Anyone have footage from the 1995 FF1600 Festival?

[FSR]

Hi guys. This is my first post on this forum, and I start off by making a shameless request. I hope that I'm forgiven

What I'm looking for is video footage from the 1995 FF1600 Festival. I'm pretty sure I saw some cameras, but I have no idea who it might have been. I've been searching for this for a while, but have had no luck...

So if anyone can help me out, I'd be thrilled!

Thanks,
Fredrik Sørlie

[heel'n'toe-no]

The BBC used to cover the Formul Ford Festival, you could try them.....good luck. Please post back and let us know how you are getting on in finding it as I am sure there will be others interested in the footage too.

[Ian Sowman]

Would BHP have been producing it in those days? Having said that, not sure if the FF1600 races would have been filmed.

[Redracer77]

There was a VHS for sale of the 95 festival on ebay a month or so back so there will be copies around. I think it went for £15. I have a feeling that Ian was right and it was BHP but not sure

[FSR]

Brilliant. I'll contact both then

Thanks!

BTW: Got a link to BHP?

[Ian Sowman]

Try googling for "Barrie Hinchliffe Productions".

[SCOBER11]

Iano where do you have all this knowledge stored

[Tim 27]

I could only remember Fredrik as a really quick 1600 driver but not which years. Also remembered Topi Serjala winning the kent final in 95, but very little else so trotted off to find that years Festival report.
The reason for Fredriks interest in that year became apparent when I looked at the results. By all accounts the final was a walkover for the Scandinavian drivers.
1st Topi Serjala
2nd Fredrik Sorlie
3rd Risto Virtanen
Of course Topi went on to success in FPA, but can Fredrik (or anyone else) shed some light on the career paths of Fredrik himself, Risto, Janne Koistenen (8th in that years final) and Mikko Lempinen (crashed out of the final).

[FSR]

Originally Posted by Tim 27

I could only remember Fredrik as a really quick 1600 driver but not which years. Also remembered Topi Serjala winning the kent final in 95, but very little else so trotted off to find that years Festival report.
The reason for Fredriks interest in that year became apparent when I looked at the results. By all accounts the final was a walkover for the Scandinavian drivers.
1st Topi Serjala
2nd Fredrik Sorlie
3rd Risto Virtanen
Of course Topi went on to success in FPA, but can Fredrik (or anyone else) shed some light on the career paths of Fredrik himself, Risto, Janne Koistenen (8th in that years final) and Mikko Lempinen (crashed out of the final).

Hi Tim. Didn't think anyone would remember me

I'm not really sure about the Finns. but I'd be happy to give a quick summary of my own career. I'll try to be brief, but I tend to get carried away. It's nothing spectacular really. I came from norway to do a few races in the UK, and it went very well. I drove for Ken Bowes in Apollo Racing, and had Topi Serjala as my team mate. We had a great time, and usually finished first and second in the races we entered. Topi basically had the role of the leading driver though, as I could hardly afford to do the Nordic championship and one race at Silverstone. So I had the second best car and the second best engine. We usually ran at the same pace, but Topi had the upper hand both in terms of equipment and psycologically. But I was happy with finishing second, as I was the younger and less experienced driver. I learned a lot, and also gave Topi a hard time once in a while. We got a long great too!

But in 1996 I made the mistake of switching to the Zetec class. The reason that it was a mistake was that we couldn't afford to do it right. We were fastest at the first test of the season, but couldn't afford to get the car ready until the 5th race, and by then, the other teams had to much of a head start. We did a few good races with a car that was terrible, but after an unfortunate engine blow due to the team forgetting to put an oil filter on the car (!!!), our money ran out.

I went back to race in saloon cars in Norway, and became a front runner in the Chrysler Neon cup. Since then I've only driven occational races in borrowed cars. In 2000 I had a small comeback in Formula Ford when I borrowed my mates old car and entered the final race in the Scandinavian Championship at Mantorp. With only a few corners left of the race I had a comfortable lead. But then, I ran out of fuel due to a miscalculation by the team. Alx Danielsson won that race, but let's just say that he didn't impress me...

But that was the last time I drove a single seater. If I'd won that race, or at least done well, I probably would have given it another shot, but being that close just for somthing to go wrong on the last lap didn't exactly boost my motivation.

The last couple of years I've taken up drifting, as well as building a Locost for the scandivian Seven Racing series. This year I'll hopefully do a full racing season for the first time since 1998.

As for the other Finns, I think Lempinen did some saloon car racing in Finland, but I have no idea what became of Virtanen and Koistenen...

And if you bothered to read this far: Thank you so much for your patience

Fredrik

[Hubble]

Originally Posted by FSR

Thanks,
Fredrik Sørlie

No relation to Stian Sørlie of FBMW UK by any chance???

[FSR]

Originally Posted by Hubble

No relation to Stian Sørlie of FBMW UK by any chance???

Actually no. However, he's a friend of mine and I'm running his website

[Reluctant guest]

I have a feeling that Mikko Lempinen stayed around FFord for a while, I think I remember him appearing in some Kent County and possibly UK Zetec races in around 1998. Presumably that would have been before he switched to saloons?

