Photos: Ida Wood
Formula Scout has gone through the Walter Hayes Trophy entry list to find out who’s likely to shine this weekend, and some of the stories behind the drivers and teams taking part at Silverstone
There’s little better in motorsport than a cold Silverstone in early November, according to my sources.
The Walter Hayes Trophy is back and the 24th edition has attracted a wide array of talents that include a fleet of South African stars and former Formula 1 and IndyCar driver Jan Magnussen [pictured above].
Fog limited running on one of the pre-event test days, and the weather switched between sudden cold snaps and milder conditions. There were quite a few drivers who suffered mechanical problems, all of which seemed fixable in time for the competitive action to begin on Saturday, and since each team timed with their own stopwatches it was difficult to get a picture of who was fastest.
No rain is forecast, meaning testing was representative though and the sun should be shining when the final takes place on Sunday afternoon. Past winners on the grid include Joey Foster (2003, ’04, 05 & ’22), Gavin Wills (2002) and the reigning victor, who we shall introduce below ↓
Team Dolan
#1 Chris Middlehurst ENGLAND Van Diemen LA10
2024: 2nd in FFord Festival, 24th in United FFord Walter Hayes Trophy form: 2023 winner
Immensely driven to add to his impressive FF1600 CV, Middlehurst had finished in the top five of the WHT four times prior to last year when he was finally victorious in a dramatic final where Michael Moyers – another event stalwart who had been seeking victory for many years – was eliminated in an incident and Middlehurst became the man to beat in the final laps.
Having just missed out on victory in the Formula Ford Festival two weeks ago, which was also decided in a dramatic final, Middlehurst will only have eyes on the P1 spot this weekend. A broken driveshaft in testing shouldn’t hold him back.
#26 Jason Smyth IRELAND Van Diemen JL12
2024: NI FF1600 champion, Martin Donnelly Trophy winner, 7th in United FFord WHT form: Semi-finalist in 2023
The son of 2010 FFord Kent Festival winner Neville Smyth had an experienced-building 2023, then switched his focus to winning in 2024. He too the Northern Irish FF1600 title and won the Martin Donnelly Trophy at Kirkistown, and also starred in United FFord. Smyth was rapid in each of his races at the FFord Festival, but the side-by-side battles got the better of him and denied a potential podium finish.
#32 Isaac Canto da Silva BRAZIL Van Diemen LA10
2024: 9th in United FFord, 10th in FFF WHT form: Finalist in 2023
Last year the 17-year-old was entered as an American, but will race under a Brazilian license this time. He has been utilising the expertise of 1989 Festival winner Niko Palhares recently, and shown strongly at multiple tracks this season.
#46 Mark McKenna IRELAND Crossle 35F
2024: 13th in NI FF1600, 30th in Classic FFord WHT form: Semi-finalist in 2023
Magnussen in and McKenna out at GT Motorsport, and he’s picked Team Dolan as his new home for the WHT. He took his personal best result last year, but it will be difficult to make it as far again in such an old car.
#56 Jonathan Kotyk USA Van Diemen RF01
2024: 8th in SCCA National Runoffs – Formula F, 21st in FFF WHT form: 6th in 2017
Kotyk was in contention for fifth place in 2023 before spinning, resulting in a 21st place finish. He first contested the WHT as a Team USA scholar in 2017, which led to a far better end position. Between those two outings, he was victorious in the SCCA’s National Runoff for F1600 cars in 2018, ’19, ’21 and ’22 as well as winning the 2019 F1600 Championship Series at home.
#127 Stephen O’Connor IRELAND Van Diemen RF90
2024: 3rd in NI FF1600, 6th in Martin Donnelly Trophy, 29th in United FFord, Last Chance Race in FFF
Driving the same car as in Northern Ireland, where he came third in the standings, O’Connor
KMR Sport
#27 Jacob Tofts ENGLAND Spectrum 011C
2024: Porsche Sprint Challenge GB champion – RS Am WHT form: Semi-finalist in 2023
Tofts starred in United FFord in 2023, becoming championship runner-up in his maiden season of real-world racing action. His WHT ended with a clash on the last lap of the semi-final, and he’s confident of making the final this time. The son of Neil is a multiple Esports champion, and has made a name for himself in sportscars this year by becoming a Porsche champion.
