1980 Formula Ford Festival

[paulzinho]

Has anyone got details of results and entries for this at all?

Any help would be much appreciated!

[Andrew Kitson]

Paul, I have the programme. Will sort it out later in the week.The year Moreno won.

[diz]

All I know is that - as Andrew says - Roberto Moreno won it in a Van Diemen RF80
For the next few years, you wouldn't believe how many RF80s were advertised as "the ex Moreno Festival Winning car".
A bit like the number of FW08 Williams in Hysterical F1. I bet Frank doesn't remember building that many!

[paulzinho]

Thanks guys!

[paulzinho]

Just bringing this one back up again before it disappears!

[Dan Rear]

Paul, does your dad remember plans for him to race in UK Atlantic in 1981. I recall he was 'in with' John Webb of MCD/Brands who were trying to up that series' profile that year, and I read that TLD was hoping to race in a Toleman or March. I assume the plans fell down on finance grounds, I wonder what he or you can add to these rumours.

As I recall your dad only did a bit of S2000 that year in a Halliday/TDC concoction, though he did move up in 82 with a Ralt RT3.

[paulzinho]

I don't know anything about the UK Atlantic thing but I'll ask him when I speak to him next.

From what I remember him telling me Webb wanted him to move up from Fords ASAP after winning the Star of Tomorrow title. Plan was to do F3 with shell works backing but that fell through and he was left doing Sports 2000 with a car made by a company that was going bust (bad year!!).

[Dan Rear]

Paul, you may be right on the F3 front, I think Webb was trying to use all possible PR-angles to promote Atlantic that year, even Mark Thatcher was being touted. In fact I believe Thatcher did have some races in the 2nd Ehrlich alongside Fluxie in 81. None too successfully I should add !

[Milan Fistonic]

Neither Autosport or Motoring News have the full list of starters (there were over 200 entrants)but these are the results as published in Autosport. First 10 progressed to the next round.

Heat 1 – 7 laps

1. Jesper Villumsen, PRS RH02, 6m 15.1s
2. Pat Duffy, Crossle 35F
3. John Davis, Sark 2
4. Vic Covey, PRS RH02
5. Tom Brown, Van Diemen RF80
6. Ian Stirling, PRS 80F
FL. Rob Tennant, Royale RP26, 50.8s

Heat 2 – 7 laps

1. Raul Boesel, Van Diemen RF80, 6m 02.4s
2. Dave Coyne, Royale RP26
3. Alfonso Toledano, PRS 80F
4. Paul Gerrish, Van Diemen RF80
5. Christopher Marsh, PRS RH01
6. Tim Jones, Ray 79/80F
FL. Coyne, 50.3s

Heat 3 – 7 laps

1. Robert Gibbs, Van Diemen RF80, 6m 03.3s
2. Bo Martinsson, Royale RP26
3. Willie Moore, Royale RP26
4. Phillipe Lambert, Royale RP26
5. Didier Theys, Van Diemen RF80
6. Tommy Doherty, Crossle 40F
FL. Lambert 50.5s

Heat 4 – 7 laps (race stopped at 6 laps due to accident)

1. Robert Moreno, Van Diemen RF80, 5m 05.9s
2. Jim Walsh, Royale RP26
3. Greg Portman, Crossle 32F
4. Don Hardman, Royale RP26
5. Tim Lee-Davey, Tiga FF79/80
6. Len Greenney, Sark 1
FL. Moreno, 49.7s (record)

Heat 5 – 7 laps

1. Andrew Gilbert-Scott, Van Diemen RF80, 6m 04.7s
2. Andy Ackerley, Ray 80F
3. Tony Trevor, PRS RH02
4. John McCracken, Van Diemen RF80
5. David Shaw, PRS RH01
6. Colin Stancombe, Royale RP24
FL. Gilbert-Scott, 50.8s

Heat 6 – 7 laps

1. Steve Lincoln, Royale RP26, 6m 02.7s
2. Fernando Ribeiro, Crossle 40F
3. Anthony Reid, PRS RH01
4. Cor Euser, Crossle 35F
5. Jon Beekhuis, Royale RP26
6. Henrik Larsen, PRS RH01
FL. Lincoln, 50.5s

Heat 7 – 7 laps

1.Jonathan Palmer, Van Diemen RF80, 5m 59.9s
2. Donald MacLeod, Sark 2
3. Warren Briggs, Ray 80F
4. John Booth, Van Diemen RF80
5. Peter Argetsinger, Royale RP26
6. Howard Groos, Pacer FF80
FL. Palmer, 50.3s

Heat 8 – 7 laps

1. Rick Morris, Royale RP265m 58.8s
2. Tommy Byrne, Van Diemen RF80
3. Terry Gray, Van Diemen RF80
4. Dave Scott, Royale RP26
5. Allen Revell, Sparton FF80
6. Kenny Andrews, Van Diemen RF80
FL. Morris, 49.8s