I think Risto Virtanen was supposed to do British Formula Three (with Alan Docking...?) in 1996 but illness interrupted his season. After that I think he tried the Japanese F3 series for a couple of years at least. Was he regarded as a Mika Salo protege at the time?

Sorry if any of the above is totally wrong, it's the best I can remember.

[Tim 27]

Hi Fredrik,

Hi Tim. Didn't think anyone would remember me

After witnessing 25 consecutive Festivals its a surprise I can remember anyones name!

Thanks for your career summary, its always good to find out what people get up to after leaving the U.K.

but after an unfortunate engine blow due to the team forgetting to put an oil filter on the car (!!!), our money ran out.

Dare I ask which team forgot? Which chassis did you use for zetec?

The last couple of years I've taken up drifting,

I've read a few of your posts in the Driftworks forum, but despite taking part in the 'Time Attack' section of Englands first 'Drift Battle' event at Rockingham last year, somehow drifting doesn't do anything for me I'm afraid! Maybe you have to try it to appreciate it?
However I will be involved in the British D1 series this year as we have a car entered in the 'Time Attack' section.

This year I'll hopefully do a full racing season for the first time since 1998.

Did you mean in the Locost or drift car? Do you have any plans to return to England at any stage?

As for the other Finns, I think Lempinen did some saloon car racing in Finland

After a little research, I found that Lempinen did the Finnish Touring Car Championship in 2000 (Golf GTI), the ETC in 01 (Audi A4), and back to the Finnish for 02 (BMW 320I). No info after that.

Risto Virtanen as 'Reluctant Guest' correctly points out, did start the British F3 Championship in 96, but something must have gone wrong as he finished the season in 19th place with 4 points.
From what I can see he did turn to Japan for 98 and 99, winning at least one race in 99.
These days it seems he helps to run a karting center in Finland called 'Suzakart'.

I couldn't find any info at all on Janne Koistenen.

(Note to self: Try doing my own research before posting questions on Ten-Tenths)!

[FSR]

Originally Posted by Tim 27

Dare I ask which team forgot? Which chassis did you use for zetec?

It was Apollo, but it was a mistake by one of the mechanics, and not a regular. So I wouldn't really blame the team. Ken Bowes did a fantastic job with Apollo those years. Despite having no money, he still signed talentet drivers with a low budget and made them winners!

Originally Posted by Tim 27

I've read a few of your posts in the Driftworks forum, but despite taking part in the 'Time Attack' section of Englands first 'Drift Battle' event at Rockingham last year, somehow drifting doesn't do anything for me I'm afraid! Maybe you have to try it to appreciate it?
However I will be involved in the British D1 series this year as we have a car entered in the 'Time Attack' section.

Not sure if you have to try it, but you probably need to know a little more about it. It's still new in Europe, and the Drift Battle event wasn't really representative for the sport. Basically it's for motorsport what snowboard was to alpine skiing. At first it was strange and a bit of a threat, but then it grew bigger and actually got more people interested in all alpine winter sports. When you see drifting at top level, you'll get it

Originally Posted by Tim 27

Did you mean in the Locost or drift car? Do you have any plans to return to England at any stage?

Locost, but I will drift as much as I can afford

[Barry Pomfret]

Fredrik, somebody put my name in a Google search and came across an article in Norsk Racing written by you which mentions me! I can only make out something about Brands Hatch in the article, would you like to enlighten us further as to what the article was about.

[FSR]

Originally Posted by Barry Pomfret

Fredrik, somebody put my name in a Google search and came across an article in Norsk Racing written by you which mentions me! I can only make out something about Brands Hatch in the article, would you like to enlighten us further as to what the article was about.

Sure man. Nice to see you on here btw! Been a long time since our battle at Brands!

Your name is in an article I wrote about car control. I mention you briefly as I describe the last corner of the 1st round in the Winter Series at Brands in 1994. However, as I'm writing this I realize that I might have confused you with Nigel Feeney. Guess I need you to help me out here then

Was it you or Nigel who spun in the last corner? I thought it was you from the picture in the link below, but that might be from the lap before. Anyway, it's a nice picture of us

http://www.fsr.no/oldsite/artikkel/m...mula_fjord.asp

EDIT: Just went through some old articles from back then, and I actually did confuse you with Feeney. I've corrected the article now

[Barry Pomfret]

I remember the race, very wet ! I think I was leading up to the last lap when you overtook me and the overall race win beating the zetecs. It must have been Feeney who spun as I eventualy finished third. Nice to hear from you!

[FSR]

Bump, just in case someone can help...

[FSR]

Unfortunately I still haven't found a copy. If anyone could help me out I'd be thrilled, as this is the video I want to watch over and over again with my grandchildren when I get old

[Geva-Nelson]

ah 1995, back when we had Michel Florie in his red light district Van Diemen... Must be the funniest thing i ever saw, marshalls coming up to him showing him their 'I visited the Red Light District' tshirts...

[FSR]

Hi guys. Sorry for bumping this thread, but I still haven't found any footage. Been making some phonecalls and sending emails, but nothing but dead ends so far...

I'd be so happy if anyone could help. Someone on this forum must have bought a tape of this race? I simple vhs copy would make my day!

I'll even pay a finders fee for this!