#40 Andrew Rackstraw SOUTH AFRICA Spectrum 011C
2024: 6th in United FFord, 15th in CCRC FF1600 WHT form: 3rd in 2023
Rackstraw rocked up to some United FFord events this year and was instantly on the pace, winning three races at Brands Hatch. The undulating track is very different to Silverstone, but he has already proven his pace here too.
#68 Klayden Cole Ensor-Smith SOUTH AFRICA Spectrum 011C
2024: 2nd in SA F1600
Better known as KC, this rising talent has been doing plenty of winning in South Africa over the last few years. He was national champion on Rotax Junior karts in 2022, won the Rotax Senior title in 2023 then stepped up to single-seaters and was championship runner-up in the Ford-powered but winged F1600 cars that sit above Formula Vee in the country’s racing ladder.
KMR Sport’s driver line-up
#69 Mikel Bezuidenhout SOUTH AFRICA Spectrum 011C
2024: 8th in SA F1600, 16th in Rotax Max Challenge SA – Rotax Snr
Bezuidenhout has combined karting and cars this year, doing multiple campaigns in the former and the national F1600 championship in the latter as he builds experience. That has resulted in the reward of a WHT outing, which will be a big learning curve.
#72 Andrew Schofield SOUTH AFRICA Reynard 89FF
2024: 7th in SA Touring Cars WHT form: Semi-finalist in 2021, ’22 & ’23
The instigator of the programme bringing his countrymen to race in the UK, Schofield has plentiful experience over the years at home and abroad in FF1600 cars, with this chassis being the one he inherited from his dad.
#92 Michael Eastwell ENGLAND Spectrum 011C
WHT form: 2nd in 2022 & ’23
Another event regular who has repeatedly been a victory contender but never quite reached that goal, the Australia-based Eastwell has been busy this year doing wildlife photography and is currently working on a book focused on Tasmanian Devils.
#171 Julian Van der Watt SOUTH AFRICA Mygale SJ01
2024: 3rd in SA Touring Cars WHT form: 11th in 2019 & ’22
A frequent visitor to Silverstone in Novembers through the KMR-partnered South African single-seater scheme, Van der Watt had a roller-coaster 2023 as a high-speed crash broke his body in multiple places and caused a collapsed lung. But he bounced back, returning to walking, cycling and then racing. Touring cars is his main on-track home so that is where he bas been busy in the one-and-a-half years since, but he also made the WHT final last year and plans to do so again this weekend.
Van der Watt holding off FF1600 stars to win a heat in 2022
#172 Robert Wolk SOUTH AFRICA Mygale SJ01
2024: SA Touring Cars champion WHT form: 8th in 2022
Wolk has come eighth and 11th in the WHT the last two years, and is in stronger form than ever having claimed a fourth successive South African Touring Cars title recently.
B-M Racing
#6 Michael Fitzgerald IRELAND Medina Sport BH23
2024: Semi-finalist in FFF
Not to be confused with racing drivers of the same name, Fitzgerald is in fact the creator of the Star Wars fan film ‘Stormtroopers’ and will be recognised by Game of Thrones fans as a Glover general in season six. He raced FFord cars in Australia almost a decade ago, and was charmed into racing here by team manager Andy Brickles and his team-mates. At the Festival he made it to the semi-finals, and has a striking green helmet this weekend.
#8 Nigel Dolan IRELAND Van Diemen JL12K
2024: 16th in United FFord, 23rd in CCRC FF1600 WHT form: Semi-finalist in 2021 & ’22
Dolan used to race as a privateer, but also knows B-M well and drove for them early this year in United FFord’s Silverstone season opener. That outing resulted in a sixth place finish.
#12 Drew Cameron ENGLAND Medina Mk2
2024: 16th in FFF, 37th in United FFord WHT form: Semi-finalist in 2022 & ’23
Cameron was a karter in the early 1990s, then in the 2000s embarked on a sportscar career before spending five years in FF2000. He later made his FF1600 debut in 2022. His father’s best friend designed the Vector TF94 that swept the FFord scene in 1994, and Cameron spent most of his FFord career being run by FF1600 stalwart Colin Gigner.
