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Formula One
Formula Ford – The Most Successful Junior Formula Ever
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Formula Ford is a single seater racing car formula that started in 1967 using a sixteen hundred cc Cortina engine in the back of a space frame, open wheel chassis with a fibreglass body. The first Formula Ford car ever was based on a Lotus Formula Junior. By this time the more sophisticated formulae were using alloy monocoques which were expensive, fragile in the event of an accident and often unrepairable at least economically.
The steel space frame of a Formula Ford was still light, but very strong, relatively cheap to manufacture and it could be cut, welded, even straightened in the event of a 'shunt'. The heyday of Formula Ford was actually a rather long period, primarily all of the nineteen seventies and eighties, although it remained very healthy in the nineties and continues today. There were spin offs, many of them, too many really which diluted Formula Ford itself for a while, Formula Ford 2000, Sports 2000, Formula First and Formula Forward, but none enjoyed the success, or attracted as much affection from race goers and drivers as the original Formula Ford sixteen hundred formula.
Thousands of drivers around the world cut their racing teeth in Formula Fords in the decades mentioned, when the engine in use was the Ford Kent engine, not so easy to get hold of now, but as common as muck then. Early Formula Fords generally had front mounted radiators and outboard suspension, but because of the popularity of the formula and the relative simplicity of construction the number of racing car constructors ballooned. Joining Lotus were Merlyn, Royale, Van Diemen, Reynard, Swift, Elden, Hawke, Lola, Ray, Titan, Tiga and more. Some just made Formula Fords, whilst others like Lola were involved in numerous formulae right up to and including World Championship Sportscars, Indy cars, Formula 5000 and Formula 1.
Motorsport has always been intensely competitive and so, with all these manufacturers competing to sell their chassis the development was rapid and mirrored developments in more senior formulas. As an illustration look at the Formula 1 cars of nineteen eighty three, such as the John Player Special Lotus where the driver appears to be well forward in the car and then look at the Van Diemen RF84. All Van Diemens' model numbers reflected the year of the particular model.
Soon there were side mounted radiators, inboard suspension, bodywork that smoothed the airflow around the engine and gearbox, but some things remained the same. Everyone raced with the Kent engine in those decades and although the Zetec engine and latterly the Duratec have taken over the formula is a shadow of its former self. It was so successful in the seventies and eighties for a number of reasons, firstly it was affordable, secondly it was exciting, this was due to narrow control tyres and a lack of aerodynamic devices, the cars could and did run close together, slipstream and slide. The variety of manufacturers added to spectator interest and you really could see new stars in the making.
In 1972 the inaugural, end of season Formula Ford Festival was held at Snetterton in Norfolk, it would move to Brands Hatch from 1975 and it evolved into a World Cup event for Formula Ford drivers around the world. It still runs today and even in the nineteen nineties was attracting hundreds of entries from around the globe, with supporting races for other Ford formulae and historic Formula Fords.
Winners of the festival include Johnny Herbert, Eddie Irvine and more recently Mark Webber, although some fourteen winners have gone on to reach Formula 1 and many who came close to winning the Festival such as David Coulthard went on to the pinnacle of the sport. It's possible that the Ford Motor Company took theirposition as the number one in grass roots motorsport for granted, or perhaps they thought their position unassailable, but other companies wanted in on the action, prompting Formula Renault, Formula Vauxhall Lotus (Opel in other markets), Formula Palmer Audi and others.
In 1981, when Formula Ford was at its height the young Ayrton Da Silva, who later changed his name to Senna moved to England and won both the major British Formula Ford championships in that year. Unfortunately he returned to Brazil for family reasons prior to the Formula Ford Festival. Formula Ford has been pivotal in the development of modern motorsport and has brought enjoyment to millions. To share the experiences of one privateer Formula Ford driver read the book 'Of Land, Sea And Sky'. www.oflasndseaandsky.com
About the Author
Malcolm Snook is author of the book 'Of Land, Sea And Sky', he has been an explorer, sailor, skydiving instructor, car and motorcycle racer as well as an entrepreneur and businessman. He is also a keen swing dancer and has a great interest in promoting peace and green issues.
http://www.oflandseaandsky.com
Formula fed the first baby and feeling guilty about wanting to breastfeed the next one?
I tried breastfeeding my son (he's currently 10 mths old) but ended up putting him on formula. He was tongue-tied very badly at birth, which they didn't discover for a couple days, so he latched incorrectly and continued to do so even after his tongue was corrected. No matter how many lactation counsultants and nurses tried it was literally impossible, my nipples were in horrible shape and scabbed and bleeding. So I tried pumping with a manual and then an electric pump but couldn't get enough milk this way to keep him satisfied. I was soooooo upset having to put him on formula after I promised myself I would breastfeed through "h*ll and high water".
We are planning on having another baby in the next year or two and I would like to try breastfeeding again with that one but I feel bad that my son wasn't able to benefit from being breastfed.
Am I being silly for feeling this way? Has anyone else gone through this situation before?
You tried to make breastfeeding happen for your 1st baby - even the lactation consultants couldn't help. You put more effort in than most women. Most women give up without even reaching out for help. To not breastfeed your next one because of the difficulty with your first one would be a waste! You did the best you could. It would be wonderful if you could breastfeed your next child. And it would be especially wonderful that you would be willing to try again! If you find yourself with similar problems, may I recommend the Medela Contact Nipple Shield. My son didn't latch on correctly (and didn't learn to suck properly until going through months of physical therapy - he was chewing, biting, etc. and not getting what he needed because of it) and the nipple shield made the pain drastically less and allowed me to continue breastfeeding. Perhaps it could help your next one. Good luck! Again - you shouldn't feel guilty - you know you gave it the best effort!
Formula One update