Quarter-final 1 – 10 laps

1.Gibbs, 8m 34.7s
2. Martinsson
3. Chris Hackman, Royale RP26
4. Theys
5. Brown
6. Villumsen
FL. Hackman,Theys & Gibbs, 50.6s

Quarter-final 2 – 10 laps

1. Moreno, 8m 23.9s
2. Walsh
3. Coyne
4. Toledano
5. Portman
6. Lee-Davey
FL. Moreno, 49.4s

Quarter-final 3 – 10 laps

1. Palmer, 8m 30.2s
2. Briggs
3. Gilbert-Scott
4. MacLeod
5. Argetsinger
6. Booth
FL. Palmer & Argetsinger, 50.3s

Quarter-final 4 – 10 laps

1. Morris, 8m 28.5s
2. Byrne
3. Lincoln
4. Gray
5. Ribeiro
6. Guy Dormehl, Van Diemen RF80
FL. Reid, 49.6s

Semi-final 1 – 12 laps

1.Palmer, 10m 13.9s
2. Briggs
3. Gilbert-Scott
4. Martinsson
5. Theys
6. MacLeod
FL. Theys, Palmer & Goos, 50.4s

Semi-final 2 – 12 laps

1. Moreno, 10m 05.7s
2. Byrne
3. Morris
4. Coyne
5. Gray
6. Toledano
FL. Moreno 49.7s

Final – 15 laps

1. Roberto Moreno, Van Diemen RF80, 12m 33.7s
2. Tommy Byrne, Van Diemen RF80, 12m 35.9s
3. Rick Morris, Royale RP26, 12m 41.3s
4. Jonathan Palmer, Van Diemen RF80, 12m 41.4s
5. Dave Coyne, Royale RP26, 12m 45.0s
6. Robert Gibbs, Van Diemen RF80, 12m 46.5s
7. Terry Gray, Van Diemen RF80, 12m 49.9s
8. Bo Martinsson, Royale RP26, 12m 56.0s
9. Alfonso Toledano, PRS 80F, 12m 56.9s
10. Chris Hackman, Royale RP26, 12m 57.1s
FL. Moreno & Byrne, 49.6s

[cirrus]

Yes - they were great days in FF (I bet many a hopeful driver's heart sank when they realised they were drawn in heat 2 against that lot!)

Two things stand out for me, apart from the obvious highly competitive nature of the event. Firstly, Dave Coyne was using Roberto's 1979 car pretty effectively, and secondly, Chris (son of Gene) Hackman was obviously pretty useful, to finish third in a quarter after being nowhere in the heats.

To those uninitiated in 80's FF Festivals, there was action going on wherever you looked, the racing was INCREDIBLY close, driving standards were robust, without resorting to some of the crass moves seen in more recent times, and you were left with enough memories to last until the following March.

I would have to say that the FF Festivals, and the 1 Litre F3 were the best racing I have ever seen..............so far! (I always was an optimist)

[Junior Senior]

I always remembered Chris Hackman as a plodding midfielder..................... he really performed at Brands by the looks of it.

[paulzinho]

Thanks for that Milan!

BTW If anyone finds the full results from the final could they let me know!! Thanks!!

[Mackmot]

driving standards were robust, without resorting to some of the crass moves seen in more recent times

Was Cordoba's move on Pedro Chaves robust driving standards??

[Stephen Green]

That entry list brought back some font memories! Just look at the famous names that had yet to emerge in 1980...wow! I seem to remember being there to watch (as always) and isn't it a shame that the FFF of today isn't a patch on those days?

[Peter Mallett]

Coyne, Scott, Gilbert Scott, Reid, Boesel and Byrne, not to mention Palmer and Moreno. A quality field. (Also not forgetting TLD )

[paulzinho]

Have to mention TLD after mentioning Coyne!

[Milan Fistonic]

As it is not possible to edit my earlier post I'll have to do it here.

Autosport made an error in the result of the 1st semi-final. Second place was filled by Robert Gibbs, not Biggs which I took as Warren Briggs.

I have been able to find some more of the starters.

Heat 1
Mick George - Van Diemen
Chis Hackman - Royale
Len Bull - Van Diemen

Heat 2
David Wheeler - Royale
Maurice Dunne - Van Diemen
Rene Zogg - ?
Robin Donovan - Crossle - finished 7th
Trevor Stiles - Ray - finished 8th

Heat 3
Colin Lees - Crossle 40F
Christophe Nicod - LCR
Chris Cresswell - Ray

Heat 4
Martin Holman - Crossle 32F - it was his accident that stopped the race
Jaap van Silfhout - Crossle

Heat 5
Ashley Ward - Royale

Heat 6
Ray Joyce - Royale RP26 - finished 7th
Guy Dormehl - Van Diemen - finished 8th

Heat 7
Mike Hooper (USA)- ?

