FORD BRITISH F4 CHAMPIONSHIP GETS A MOTUL BOOST

For nearly 55 years, Formula Ford has been paving the way for legions of legendary drivers. The list of Formula One stars who have cut their single-seater teeth behind the wheel of a Ford-powered Formula car reads like a motorsport Who’s Who: Damon Hill, Aryton Senna, Nigel Mansell, Emmerson Fittipaldi, Michael Schumacher, Jenson Button, and Lando Norris are just a few of the high-profile names.

For drivers it was and continues to be an essential training ground to learn single-seater race craft as they rise from karting and through the ranks of professional motorsport.  Nowadays, the name of the series might have changed from Formula Ford to the Ford British F4 Championship, but the racing is no less illustrious or important for the careers of aspiring drivers. It’s close-fought, action-packed and fans love it.

Earlier this year, Motul joined the Ford EcoBoost-powered championship as the official lubricant partner, teaming up with legendary engine-builder Neil Brown Engineering and Ford Performance to provide our high-performance 300V racing oil for all race engines during the 2021 season.

Unlike many other racing series, every car in this one-make championship uses the same engines and lubricants, putting the focus squarely on driver rather than technical ability. Sam Roach, the championship’s promoter, said: “We’re very proud of the equalisation process in our championship, and to add a controlled engine oil to that programme will further the great work that both Neil Brown Engineering and Ford Performance currently do to ensure a level playing field for all drivers.”

Wayne Mathurin, sales and workshop manager at Neil Brown Engineering, added: “Motul is a world-renowned lubricant, with a fantastic racing heritage. Given the tight performance window that we have to work with in order to ensure parity across engine performance, it was an easy decision to go with the Motul 300V POWER RACING 5W-30.”

The championship, which is currently nine races into a 30-race calendar, is a supporting event to the British Touring Cars Championship (BTCC) and features three races over the course of a BTCC weekend.

One driver who knows only too well the impact that the championship can have on the career of an upcoming driver’s career is Jenson Button. The 2009 F1 World Champion said in an interview for the F4 British Championship: “Formula Ford was a great championship for me to start my career in single-seater cars. For drivers making the step up from karts to cars, Formula Ford couldn’t be a better championship to introduce rookies to open-wheel racing. After winning the British Formula Ford Championship and the Formula Ford Festival, the next step up for me was Formula 3. I definitely think that Formula Ford gave me the right preparation and experience needed to move up again in my career.”