Nadeau Sets Fast Pace In First U.K. Tests

Oct 16, 1993
Market Harborough, England – Talented young Connecticut driver Jerry Nadeau is looking forward to taking on the cream of the world’s Formula Ford racers in next weekend’s International Formula Ford Festival & World Cup at Brands Hatch, England.

Nadeau, 24, from Danbury, Conn., arrived in England last Tuesday in preparation for his first international motor race, and already has set some impressive times during testing with his Valvoline/Ford Team USA Van Diemen.

Following a seat-fitting the first afternoon, Nadeau splashed his way around 55 laps of the challenging Mallory Park circuit on Wednesday, then spent the following two days testing first at Donington Park and then Silverstone, both of which have hosted Formula 1 Grand Prix events this year.

“He went very, very well,” reported experienced team manager/race engineer John Bright, who is overseeing the project.”He was within one second of the lap record at Silverstone on a freezing cold day. Jerry was the quickest of those testing Formula Ford cars that day. He looked very good.”

Nadeau said the Van Diemen felt totally different to the Zerex Saab Pro Series car he has raced with promising results this season, and that he was delighted to have the opportunity to test prior to next weekend’s race.

“The car’s nothing like the Formula Fords I’ve driven in America,” said Nadeau. “The Fords back home tend to rotate a lot, whereas these tend to push into the corners, then oversteer out. The tires here are completely different, but we’re getting used to them. What’s good is that we can be consistent in terms of lap times.”  And fast.

Nadeau will move on to Brands Hatch on Monday, ready for three more days of testing prior to the Festival.

This annual event draws many of the top young drivers from around the world to an ultra-competitive showdown. The entrants will be split into multiple heat races to be run on Saturday, October 23, with the top 14 finishers in each progressing through into a pair of semi-final races. The top 28 drivers will then qualify for the Sunday afternoon Grand Final, to be run over 20 laps of the famous Brands Hatch “Indy” circuit.

Nadeau will be among well over 100 competitors in the traditional end-of-season extravaganza. He will be running an engine prepared by Marcovicci Wenz Engineering of Ronkonkoma, N.Y., and Ted Wenz himself will arrive in England early this week to assist John Bright and his crew.