Heat 8
Peter Rose - Van Diemen
Jenny Watson - Van Diemen
Martii Kangas - Royale
Graham Holland - Hawke

Other starters mentioned in the preview - no confirmation that they actually started.

Fiona Butterfield - ?
Wagner Rossi - Royale
Andy Wallace - Van Diemen RF79/80
Johan Adams - Van Diemen
Jean-Pierre Devaux - Vaney 80
Jean Wansart - Vaney 80
Peter Sneller - Zeus ZR1
Miles Brough - Merlyn Mk20A
Julian Bailey - Crossle 40F
Tim Lyons - Crossle 32/35F
Martin Stone - Image FF5
Steve Brown - Crossle 32F
Mick Dillon - Van Diemen
Jeremy Shaw - Lanan

Two definite non-starters

Luiz Schaffer
'Quique' Mansilla

Quarter-final 1 for the first ten finishers in heats 1 and 3

1. Robert Gibbs - Van Diemen RF80 - 8m 34.7s
2. Bo Martinsson
3. Chris Hackman
4. Didier Theys
5. Tom Brown
6. Jesper Villumsen
7. Tommy Doherty - Crossle 40F
8. Pat Duffy - Crossle 35F
9. Christophe Nicod - LCR
10. Thierry Baillieux - Crossle 40F

other starters
John Davis - Sark
Willie Moore
Philippe Lambert
Colin Lees

Quarter-final 2 for the first ten finishers in heats 2 & 4

1. Robert Moreno - Van Diemen RF80 - 8m 23.9s
2. Jim Walsh
3. Dave Coyne
4. Alfonso Toledano
5. Greg Portman
6. Tim Lee-Davey
7. Chris Marsh - PRS
8. Paul Gerrish - Royale RP26
9. Don Hardman - Royale RP26
10. Tim Jones - Ray 80F

Quarter-final 3 for the first ten finishers in heats 5 & 7

1. Jonathan Palmer - Van Diemen RF80 - 8m 30.2s
2. Warren Briggs
3. Andrew Gilbert-Scott
4. Donald MacLeod
5. Peter Argetsinger
6. John Booth
7. Tony Trevor - PRS
8. John McCracken - Van Diemen RF80
9. Howard Groos
10. John Ayres - Van Diemen RF79
11. Andy Ackerley - Ray 80F

Quarter-final 4 for the first ten finishers in heats 6 & 8

1. Rick Morris - Royale RP26 - 10m 05.7s
2. Tommy Byrne
3. Steve Lincoln
4. Terry Gray
5. Fernando Ribeiro
6. Guy Dormehl - Van Diemen RF80
7. Cor Euser
8. Raymond Joyce - Royale RP26
9. Henrik Larsen - PRS RH01
10. Paul Roswell - Royale RP24

Semi-final 1 for first ten finishers in Q-F 1 & 3

1. Palmer
2. Gibbs
3. Gilbert-Scott
4. Martinsson
5. Theys
6. MacLeod
7. Brown or Booth (not specified in report but both were in final)
8. Booth or Brown
9. Argetsinger
10. Hackman

Semi-final 2 for the first ten finshers in Q-F 2 & 4

1. Moreno
2. Byrne
3. Morris
4. Coyne
5. Gray
6. Toledano
7. Lee-Davey
8. Gerrish
9. Larsen
10. Hardman
11. Lincoln

Final – 15 laps

1. Roberto Moreno, Van Diemen RF80, 12m 33.7s
2. Tommy Byrne, Van Diemen RF80, 12m 35.9s
3. Rick Morris, Royale RP26, 12m 41.3s
4. Jonathan Palmer, Van Diemen RF80, 12m 41.4s
5. Dave Coyne, Royale RP26, 12m 45.0s
6. Robert Gibbs, Van Diemen RF80, 12m 46.5s
7. Terry Gray, Van Diemen RF80, 12m 49.9s
8. Bo Martinsson, Royale RP26, 12m 56.0s
9. Alfonso Toledano, PRS 80F, 12m 56.9s
10. Chris Hackman, Royale RP26, 12m 57.1s
11. Didier Theys, Van Diemen RF80
12. Tim Lee-Davey, Tiga FF79/80
13. John Booth, Van Diemen RF80
14. Peter Argetsinger, Royale RP26
15. Henrik Larsen, PRS RH01
16. Tom Brown, Van Diemen RF80
17. Don Hardman, Royale RP26
18. Paul Gerrish, Royale RP26
FL. Moreno & Byrne, 49.6s

DNF - Andrew Gilbert-Scott - straight off at Druids on lap 2
Donald MacLeod - accident at Clark

[paulzinho]

Thanks again!

Much appreciated!