, with multiple lead changes and position changes per lap, it was a game of risk versus reward to put yourself in position for a podium, or even the win on the final lap.
Jacob had fought hard to be in what would have been third place at the finish for the start of the final lap, but unfortunately a car overtook him off track at turn 1, and didn’t leave Jacob space going into turn 2, thus ending a very strong weekend with a DNF.
Nonetheless, Jacob had a great weekend, racing at the front of a 100 car grid, against seasoned Formula Ford veterans and regular racers, ultimately just missing out on a podium finish.
This is an event we look forward to every year and will hopefully remain a part of our calender for many years to come! Suffice to say – every driver should race in Formula Ford occasionally!
