Historic Formula Ford is part of the HSCC programme and their second race at the Finals weekend at Silverstone produced one of the races of the year.

From an initial group of around a dozen cars in the early laps it came down to a battle between the top four – Cam Jackson, Linton Stuteley, Ed Thurston and Pierre Livingston – with places swapped lap by lap. The winning margin was 0.007 seconds.

I’d set up at Luffield with my big step and monopod to shoot over the fence from the terracing. The new – extra tall – monopod is proving a boon when trying to balance the camera, long zoom lens and me on the step. It’s a 3leggedthing Trent and works well.

A week later, it was an early start and a trip over the Dartford Bridge to Brands Hatch for the Formula Ford Festival. This has run for many years and previous winners include the great and the good of motorsport (and there’s a few “I’d have won if only …” tales too). 

For the first time at Brands, I headed to Clearways where there is an area with no high fence and a good view back to Surtees and McLaren.

There’s also a window in the fence near a TV position which gives a really great shot as the cars come through Clearways.

Having watched the Semi Finals at Clearways, I drove round to Druids – this is possible at most meetings at Brands. You can park just back from Druids or on South Bank overlooking the track. 

As the sun drops in the autumn sky it goes behind the trees so Druids eventually ends up in shadow. A little post production may be required to lift the darkness. The bonus is that you can stand on the inside of Druids with no fences in the way.

During the race, I moved further round Druids to get the shot of the cars came through the corner. Jonathan Browne here well on the way to the win.

For the third event, it was the familiar and shorter drive to Silverstone for the Walter Hayes Trophy; another feast of Formula Ford action. 

The Heats set the grids for the Semi Finals on Sunday. However, if competitors had problems in the Heats there are both the Progression and Last Chance races – like the repecharge in track cycling. It was still damp and cool at 9am as the Progression race got underway.

I was at Copse for this race with the big step and monopod to shoot over the fence. Pre-event favourites Joey Foster and Michael Moyers, both previous WHT winners, had to fight from the back of the grid. 

For the Last Chance race, I headed to the tight right at Becketts where the National Circuit turns on to the Wellington Straight. Again, using the step to get above the fence gives a view of the run from Copse to Maggotts.

There’s a panning shot as the cars brake for Becketts – four-wide !

Walking along the spectator bank towards Becketts as far as you can allows for a really different shot from Silverstone as the track crosses the link road between the two Paddocks. 

After taking the chance to pop back to the Paddock Café for a coffee during the statutory church break, it was time for the Semi Finals – for which I returned to Becketts. 

Scott Huffaker impressed even more winning his Semi Final.

In the second Semi Final there were battles up and down the grid. Foster and Moyers again starred finishing 8th and 5th respectively from their start positions on the 13th row of the grid of their Semi Final.

The Grand Final was the last race of the day – under blues skies and sunshine – a welcome change ! I headed back to Luffield to say a quick hello to my fellow PistonClick shooters. 

Whilst Foster and Moyers were grabbing attention with their moves through the field, Jordan Dempsey who had won his Heat and Semi Final made the break and gradually pulled away for the victory. The rest of the field battled for second.

Moyers and Foster worked their way through the field until Foster was thwarted after clashing with Rory Smith.

Moyers, meanwhile, worked his way through the field, grabbing second from Huffaker just before the flag.

Of course, there was the close competition up and down the field that only Formula Ford can offer.

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