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UK Formula Ford Championship Finale
The 2005 UK Formula Ford Championship reached its climax last weekend 9th October 2005 at the Silverstone International Circuit in Northampton.
Team JLR Formula Ford regulars were out in force with Joe D'Agostino's sights set on halting Duncan Tappy's winning streak, Jonny Baker hoping to clinch the Scholarship Championship title, and Norway's Thor-Christian Ebbesvik chasing his first championship win.
Track conditions for round 19 were damp after overnight rain, but that didn't hamper D'Agostino's race start - taking an early lead ahead of his rivals and pulling out a 3 second gap by the end of lap three.
As the track dried out, Tappy was able to narrow the gap and take the lead back. Despite keeping up the pressure, D'Agostino had to settle for the second step on the podium.
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Jonny Baker at Silverstone |
Baker clinched another Scholarship title win despite pressure around him from more experienced drivers, earning him the Motorsport News Race Ace award and a 6th place overall. Ebbesvik spun out on lap 7 after an electronic problem. Prior to the incident, Ebbesvik showed his talent in fighting through to 5th place after starting from an 11th place grid slot.
The second race of the day started well for the Team JLR squad but the end of the first lap failed to prove fruitful for Baker when he had an incident in avoiding a fellow Formula Ford racer who spun in front of him, ending his race before the first lap.
"Some chap spun at Becketts and I was avoiding him and I just got a massive thump up the rear - drive shaft and rear right just gone. Not a good way to finish the season" Baker told us after the race and having to settle for second in the Scholarship Championship overall.
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Ebbesvik prepares to pass Murray |
Ebbesvik ended his final race of the 2005 season in 8th place after suffering suspected suspension problems with the car yet still able to improve on his 12th place start on the grid.
Finally to complete the Team JLR Formula Ford trio, D'Agostino - fresh after racing with the Team's Formula Renault outfit the previous weekend - took his second podium finish of the weekend in 2nd place after a further battle with Tappy. Despite having problems with his fourth gear, the young Floridian was able to keep the pressure on Tappy and clinch the fastest lap of the race.
At the conclusion of the Championship, D'Agostino has finished in third place in the standings. Click on the links below to hear the each drivers reflection on the weekend and the season as a whole along with the final points standings.
Despite the 2005 UK Formula Ford Championship reaching its conclusion, the prestigious Formula Ford festival is in just less than two weeks time on the weekend of 21st - 23rd October and the Formula Ford winter season to follow.
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