REVIEW : FORMULA JUNIOR
The two 2021 champions
Believe and you ’ ll achieve !
This year we set a 12-round calendar for our main championship , and five rounds for our separate Front Engined Championship . Sarah Mitrike reports .
As the season progressed , it was heartwarming to find that not only were races able to go ahead as planned , but that there was demand for more , so we additionally took on an extra grid at the Donington Historic Festival , and a non-championship double header to end the season in southern sunshine ( and rain ) at Jerez and Portimao . FJHRA moved its championships to be under the HSCC umbrella back in 2006 , and it ’ s fitting that this was also both Alan Jones ’ s and my first season in our respective jobs . He ’ s always been the friendly , calming and humble presence he is today , ready for a laugh as we both pulled our hair out at times ! Thank you from all at FJHRA , you and Lynn will remain lifelong valued friends of the FJ family .
In contrast , it was fresh blood , in the form of ‘ quick Nic ’ who absolutely stormed this years ’ main championship taking full points at each round , many of which were his first ever time at the circuit , in his first full seasons racing not only in FJ but at all ! Deserved credit too goes to Dave Abbott and John Whyatt who both prepared and tended to his Kieft FJ all year .
With 104 drivers in total taking part in one or more rounds , it was no mean feat for Nic Carlton-Smith to not only finish but lead the increasingly competitive Class C for early rear engined drum braked cars .
Mention also to very worthy runner up Martin Aubert in his Lotus 20 , quarantining as and when necessary to make the most of as much racing as he could from his home in Spain .
In the Front Engined Championship it was experienced racer and designer ’ s son Ray Mallock who took the honours for the second year in a row , in his U2 Mk2 , with the iconic square boxed
front . Change may be ahead though as by the finals at Silverstone , there was definite competition in the form of Charlie Besley , son of Crispian , guest driving the Elva 100 of John Arnold , and mid-season too , Peter de la Roche was showing his talent out front in the Lola Mk2 of Pat Barford at Cadwell Park . It was in fact a truly wonderful weekend at the Wolds Trophy for all , with nearly 50 entries across our two grids , starting with a fish ‘ n chip evening in the paddock on Friday
John Arnold ’ s Elva at Donington thanks to Tony and Elaine Pearson , setting the scene for a super social atmosphere all weekend . The tea urn and cake table kept everyone cosy at the drizzly Classic at Silverstone in July , a BBQ at Oulton Park in August , and pizza evening at Spa in October , as usual ensuring that the whole weekend is the reason to race in FJ , not just the 60 minutes or so of track time .
So on to 2022 , more of the same please , come and join us too if you ’ re reading from elsewhere in the paddock !
Robin Longdon ’ s Lola to the fore
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