Dear all,

After a cold, but dry weekend at Silverstone, we have a new Classic Formula 3 Champion in Max Bartell, but all congratulations go to Paul Dibden, who not only competed in all the CF3 races this season, but ran Max a close second for the Championship. In fact, it wasn’t until the penultimate round at Brands Hatch that Max overtook Paul for the lead in the title race. Congratulations to you both for a fine Championship campaign.

Since my last report, after the Brands Hatch Superprix weekend, we have been to Oulton Park for the Gold Cup meeting, have done a double header with the FF2000 and CRC on the Brands Hatch Indy circuit and this past weekend, the Silverstone Finals. I will report on each of those meetings.

Oulton Park Gold Cup

We had a poor entry for this meeting, only 9 Formula 3 cars, added to 7 URS 2000 to make up a field of 15 for race 1. The total number of runners for race 2 increased to 21, with the addition of 6 classic racing cars. Max Bartell headed the Classic Formula 3 racers in qualifying, but was pipped by Ian Pearson in the FF2000 Van Diemen RF83 who put in a time 4 seconds faster. Anthony Hancock out in the SDC Lola T670, in which his brother Sam did so well at Monaco, was next up ahead of Marcus Mussa, returning to Classic Formula 3 for the first time this season. Gaius Ghinn had got his Ralt VW running again after early season engine problems, but the malady’s returned and he was unable to start race 1. Ian Pearson won from Max and Anthony Hancock, who both went considerably faster in the race and closed the gap on Ian Pearson. Race 1, as qualifying, was held in damp conditions, though the weather improved during the day and race 2 was held in the dry. It didn’t affect the ultimate outcome though, with Pearson winning from Max from Paul Dibden, who having not gone so well in the damp conditions of qualifying and race 1 was able to grab 2nd in CF3.

This meeting never seems to be very popular with CF3 runners and even though we all love the circuit, for some of us in the deep south it is a very long way home on a Bank Holiday Monday evening! If only the timetable for CF3 could be made a little bit more accommodating, I’m sure we could attract more entries.

Brands Hatch Indy

After the poor entry at Oulton Park, we were amazed to have 17 entries for the Brands Hatch Indy race. The highest number of the season, even eclipsing the Brands Hatch Super Prix, where we had 15. Along with 2 FF2000 cars and 7 Classic racing cars, we had a field of 26. The Classic racing cars only participated in our first race on the Saturday and so, with 14 CF3 cars and 2 FF2000’s the field was depleted to 16 on Sunday. Both races however, were crackers! Gaius Ghinn now having his Ralt running perfectly, grabbed pole from Max Bartell with Richard Trott 3rd and who promised he would not put his B43 in the gravel on the first lap like he did last year.

As usual, on this circuit, the leading times were all very close with only a second or so separating the first half dozen cars. Pat Gormley was a welcome return in his Safir. Timothy Lyons was out again in his Ralt RT3, having got it all working and we welcomed Andy Landgridge, who had acquired Graham Kiddy’s Dastle MK10 and was having his first outing in the 1600cc class. Chris Drake had decided to race his March 743 out, as opposed to his ex-Fennymore RT3 and was going rapidly. Gaius led race 1, hounded by Max Bartell, who eventually managed to squeeze past with a lap to go and won the race by 0.175 of a second. Paul Dibden trailed them by 3 seconds, but was right there if there was any slip up at the front. Pat Gormley, myself and Paul Dibden made up the first half dozen, having had an exciting battle for most of the 22 laps, until encountering some slower back markers towards the end of the race.

Unfortunately, a few laps were run behind the pace car, after poor Richard Smeeton got bumped up the rear on the exit of druids and ended the day, and the season unfortunately, in the barrier. Let’s hope that the damage is repairable and we can see him out again next year.

Race 2 on the Sunday was a repeat of Saturday, but this time Max lead from start to finish with Gaius chasing him home and Paul Dibden, once again, a second or two back. Max’s two wins pushed him ahead of Paul Dibden, going into the last round at Silverstone by 14 points. What a glorious weekend, the late September weather was hot, ideal racing conditions, so everyone had a most enjoyable weekend. If only every meeting was like this!

