National Formula Ford’s £20,000 GB4 shoot-out confirmed for Snetterton

The £20,000 prize GB4 shoot-out for the three leading teenage drivers in this year’s Avon Tyres National Formula Ford Championship will take place at Snetterton on Tuesday 18 October.

The three contenders are confirmed as being Colin Queen, Lucas Romanek and Brandon McCaughan following the conclusion of the National Formula Ford season at Donington Park last weekend (24-25 September). The trio will drive Fortec Motorsport GB4 cars during the shoot-out, which will take place on the Norfolk venue’s full 300 circuit. 

Each driver will have use of his own Tatuus F4-T014 car for the assessment, so all will be driving with the same track conditions, regardless of weather. The partnership with Fortec ensures that all three participants will receive technical support and advice from one of Europe’s most respected single-seater teams. 

The winner of the shoot-out will be revealed three days later at Brands Hatch on the Friday of the BRSCC Formula Ford Festival (21 October), and receive the £20,000 prize provided by series organiser MSV towards a 2023 campaign in GB4. Fortec currently leads the GB4 Drivers’ Championship with Nikolas Taylor, who has won nine races in his first season of racing.


 

MSV Chief Executive Jonathan Palmer said: “The BRSCC’s Avon Tyres National FF1600 championship continues to be one of the most legendary championships in national single seater racing and can provide an affordable first step for many drivers. For nearly 25 years I have enjoyed helping potential future F1 stars develop and progress their careers and MSV’s GB3 and GB4 championships are focussed on providing the most cost effective route to FIA F3. I still think fondly of my three years of Formula Ford and am pleased to give the most deserving driver from this 2022 championship a major boost to progress to GB4, where I am sure they will shine in their first season with wings and slicks.

“Fortec has been responsible for nurturing so many leading motorsport talents, and have huge experience assessing drivers and identifying their potential. The team will provide us with accurate feedback on each driver so we can collectively determine the winner, who should have the ability to challenge at the front of the GB4 grid next year.”

Fortec Motorsport Team Principal Richard Dutton said: “We’re looking forward to running Colin, Lucas and Brandon at Snetterton, and seeing how they develop during the day. They’ll find that an aero car such as the GB4 car will require a rather different driving style compared to the Formula Fords they are accustomed to, and will need to be able to adapt to their new environment as they demonstrate developing pace with consistency and good feedback throughout the test.

“Snetterton is a venue we know very well, so we will be able to compare the drivers with those that have raced with us over the years, and the combination of low, medium and high speed corners will allow us to see who has the best all-round ability. It’s also a nice opportunity for us to have a look at the current driver level in Formula Ford, as we ponder our line-ups for 2023.”

BRSCC Chairman Peter Daly said: “Following the running of the 50th Formula Ford Festival Final which produced an incredibly close and competitive race, Jonathan Palmer and I discussed what we could do to encourage more drivers into single seater race cars. “2022 has been a good year for domestic single seater racing with National Formula Ford, GB4 and GB3 all providing a ladder of opportunities for high quality and competitive single seater racing.

“The National Formula Ford championship, probably one of the oldest in the world, delivers very close racing, an excellent training ground supported by professional teams with modern chassis. We are keen to continue to offer that early training ground for potential professional drivers. Looking at the GB4 and GB3 race results from this season we see many Formula Ford stars who have been able to deliver good results that will help them towards their FIA F3 goals and beyond.

“We are very grateful for Jonathan’s continued keen interest in single seater championships and the contribution made by MSV and Fortec in putting this potential career changing opportunity together.”

For more championship information, visit www.gb-4.net