#15 David McArthur ENGLAND Medina Sport BH19
2024: 9th in FFF, 24th in United FFord WHT form: 13th in 2015
The team co-founder kept out of trouble and was rewarded with ninth place in the FFord Festival two weeks ago. That result was earned from 26th on the grid, as he had to make his way through the progression and last chance races. He finished those in fourth and second, so if things go wrong on Saturday at Silverstone he’s already proven he can climb up through the order to recover ground quickly.
#45 Rory Smith ENGLAND/AUSTRALIA Medina Sport JL18
2024: 2nd in CCRC FF1600, 6th in FFF WHT form: 7th in 2022
The focus of Smith’s FF1600 running this year was in Castle Combe’s championship. He cited its competitive fights at the front between circuit specialists as the inspiration for joining the series, and also felt the circuit was good preparation for Silverstone’s National layout. He may well be right given the success of the CCRC FF1600 stars at the WHT over the years.
Smith also had a crazy FFord Festival in which he took pole for his heat, but failed to start it and then had to come from the back of the grid in the progression and last chance races. He won both, and gained 19 places to finish sixth in the final. On fine form.
#117 Tom McArthur ENGLAND Medina Sport BH20
2024: 16th in CCRC FF1600, 17th in United FFord, 5th in Classic FFord WHT form: 10th in 2018
McArthur drove a Van Diemen RF90 with Simon Hadfield Motorsport at the FFord Festival, but has switched to modern machinery for an event which he has a top-10 finish in.
Wayne Poole Racing
Josh Fisher celeberating in 2023
#44 Sam Mitchell ENGLAND Merlyn Mk20A
2024: 10th in CCRC FF1600 WHT form: Semi-finalist in 2023
The Combe regular remains committed to his historic car, which propelled him to the WHT semi-finals in 2023 and a strong championship position in CCRC FF1600 this season.
#80 James Colborn ENGLAND Van Diemen RF07
2024: 28th in CCRC FF1600 WHT form: Semi-finalist in 2021, ’22 & ’23
Colborn only contested the CCRC FF1600 season opener, so is not as fresh as his rivals but he has consistent form of making the semi-finals so probably will do so again by keeping his nose clean.
#81 Josh Fisher ENGLAND Van Diemen RF99
2024: 20th in CCRC FF1600 WHT form: 2nd in 2008, ’16 & ’17
Fisher is normally one of the drivers you know is going to contend for victory, but he too did only the first CCRC FF1600 round so could enter this weekend on the back foot. However being on the back foot was how he entered the 2023 WHT final, and he put on a stellar display.
A penalty cost him his semi-final win, then when that was doubled he ended up occupying 24th place on the final grid. He charged up to 12th place before red flags stopped the race, then continued to breeze through the order until he took the lead with a remarkable move. Following a safety car period he had four laps to get that elusive first win, but after a lot of battling finished fourth.
#82 Alex Walker ENGLAND Van Diemen RF01
2024: 3rd in CCRC FF1600, 8th in British GT4
Photo: Jakob Ebrey Photography
Still only 21, Walker has had some ups and downs since debuting in single-seaters back in 2019. He came 14th in British Formula 4 that year, then switched to FF1600. He took a Champion of Donington win in 2021 and as the year went on became ever more impressive. He claimed eight National FF1600 wins and led the points going into the finale before two contentious clashes cost him the title and led to him leaving the category.
For 2022 he returned to F4 via the more affordable GB4, and in a half-season won three times and came eighth in the standings. Last year he added racing with a roof over his head to his tally of experience, coming 15th in BMW M2 Cup Germany in 2023 and then eighth in British GT4 in 2024. The WHT will be a new challenge, but treat Walker as a dark horse following his race-winning CCRC FF1600 campaign.