Silverstone Finals

After the ecstasy of a 17 car entry at Brands, we were almost overwhelmed with 21 for the Silverstone Finals. Pat Gormley, Chris Drake, Heinrich Langermann and Marcus Mussa were all unable to make the Silverstone race, so if they had could we have got 25 entries? We were joined by Ian Jacobs who usually runs in the French Series and Mark Martin who was having an outing in the ex-Ayrton Senna Ralt RT3. Iain Rowley, who was bringing out his March 783 and Keith White, who had now got his Ralt RT1 running properly with a new fuel filter. Anthony Hancock was out again in the Lola T670 and Colin Painter was giving the Oliroy an outing. Rudolph Ernst who hadn’t been with us a Brands. Andrew Thorpe, Stephen Pagram and David Pickering made up the numbers. Unfortunately, David Pickering suffered oil pressure problems in Friday testing, so had to withdraw and I had clutch problems on my Chevron B38 and also had to withdraw. Stephen Pegram, unfortunately, was a no show. Nevertheless, 18 cars took to qualifying and the race, along with 13 FF2000’s and 3 Classic Racing cars, making a grid of 34. It was quite a spectacle!

An “on form” Richard Trott pipped Ian Jacobs in qualifying and closely followed by Keith White and Max Bartell. Richard lost the lead to a flying Ian Jacobs on the Wellington Straight on the first lap and despite setting the fastest lap was not quite able to catch the Ralt RT3. Anthony Hancock pipped Keith White for the last step on the podium and Paul Dibden, having had wheel bearing problems in qualifying went well in the race and from a lowly 9th qualifying position worked his way up the field to pip Max for 5th place at the flag. Max however, had the necessary points difference to stay ahead and clinch the Championship. The race was marred by an unfortunate incident at Beckets on the first lap that left Mark Martin’s ex Senna Ralt in a sorry state having been T-boned by an errant FF2000. Hopefully it can be repaired and we look forward to seeing him out again.

Other than that, no one else managed to trip over an FF2000 and they didn’t trip over any of us, so everyone enjoyed a good race, despite a delay for some gantry repairs. It was cold, but it stayed dry and it was a suitable season finale.

Season Analysis

We saw 32 drivers our races during the course of the year and the average was 3.6 races per competitor. Special congratulations go to Paul Dibden, who did all 8 meetings, Max Bartell and Paul Smith who did 7 and Leif Bossum, Mark Hulme and Graham Kiddy who did 6.

These are the proposed dates for 2016, though I would stress that these have not been totally agreed by the HSCC yet, so are very much provisional and all those that were at Silverstone learnt that there is the prospect of a Classic Formula 3 race at the Dutch Historic Grand Prix meeting at Zandvoort, which is the last weekend in August. This also has not yet been confirmed, but things at this stage are looking positive.

May 14/15      Silverstone Int. (x2) with DBT
June 14/15      Snetterton 300 (x2) with FF2000
July 09/10      Brands Hatch Superprix with F3 Classic (French) (x2)
August 27/28/29      Dutch Historic GP (Zandvoort) (x2)
September 24/25      Brands Indy (x2) with FF2000
October 15/16      Silverstone Finals with FF2000

We had to be extremely encouraged by the 17 entries at the Brands Hatch Indy meeting and 21 at the Silverstone Finals. It indicates that we do have the cars and competitors, we just need to get you all out at more meetings. By cutting down on the number of the meetings next year and dropping Thruxton, Cadwell Park and Oulton Park, which have been meetings less well supported over the past 2 or 3 years, we might have a chance at getting much better grids for the other meetings. The only venue that we would like a race, which does not yet feature in the HSCC calendar of events, as it is proving difficult to find a date, is Donington, but we will keep you posted on what happens with that.

What we must emphasise to all our members, is the importance of getting entries in early. The more entries that the HSCC have at the time of closing, the less likely it is that we will be combined with DBT or some other category to make up the numbers in a race. As always, to be a standalone series, we need 20 plus cars racing at every meeting. We have enjoyed racing with URS2000 and they have been able to complement our numbers to give us good grids and next year we will continue that practise. I am sure you are all aware that the HSCC do not take your entry fees until after the closing date for entries at a meeting, so there is no harm in filling in the entry form and sending it back as soon as you receive it. That at least puts entries on the HSCC books and shows your possible support for the meeting.

We are not alone in this, it is an epidemic which has spread through all the other series as well, but after our fine finish to the 2015 season, let’s see if we cannot make 2016 very special. We have had some wonderful new participants this year in Gaius Ghinn, Timothy Lyons and Andy Langridge, along with returnees such as former Champions Paul Smith and Keith White. Let’s keep the momentum going.

Regards
Hugh Price
CF3 Chairman