Formula Ford – Heat Treatment at Snetterton

United Formula Ford’s visit to Snetterton last weekend didn’t quite produce the Van Diemen clean sweep that Ralph Firman Sr. would have once expected, but for the hardy souls on the banking who braved the beating sun, they witnessed yet another three-abreast thriller from this ever more exciting grid of up-and-coming talent.

Championship leader, Anthony Amato, extended his advantage with a win and a third, but had to battle hard, facing extreme pressure from Ben Cochran, Race 2 winner Ronan Doherty, rookie Ben Smith, and young German Maris Schulte. These five traded fastest laps and positions, harried each other’s gearboxes, and ran side-by-side, in and out of every corner for almost every lap, other than those led by the safety car.

Sammy Nudd and Peter Levay were trackside, capturing the best of the action.

Ronan Doherty holds an early lead overAnthony Amato, Ben Smith, and Ben Cochran

Ben Cochran in the assembly area.

Points leader Anthony Amato extended his advantage with a 59-point haul in Norfolk.

Ben Smith is rapidly proving himself as future title contender, despite this being his rookie season in Formula Ford.

Charlie Mann is another young talent who looks increasingly more confident running at the front.

Pole position for Ronan Doherty, just 0.14secs ahead of title rival Anthony Amato.

Like Doherty, Will Malins made the switch from Formula Vee, where he was last year’s B-Class runner-up.

Race 1 came to a premature halt after this collision between Ben Gridley & Bryan Nathanael.

Doherty stretches his lead.

Smith never lost sight of the lead group.

Doherty leads Amato, Cochran, Smith, Mann, and Malins…

Who in turn leads Maris Schulte, Jase Petty, and George Quartermaine.

Also racing at Snetterton was the Monoposto Championship. Here’s a fine example of a Van Diemen RF00, Formula Ford 2000, driven by former Mono 2000 Champion Terry Clark…

…Seen here in full race action