Smyth wins Brands Hatch battle as drivers warm up for FFord Festival

Photo: Ida Wood

Team Dolan’s Jason Smyth triumphed in a close fight with KMR Sport’s Andrew Rackstraw to win the opening United Formula Ford race of the day on Brands Hatch’s Indy layout.

The entry list for round four of the season was boosted by drivers who wanted some Brands Hatch mileage before racing in October’s FFord Festival at the track, and there were 21 cars in qualifying with Team Dolan’s Stephen O’Connor absent from the action due to a leaking fuel tank.

His team-mate Morgan Quinn was fastest at first, setting a 52.009s as the opening benchmark. Isaac Canto da Silva beat that by 0.036 seconds with his first lap, then Quinn reclaimed top spot with a 51.356s.

Porsche Carrera Cup GB regular Rackstraw was in his slipstream and set a 51.029s, then improved two more times to 50.657s to remain on top.

Rain then fell and everyone headed to the pits. Rackstraw was among those who decided not to head back out when the weather improved, with the sun shining but rain still falling, and there were scant improvements. Rackstraw clinched pole by 0.053s over Smyth and 0.07s over privateer Tom Nippers, with Canto da Silva and Quinn completing a top five covered by just 0.139s.

Three more drivers were within half a second of pole, and qualifying 14th for his FF1600 debut was Italiaracing journalist Mattia Tremolada.

Canto da Silva made the fastest start among the top four and he took third place at Graham Hill Bend while Rackstraw held off the attacks of Smyth.

On lap two Smyth chose the same spot to get alongside Rackstraw, and strong traction out of the corner allowed him to stay wheel-to-wheel down the Cooper Straight. He had the inside line for Surtees and took the lead, as Nippers reclaimed third.

AF Racing’s Adam Fathers pitted at the end of the formation lap but then rejoined, while Rackstraw filled the mirrors of Smyth. Just 0.174s split them at the end of lap three, then Nippers started pressuring and that enabled Smuth to create a 0.4s gap.

On lap five a throttle cable failure for Minitron Racing’s Innes Hickman led to him stopping near Druids, and the safety car came out just after Quinn had passed Canto da Silva, set the fastest lap and set about joining the lead battle.

Racing resumed on lap 11, and Smyth nailed the restart. But soon Rackstraw was closing back in, and he took the lead on lap 15. Two laps later Smyth got a powerful slipstream and went to Rackstraw’s outside into Paddock Hill Bend. He could not get the move done there, but was able to get alongside again at Druids and Graham Hill Bend and then moved ahead.

Now Quinn had the advantage of the slipstream and he set another fastest lap as he latched onto Rackstraw’s rear. But that freed Smyth, who won by 0.438s.

Nippers and PWR1 Racing’s Jason Pribyl were a lonely fourth and fifth, then sixth down to 12th ran in a group. Canto da Silva made a few errors, including leaving the door open at Graham Hill Bend a few times, and eventually ended up 10th while Tremolada was gapped by the group late on but kept out of trouble to finish 13th.

Race result (21 laps)