For the majority of VR’s readers, 2019 has been the 50th anniversary of Formula Ford, although it actually started in England in 1967. The nativity stories vary, but most come down to racing schools putting a perky standard engine into a racecar to create something that students could use and which was a lot cheaper to maintain than a Formula Three car (the then entry level to single-seat road racing.)
50 years of Formula Ford was celebrated at the 2017 Silverstone Classic in epic numbers.
If a new category catches on it is because it is right for its period. The 1960s was a time when affluence increased and motor sport expanded. The decade saw karting take off and race driver schools flourish.
