The 1985 Formula Ford Festival at Brands Hatch

What a difference a day makes

This is an extract from a full report on the Festival which appeared in the 31 October 1985 issue of Autosport. Many thanks to the magazine and the writers, Tony Dodgins and Bruce Jones.

The blond figure stalked back to the paddock, helmet in hand, face contorted in frustration and sheer disbelief. Once, twice, he hammered his fist into the white GPA in unbridled annoyance. Herbert had planted his Quest, the much fancied Festival winner, into the fence on his very first lap of qualifying and sentenced himself to the back of the grid with a penalty for Saturday's first heat. The Van Diemen men grinned contentedly, that was him out of the way. Herbert, though, had read a different script. Exercising strict caution he picked his way up to sixth in that first heat. He was fourth by the end of Sunday's quarter final, second at the conclusion of the semi-final, a mere fraction behind race winner, Jonathan Bancroft, and starting from the Grand Final front row. You can surely guess the rest ...

Johnny's Heat

The first knockout rounds of the competition started two hours later than scheduled on Saturday morning because of thick fog that would not lift. The first heat was backed by the Post 9 marshals and looked set to be a British Racing Prospects benefit, with Allan Seedhouse on pole and Andy King alongside. However, the story of practice for this event, perhaps the story of the meeting, was that Johnny Herbert was to start from the back of the grid with a 10sec penalty having thrown his Quest into the Paddock Hill Bend catch-fencing at the start of his first flying lap. His work was truly cut out... Only the first 13 finishers were to progress to the quarterfinals, Johnny starting a delayed 14th, reckoning on making it through to sixth.

At the green, Seedhouse made a fine start, with King, Eric van de Poele, Gerald van Uitert and Ted Whitbourn in pursuit. The race then stretched out into just the sort of race that Herbert did not want, with no one battling with anyone else (ie holding each other up). Herbert's progress was, however, startling and by lap 6 he was up to 10th. By lap 7 he was eighth and up against Kevin Gillen. The Sealink backed driver gave no ground to Johnny and it seemed as though the Quest driver might come unstuck, but perseverance paid and they both made it by Whitbourn before Johnny took Kevin. Yet Seedhouse, King, van Uitert, van de Poele and "Flying Finn" Matti Sarilo were long gone, so Johnny had to settle for sixth.

Sarilo actually took fastest lap with a 49.22s. Was this going to be good enough for the Quest driver? The others to make the grade were: Gillen, Whitbourn, Alan Kelly, Ellen Lohr, Svent Hansen, Ringo Hine and Andy Sim.

Johnny's Quarter Final

Sunday provided a slightly warmer and fog free day as everyone got down to the nitty-gritty of the quarter finals. Jonathan Bancroft sat on pole with his Racefax Van Diemen but, as was proven throughout the meeting, the outside berths were the place to be, with Carcasci winning the drag down to Paddock. Leo Schildkamp's Reynard was out in the first 10 yards, and Johnny Herbert was providing the fireworks lower down.

From the middle of the fifth row, Herbert desperately needed to finish in the top four so as to start his semi-final from the front three rows and at least give himself a chance. Across the line they streamed; Carcasci, Bancroft, Seedhouse, Stancombe, King, van de Poele and incredibly, Herbert seventh. Next time round, and Herbert had demoted van de Poele and was right with Stancombe. At the front, however, Carcasci was beginning to leave Bancroft, the Brazilian's car feeling much better balanced than a day earlier, when Bancroft had beaten him in Heat 3. The times proved it too, Carcasci down to 49.3s on the third tour and it was not long before the clocks were stopped at 48.94s. The Brazilian was looking good.

Back to Herbert. Having dived inside Stancombe to take fifth at Paddock on lap 4, the Romford lad demoted Andy King two laps later. King's BRP team-mate, Seedhouse, was next in Johnny's sights and he gamely charged after him, taking a new lap record in the process. Herbert's new mark was 48.82s (six hundredths quicker than Gerrit van Kouwen's year old mark), and it brought him up to the back of Seedhouse's car with a lap remaining. Seedhouse, for his part, was posing something of a threat to Bancroft although never really mounting a serious challenge.