#83 Benn Simms ENGLAND Merlyn Mk20
2024: Classic FFord champion, 9th in Historic FFord WHT form: Heats in 2017
Simms has a very long history in FFord, winning the category’s Historic title in Britain in 1998, 2011 and 2014. He was runner-up last year, and still performing strongly in the latest season alongside winning the Classic FFord title.
#85 Benn Tilley ENGLAND Van Diemen RF89
2024: 12th in Historic FFord, 22nd in United FFord WHT form: Semi-finalist in 2021
Tilley has driven a variety of cars for different teams recently, and has settled on a Van Diemen RF89. It’s an older car that is capable of beating newer machinery when weather conditions go in its favour.
Souley Motorsport
#13 William Liston AUSTRALIA Van Diemen RF88
2024: 1x2nd in Heroes of FF1600 Sprint Cup, 21st in CCRC FF1600, 37th in United FFord, =39th in Classic FFord
Liston was New South Wales FF1600 runner-up, and top historic car, last year and is part of the Anglo-Australian two-way path established by the Davison family’s Ecurie Astralie operation which has been active since the 1950s. This year Liston has been on the British racing scene, including overall podiums in the Heroes of FF1600 Sprint Cup.
#17 Peter Lucas AUSTRALIA Van Diemen RF88
2024: 32nd in CCRC FF1600, Semi-finalist in FFF WHT form: Semi-finalist in 2021 & ’22
#41 Kieran Attwood ENGLAND Ray GR07
WHT form: 24th in 2021
#123 Nathan Ward ENGLAND Swift SC92F
2024: 5th in CCRC FF1600 WHT form: 18th in 2010
Ward came fifth overall in Castle Combe’s FF1600 championship this season and was unbeaten as the top class B car. He has form of making the WHT final in an older car, coming 30th overall in his last outing back in 2021.
#59 Chris Acton ENGLAND Ray GR08
2024: 11th in CCRC FF1600 WHT form: 20th in 2023
TM Racing
#7 Felix Fisher ENGLAND Ray GR05
2024: CCRC FF1600 champion WHT form: 3rd in 2009
Fisher romped to the CCRC FF1600 title in 2023, and pretty much did the same in 2024 when it came to points scored. But he only won one race, and having completed the full season he also had a large sum of 52 points in dropped scores, meaning he was only crowned champion by three rather than 55 points.
#28 Tom Hawkins ENGLAND Van Diemen RF90
2024: SC FF1600 champion – Pre-’99 class, 7th in CCRC FF1600, 20th in FFF WHT: 19th in 2023
One of many family units that compete at Combe, Tom beat Bob in the battle to be seventh in the CCRC FF1600 standings. He also won the Super Classic FF1600 title in the top Pre-’99 class, and took his personal best WHT result last year.
#91 Bob Hawkins ENGLAND Ray GR10
2024: 8th in CCRC FF1600, Last Chance Race in FFF WHT form: Last Chance Race in 2021 & ’23
The father of Tom took a 33-year break from FFord before returning to competition in 2020, and two weeks ago he was only three positions off making it into the FFord Festival final.
Neil Fowler Motorsport
#18 Ben Tinkler ENGLAND Lola T200
WHT form: 22nd in 2017
Although he is used to older cars, this is Tinkler’s first outing in this Lola model.
Joey Foster and Cameron Jackson
#93 Jake Shortland ENGLAND Lola T440
2024: 2nd in SC FF1600 – Pre-’82 class, 32nd in Classic FFord WHT form: Semi-finalist in 2022 & ’23
Shortland was third in the race for pre-1982 cars at the 2023 WHT (the Carl Hamer Trophy), was second in Super Classic FF1600’s pre-’82 class following that, so maybe top honours is due this weekend?
#139 Cameron Jackson ENGLAND Van Diemen RF90
2024: 1 win in Heroes of FF1600 Sprint Cup, 35th in Historic FFord WHT form: Finalist in 2017
Decked in a Walter Lechner Racing School livery with Mercedes details too, the three-time Historic FFord champion has one of the most recognisable cars on track. He made a Historic FFord outing at the start of 2024 in a far older car, then won the first Heroes of FF1600 Sprint Cup race at Thruxton in this car to warm up for the WHT and was third in the follow-up.
