As Competitive as Ever

Jan 3, 1991 (Reprinted from SportsCar)
Costa Mesa, Calif. — Despite predictions of doom and gloom among the British Formula Ford ranks, the 1990 Formula Ford Festival turned out to be one of the most openly competitive in the eventâ’s 18-year history. More than 200 cars assembled at Brands Hatch (including separate races for Pre ’74 and ’74-’78 cars), and among the entry was an outstanding array of young international talent.

“The Festival is probably one of the most competitive events in the world,” declared Jimmy Vasser. “It was really intense, in every conceivable way, and the racing was great.”

Current champions from Britain, Ireland, France, Belgium, Holland, Spain and Australia were all among those chasing Festival glory, to be joined by defending champion Niko Palhares. The Brazilian, a protege of three-time Formula 1 World Champion Nelson Piquet, was striving to become the first man to win the event in successive years.

Palhares and Dutchman Michael Vergers, who in 1989 posted a stunning recovery drive after an early spin, were among the pre-event favorites, and both were part of the factory Van Diemen effort. Each coasted through the first two rounds of competition with wins their heat and quarter-final. In the semis, however, Palhares had to give best to British veteran Dave Coyne, driving a European-designed Swift FB90, while Vergers spun and only just qualified for the final by scraping through in 14th place. He would have to start the 20-lap main event from the last row.

Coyne, who first contested the Festival way back in 1980 (when he finished fifth), was on the front row of the grid alongside the other semi-final victor, impressive young Irishman Michael Edgar, in another Van Diemen RF90. Coyne’s progress had not been easy, since he had been banished to the rear of the grid for his heat race after reportedly ignoring a yellow flag during qualifying.

Suitably chastised, not to mentioned annoyed, Coyne claimed seventh in his heat, then qualified for the semi by virtue of a ninth-place finish. His one stroke of good fortune came in the semi-final, when a well-timed rain shower enabled him to make the most of his experience. While others slipped and slithered, Coyne moved sure-footedly through into the lead. His car, incidentally, was powered by an American-built Quicksilver engine.

Coyne moved expertly ahead in the final but was clearly struggling to match the pace of Palhares, who moved ahead with a typically incisive maneuver on lap seven. Sadly, the Brazilian’s hopes of victory vanished less than a lap later, his engine stricken with mysterious loss of electrical power. Coyne was back in the lead. For the remainder of the race Coyne resisted intense pressure from Jean-Christophe “Jules” Bouillon (Van Diemen), who created a fine impression on his debut at Brands Hatch. Ducking this way and that to counter the teenaged Frenchman’s every move, Coyne crossed the line a joyous victor, while Bouillon had to be content with third, out-fumbled by the more experienced Irishman Fionn Murray (Reynard FF90) on the very last lap.

Vergers once again drove through the pack in style. He climbed from 28th to fourth at the finish, and taking fastest lap, to be followed by a close pack comprising Belgian Marc Goossens (Van Diemen), Australian Neil Cunningham (Swift) and Edgar.

Oh, and talking about intensity, Coyne’s fastest lap of 48.84 seconds ranked only 15th best! In all, 25 of the 28 starters recorded quickest laps within one second of each other….