Photo: Jakob Ebrey Photography
BRSCC National Formula Ford 1600’s 2018 champion Niall Murray will return to the series for this weekend’s Snetterton season finale in a 2021-spec Van Diemen car.
While there have been no new Van Diemen FF1600 models in a decade, development has continued on previous cars from the brand and Team Dolan’s work on its title-winning Van Diemen RF99 has resulted in the BD21 car.
The updated machine was debuted in Champion of Brands FF1600 last month with Murray at the wheel, and he won both races of that weekend. His Snetterton entry is further preparation for racing the car in the FFord Festival on October 30/31.
Murray will join Dolan’s usual trio of drivers this weekend, while Low Dempsey Racing has also expanded its line-up at Snetterton by adding Andre Castro.
USF2000 racer Castro has earned his seat at the team by being one of two recipients, along with LDR team-mate Max Esterson, of the 2021 Team USA Scholarship.
They will both contest the Festival at Brands Hatch, as well as the Walter Hayes Trophy at Silverstone on November 6/7.
PWR1 Racing will be present at Snetterton with two cars for debutant Jeremy Fairbairn and FFord veteran Adam Quartermaine.
Fairbairn, 17, won the USA SuperNationals in X30 Junior karts in 2018, then spent a year in senior karting before graduating to single-seaters in Formula 4 last year. He came second in the YACademy Winter Series, then 14th in a part-season in United States F4 after dropping out mid-season and hasn’t raced since.
Kevin Mills Racing’s Alex Walker goes into this weekend’s finale leading the title race, chased by Esterson and Dolan’s Chris Middlehurst.