#157 Jeremy Caine ENGLAND Lola T200
WHT form: Last Chance Race in 2023
Swift Cooper
#22 Luke Cooper ENGLAND Swift SC20
2024: 3rd in FFF, 4th in CCRC FF1600 WHT form: 6th in 2018
Cooper lost out on the CCRC FF1600 title two years in a row, and was in contention once again for 2024 but came out worse in the super close fight at the front. Once dropped scores was taken into account, he was only 14 points off the top, having been four short of the champion in 2023. At the FFord Festival he was in the top three of all of his sessions.
#118 Rob Hall ENGLAND Swift 2011
2024: 9th in CCRC FF1600, finalist in FFF WHT form: 2nd in 2014
Hall drives a 13-year-old chassis which has been upgraded in a few areas. This year he has gained mileage in Swift Cooper’s home CCRC FF1600 championship. Last time he was at the WHT he came 23rd, but back in 2016 he was fifth, in 2011 he was fourth and in 2014 he was beaten to victory by only 0.383 seconds.
#169 Alan Slater ENGLAND Nike Mk4
2024: Semi-finalist in FFF WHT form: Progression race in 2022 & ’23
Ammonite Motorsport
#42 Hugh Esterson USA Ray GR18
2024: 4th in FFF, NC in United FFord WHT form: Finalist in 2023
The older brother of 2022 Festival winner Max came fifth in the F1600 Championship Series in 2021 as a rookie and third the year with three wins, but in 2023 only did one round. He was a finalist at last year’s WHT, and returned to Brands Hatch in a United FFord cameo this summer before putting in a scintillating performance at the FFord Festival where he deservedly finished fourth.
#90 Anthony Amato ENGLAND Ray GR18
2024: Finalist in FFF
Another driver better known for karting rather than cars, and with a top team that can help him progress through the event. That was evident at the FFord Festival, where he made it all the way to the final.
Enigma Motorsport
#24 Alex Fores ENGLAND Van Diemen RF80
WHT form: Finalist in 2021
Fores’ last WHT appearance was in 2021, after racing higher up the single-seater ladder in GB3. He also had success in MotorSport Vision’s Formula 3 Cup, but hasn’t been as busy recently.
#51 Joseph Ahrens ENGLAND Royale RP26
2024: 1x3rd in Heroes of FF1600 Sprint Cup WHT form: Semi-finalist in 2021, Carl Hamer Trophy winner in ’23
GT Motorsport
#4 Craig Currie ENGLAND Crossle 30F
WHT form: Heats in 2022
Currie comes from sidecar racing, having competed in some of the biggest international competitions and even entering the Isle of Man TT. He has done a few FF1600 events to warm up for the WHT.
#23 Jan Magnussen DENMARK Van Diemen RF78
Magnussen is usually a busy man in the cockpit, but this year he scaled back his track time to take on a role at American team MDK Motorsports and support its endeavours in various series. Before 2024, he had basically raced everything and was fourth in TCR Denmark last year.
Magnussen in 2021
This will mark the second time in recent years that the 51-year-old has been attracted back to FF1600, having contested the 2021 FFord Festival and finished 11th in a modern car from 24th on the grid.
For the WHT, he has joined Mike Gardner’s team to drive a newly prepared Van Diemen RF78 decked in the same Duckhams livery that adorned his winning car from the 1992 FFord Festival. That year he was also British FFord runner-up.
After his original graduation from FF1600, Magnussen dominated British F3 then was picked up by Mercedes-AMG to race in the DTM and for its F1 customer team McLaren. His 24-race F1 career only featured one points finish, and there were two top-10 results from his 11-race run in IndyCar which was also predominantly done with Mercedes power.
His final IndyCar outing in 1999 marked his last single-seater race prior to his FF1600 comeback at Brands Hatch three years ago. Magnussen established himself in sportscars in the 2000s, becoming a four-time Le Mans 24 Hours class winner as well as winning the Daytona 24 Hours and two IMSA titles in the GTLM class.
