With Donington in no fit state to open the championship this year a double header at an unfamiliar Silverstone at the end of March was the reward. Bill Coombs took pole in his usual ex David Sears Argo JM6, now sporting its period Glover Oils orange colour scheme, from a close Benn Simms March 803 and Paul Smith Martini MK31. The first start of the year resulted in the first red flag of the year when a midfield melee left Monaco bound Albert Clements Lotus 69, and FF2000 runner Derek Watling’s Royale stranded. At the restart Coombs made a better start to lead Simms and Smith over the line after a close but static battle. With Clements out nobody claimed the 1600cc spoils and Ollie Thorpe, qualifying misfire now cured, headed the invitation class for FF2000 cars. Round 2 saw Simms win the drag away from the line and lead for the first 10 laps until Coombs found a way by at Copse and held on to line to record his second win of the day from Simms. Smith held on to third despite a broken second gear ahead of a classic battle between Tom Thornton Argo JM3, Marcus Mussa Modus M1, Jonathan Price March 783 and Jamie Brashaw March 793 resolved in that order.

Round 7 of the championship on the Brands Indy circuit had a more relaxed feel after the high profile Gold Cup but was no less interesting for that. The weather finally decided to make this the first wet round of 2010 after a sunny day greeted the 60th anniversary celebrations of F3 he previous day. As part of the push to attract more entries in the 1600cc class a display of cars including an ex Barrie Maskell Dastle and another Gold Leaf Lotus 69 from the 1971-1974 era were supported by the Piquet Ralt and Mansell March from the 2 Litre era. The static cars attracted lots of interest and maybe some extra 1600 entries next year. At the start Simms got away best but a determined Hadfield squeezed by into Paddock to lead the first lap ahead of Simms, Pat Gormley (Safir), Brashaw who had a good first lap and Smith. Everyone completed the first lap more or less without incident and over the next few laps Hadfield slowly extended his lead from Simms with Gormley hanging on well. Lap seven saw Simms run wide at Graham Hill letting Gormley by into second and rejoining in third. The following lap the safety car was called and the incident cost three laps behind the safety car before the field was unleashed. At the restart Hadfield maintained his lead and ran out the winner with Gormley finishing second, a great effort, ahead of Simms who finally finished third after a moment at the restart cost him the place to Brashaw, only for the latter to spin and drop to fifth behind Hugh Price in his Chevron. Brashaw recovered the situation to post fourth ahead of Price and the recovering Smith in sixth. The FF2000 boys were headed by Wil Arif and Clements was 1600cc winner. First wet one of the year and already the final round beckoned at Silverstone.

With the championship decided in favour of Benn Simms, his 3rd in the last 4 years, it was left to the next six in the championship to decide whose name was going to be on a trophy. The focus was on Tom Thornton and Paul Smith who were 2nd equal on 53 points. The 1600 class champion, Albert Clements, was just going for the win but Ollie Thorpe and Robert Tusting were the only FF2000’s entered and both out to take the invitation class. The entry was much as at the previous round at Brands except that Simon Hadfield was elsewhere and Adrian Campfield, son of Paul was in the family March, and expected to show well. Simms out dragged Brashaw at the lights, the inside and dirty line giving no advantage to the pole man, as Jamie reported afterwards. This left Simms to lead every lap and run out the winner by a scant 0.4 sec at the flag, having been kept on his toes all the way by the March driver who bagged a fine second. The leading pair steadily dropped Smith in third whose task for the day was to beat Thornton, who was right behind at the end of lap one, but after being passed by Keith White and Hugh Price on successive laps found himself embroiled in the scrap of the season for 6th. If you needed an advert for Classic F3 this was it as Thornton, Gormley, Campfield and Thorpe used every piece of the track, three abreast over the line, to stake their claim for 6th. After 15 exciting minutes a determined Thornton claimed the spot, and third in the championship, just ahead of Gormley, Campfield and Thorpe, who with an amazing drive deservedly took the FF2000 class and title. The 1600 class circulated as one for a while until Neil Bowman and Albert Clements left Gareth Walters and raced on together to finish just 0.5 sec apart at the flag. A fine advert for the series and a good note to end on.

With a few new car/driver combinations due out next year, including the promise of some more 1600 cars, and no Monaco to distract next year can only be another memorable one. Congratulations to the winners Benn Simms in class A, Albert Clements in class B and Ollie Thorpe in the invitation FF2000 class.