Oldfield Motorsport
#182 Ben Cox ENGLAND Van Diemen JL13
2024: 4th in United FFord WHT form: 15th in 2023
The third-year FFord driver came fourth in United FFord with Oldfield this year, and will want to not only continue his momentum from that campaign but also his team’s since it won the FFord Festival with Josh Smith.
#188 Nigel Thompson ENGLAND Van Diemen RF88
WHT form: 27th in 2011
Pirate M-Sports
#3 Joey Foster ENGLAND Firman RFR21
2024: Finalist in FFF WHT: 2003, ’04, ’05 & ’22 winner
Although Don Hardman is not retiring, the Pirate M-Sports operation exists as a way for Foster to continue running Firmans past the day Hardman does have a break. And Foster, the benchmark man at the WHT, will really want to win this weekend.
The FFord Festival a fortnight ago marked an expansion from regional karting for Foster’s teamt which takes its name from Cornwall’s naval history. Pre-event testing was Foster’s first time back in action since 2023, having had to take time out of the driver’s seat through much of this year. In that time he donated a kidney, a loss of weight which actually meant he had to bolt lead onto the car to keep it within the rules.
His return to the cockpit was fast, although he frustrated some of his rivals on-track as he started seventh and finished fourth in heat two, came 11th in semi-final one as some squabbling sent him into the gravel and then the same thing happened in the final as he went to take the lead from Josh Smith. The move by Smith was within the rules, but very contentious, and a few hours later Lando Norris and Max Verstappen had a fight at the United States Grand Prix with some similarities. More analysis to come.
#79 Leanne McShane ENGLAND Firman RFR21
2024: Finalist in FFF WHT form: Semi-finalist in 2019, ’20 & ’23
McShane attended a kart race in 2023 and Foster recommended jumping in one of his senior class karts. Since then she has competed in the local series, and with past FF1600 experience it made sense to then join Foster’s outfit. The Firman is a long car, but that gives it a neutral balance compared to its more oversteer-happy rivals and therefore requires a different driving style. It is also very suited to Silverstone.
PWR1 Racing
#59 Jason Pribyl USA Ray GR20
2024: 2nd in United FFord, 19th in FFF
Pribyl had an excellent season in United FFord, and won when the series headed to the Lydden Hill track better known for rallycross. In 2023 he came second in the SCCA’s Northern Conference for third-generation Spec Racer Ford prototype sportscars and was one of the losing finalists for the Team USA Scholarship.
#99 Connor Willis USA Ray GR24
2024: 14th in United FFord
Willis has primarily karters through his career, and began in cars two years ago with a campaign racing Mazdas at home in the USA. He won an award with his results there, then entered an endurance race as well as starting to test in single-seaters. In summer 2023 he hooked up with Ammonite Motorsport team, a UK-based FF1600 team with plenty of American links, and did an F1600 Championship Series round.
This year he was able to race in the UK, and came 14th in a United FFord campaign with Ammonite. He switches teams for this weekend, and is equipped with the newest Ray chassis you can get.
Speedsport
#25 Matt Smith ENGLAND Reynard 84FF
2024: 10th in SC FF1600 – Pre-’90 class, 42nd in United FFord
Smith, not to be confused with the man who played the Eleventh Doctor, built the Formula 3 car that won this year’s Derek Bell Cup at the Goodwood Members Meeting.
#97 Melly Zhang JAMAICA/USA Merlyn Mk20
2024: Progression race in FFF
FF1600 fans will recognise the Merlyn from Ed Thurston’s exploits, and there is now a far less experienced driver in it.
Zhang did arrive-and-drive karting before making her car racing debut in a GT Cup round at Donington Park last year. She then entered the 2024 FFord Festival, racing under a Chinese license but going for an American identity. She was trying to get track time and signatures on her license so she could join BlackArts Racing for a Chinese F4 round next year, but the signatures aspect was probably not a success in a very tough weekend.
Beastworx
#111 Adam Higgins ENGLAND Van Diemen JL15
WHT form: 7th in 2023
Higgins, a CCRC FF1600 title winner, set up the Beastworx company to prepare cars and now it is a racing team running himself and his brother Richard. Prior to his great result last year, his best WHT finishing position had been 20th.
Don Hardman Racing
#2 Rick Morris ENGLAND Royale RP29
2024: 3rd in Classic FFord, Last Chance Race in FFF WHT form: 24th in 2018
As hungry as ever to race, Morris may be in a very old car but he can still take it places including into the final. Like his team boss Don, he refuses to retire from competition and is one of the most experienced names in the category. Recently he’s even been racing in South Africa and was little over a second away from making it into the FFord Festival final.
HTT Motorsport
#215 Adrien Laissac FRANCE Van Diemen RF81
2024: Historique FFord WHT form: Semi-finalist in 2022
Laissac drove a modern car for Team Dolan back in 2022, but is more regularly seen in and preparing historic cars. He raced in the version of the Pau Grand Prix for older machinery back in 2022, coming fourth in the FFord race, and has starred at Nogaro this year in his current vehicle.
John’s Racing Team
#96 Pascal Monbaron SWITZERLAND Ray GR19
2024: 22nd in United FFord, Semi-finalist in FFF WHT form: 21st in 2020
Luke McShane Racing
#55 Luke McShane ENGLAND Crossle 45F
WHT form: Last Chance Race in 2021
Mann Motorsport
#20 Charlie Mann ENGLAND Ray GR20
2024: 3rd in United FFord, Finalist in FFF WHT form: 9th in 2023
Gavin Ray, the man behind the Ray cars that populate FF1600 grids, has been helping Mann get faster and faster this year after he starred to come ninth in last year’s edition of the WHT. He was on course for a top-10 result at the FFord Festival, and will aim to do the same here.
Martin Stretton Racing
#472 Dominic Sheppard ENGLAND Van Diemen RF89
2024: 3rd in United FFord, Finalist in FFF WHT form: 9th in 2023
The team and Shepphard family have a long history of racing historic cars abroad, including competing at Circuit de la Sarthe and running F1 machinery.
Midland Classic Restorations
#88 Richard Tarling ENGLAND Reynard 89FF
2024: 2 wins in Heroes of FF1600 Sprint Cup, 11th in SC FF1600 – Pre-’90 class WHT form: 22nd in 2014
Nemesis Racing
#33 Cal Bennett ENGLAND Reynard 89FF
2024: 9th in Classic FFord
Bennett has been racing for a year, mostly on British tracks, and is driving for a team that single-seater anoraks will recognise. Nemesis now mostly runs historic F3 cars and builds engines, but in the past it raced in Formula Vauxhall Lotus and ran future F1 driver Narain Karthikeyan to a victory at Donington Park in the 1997 season. Sebastian Vettel has even driven a car the team helped to rebuild.
Nigel Grant Motorsport
#43 Callum Grant ENGLAND Van Diemen RF91
2024: 1 win in Heroes of FF1600 Sprint Cup, 7th in Historic FFord, 17th in Classic FFord WHT form: 15th in 2018
SamS Motorsport
#71 Sam Street ENGLAND Swift SC92
2024: Semi-finalist in FFF, 22nd in CCRC FF1600 WHT form: 20th in 2022
Following the 2022 Festival, Street switched from Aston Martin to F1 rival Williams… as an aerodynamics design engineer.
He’s now a senior aerodynamics engineer, a useful job for racing cars that have no wings, and this is a privateer operation in all but name. The SamS Motorsport crew have form for bringing a toaster along to race events.
Sema Racing
#21 Alex Ames ENGLAND Van Diemen RF90
2024: 7th in SC FF1600 – Pre-’99 class, NC in United FFord, Semi-finalist in FFF
Ames is almost always seen at the WHT, racing in a striking Camel livery reminiscent of the ones used in F1.
Shaws Motorsport
#131 Andy Gosling ENGLAND Van Diemen RF79
2024: 2nd in Classic FFord
The team downscales from five cars at the FFord Festival to one at the WHT, and this Van Diemen has a funky blue livery with pink and yellow stripes. It was purchased in this condition, and got those stripes as apparently they were the favourite colours of the previous owner’s granddaughters.
Simon Hadfield Motorsport
#29 James Hadfield ENGLAND Medina Mk2
WHT form: 26th in 2021
The son of Simon spent most of his racing career in historics before jumping into modern FF1600 machinery back in 2019, then progressing with each outing he made. It was a last-minute decision for him to get in the Medina, which was driven by two-time WHT winner Michael Moyers last year, as there were supposed to be drivers coming from sportscars to join the team but they pulled out.
Smiths Precision
#47 Darwin Smith IRELAND Van Diemen RF90
2024: 34th in United FFord, finalist in FFF WHT form: Semi-finalist in 2021
In addition to appearing in United FFord, Smith has also raced at Magny-Cours and Zandvoort this year.
Team Fox Racing
#154 Lewis Fox ENGLAND Ray GR14
2024: 13th in United FFord WHT form: 17th in 2021
Lewis and Dan Fox (the team manager) have a busy weekend on their hands running cars F3 cars in the Monoposto races running alongside the WHT.
Vertical Racing
#57 Ian Campbell IRELAND Ray GR08
2024: 7th in NI FF1600 WHT form: 11th in 2020
Privateers
#5 Neil Hose SCOTLAND Merlyn Mk20A
2024: 9th in Historic FFord, 13th in Classic FFord
#9 Matthew Wrigley ENGLAND Merlyn Mk11A/20
2024: Historic F1, 14th in Historic FFord, 10th in Classic FFord WHT form: Semi-finalist in 2021, ’22 & ’23
#11 Ben Miloudi ENGLAND Van Diemen RF01
WHT form: Semi-finalist in 2022
#14 Neil Hunt ENGLAND Mondiale M92S
2024: 4th in SC FF1600 – Pre-’99 class WHT form: Last Chance Race in 2019, ’22 & ’23
#31 Robert Wainwright ENGLAND Mondiale M90S
WHT form: Semi-finalist in 2021 & ’22
#48 Tim Fitzgerald ENGLAND Van Diemen RF89
2024: 12th in Heritage FFord, Progression race in FFF WHT form: Progression race in 2022
#58 Gavin Buckley IRELAND Mondiale M88S
#67 Gavin Wills ENGLAND Van Diemen RF00
2024: Last Chance Race in FFF WHT form: 2002 winner
The co-owner of former Euroformula and FIA European F3 outfit Team West-Tec has form in the cockpit as well as out of it, as he came third in CCRC FF1600 back in 2019 and won the Kent class of the FFord Festival back in 1994. Oldfield is providing technical support to his entry this weekend.
#84 Gaius Ghinn ENGLAND Van Diemen RF91
2024: 40th in United FFord, Progression race in FFF WHT form: Semi-finalist in 2021 & ’22
#143 Jaap Blijleven THE NETHERLANDS Reynard 89FF
2024: 7th in SC FF1600 – Pre-’90 class WHT form: 17th in 2020
#148 David Parks IRELAND Reynard 89FF
2024: 8th in NI FF1600
#177 Peter Hannam ENGLAND Nike Mk6
2024: 28th in Historic FFord, 29th in CCRC FF1600, 40th in Classic FFord WHT form: Last Chance Race in 2023
#189 Tom Nippers WALES Van Diemen RF01
2024: 5th in United FFord, 8th in FFF FFF: 10th in 2023
One of the big stars of the United FFord season in a self-run car, Nippers was the only privateer to make this year’s FFord Festival final and has been rapid on a variety of different circuits through 2024. It will be interesting to see if he can get involved with the expected victory contenders in each of his races at Silverstone – a track he is inexperienced on compared to other venues.
#190 Henry Campbell IRELAND Reynard 89FF
2024: 9th in NI FF1600 WHT form: Semi-finalist in 2020 & ’23
#271 John Hayes-Harlow ENGLAND Swift SC94
WHT form: Progression race in 2017
Car and driver were fresh out of the box in testing, although some serious mechanical trouble undid their Friday, as Hayes-Harlow returned to the cockpit. He was racing FFord cars back in the 1970s, and the septuagenarian spent most of the 1980s in the IMSA GT championship.