No further progress was made and so Carcasci ran out a comfortable winner from Bancroft, Seedhouse, Herbert, a gap to King and then van de Poele and Gerald van Uitert, who had forced by Stancombe on the penultimate lap. Colin indeed only just held off a late challenge from Finn, Matti Sarilo, which saw both cars record identical times. Further down, Peter Bell's Ray claimed the fina1 place in the semis, eliminating Danish champion Svend Hansen.

Johnny's semi-final

The 15 lap semi-finals brought together the big guns. A look at the front row for the first one really captured the imagination. Paulo Carcasci sat on pole with Gachot's Pacific run Marlboro' car sitting threateningly on the middle berth. Jonathan Bancroft occupied the outside spot, contemplating his chances of braving it out into Paddock. Many people glanced anxiously towards the starting gantry, watching the lights, a definite air of nervous anticipation about this one.

The lights blinked green and Bancroft made a perfect getaway, moving across to take the line into Paddock. Behind him, Carcasci had gone a fraction sideways from pole and had Gachot squeezing, squeezing, squeezing him as they approached the braking area. Suddenly the Brazilian was on the grass with nowhere to go. His brakes were rendered absolutely useless and as he avoided the barrier- to his right Gachot was launched into an horrific roll, the Marlboro car skating along the track on its left side with Gachot's helmet scraping along the ground. The car came to rest broadside in front of the whole pack and the following Ruairi O'Coileain averted disaster by mere inches, steering left in a reflex action and taking off Gachot's screen. Bertrand thankfully and incredibly emerged totally unscathed but both he and the disgruntled Carcasci were out.

After a short delay, they lined up for a second attempt, without two of the three front row men, and also minus the luckless Alan Kelly, Matti Sarilo, and Nick Harvey who had all been caught up in the mêlée. Bancroft simply pulled across into the vacant space and headed O'Coileain, Seedhouse, Robertson and Herbert through Paddock. Johnny, remember, gradually working his way to the front, had seen his big chance with Carcasci and Gachot off. Rapidly, he homed in on Robertson, displacing him on the third tour and setting off in pursuit of Seedhouse. The latter, though, was again driving well, and staying in touch with O'Coileain. There was no stopping Herbert in this mood, though, and the Quest was through on the inside of Seedhouse at Surtees soon after.

Back to the front, and O'Coileain was beginning to put pressure on Bancroft, and it was now that Herbert really got his head down, turning yet another 48s lap, the leading duo now in his sights.

At half distance, Otto Rensing spun the Ray at Graham Hill Bend, and Stewart Roden also suffered the same fate with the unique Rotar. Clearly there was some oil down at Graham Hill Bend and Bancroft noticeably altered his line, turning in earlier. Herbert was now right with O'Coileain, the leading threesome detached from their pursuers, led by Seedhouse and Willmott. Up to Surtees for the 1lth time and Ruairi made a mistake, sliding wide across the grass. That was all the Quest needed and Herbert was through in a flash and after Bancroft. The latter's relatively untroubled run, plus the fact that the second semi would have the remnants of any oil to slow them for the duration, meant that Herbert's close second (two-hundredths down at the flag) would probably be good for the outside of the front row in the final.

After Seedhouse and Robertson, Willmott had driven a fine race and headed van de Poele and Stapley while McCarthy came home ninth ahead of Champion of Brands, Colin Stancombe and Rob Murphy's Getem. Gerald van Uitert and Marc Hessel recorded identical times with the former just claiming 12th. Eliminated by 0.0l secs, thus, was the intrepid pre '74 champion Bob Berridge who had given his all in a Lola T640. Another unlucky drive was Andy King who admitted to a' tactical error. "I suffered a steering problem after a slight collision and should have stayed in 13^th where I was. I went for Kevin Gillen though and that was it. One mistake and you're out. It was stupid."

The final - Johnny's wins the Festival

And so to the big one. There had been-a feeling of irrevocability about Herbert's progress, he had 'momentum' if you like. And here he was on the outside of the front row, the favourable spot perhaps? Clearly the start was going to be all important and Johnny got an absolute flyer, inching across to take the line into Paddock. The thing about the Grand Final grid was that the occupants of its front two rows had a combined IQ of something more than double figures this time, and appreciated that in order to win they not only had to be first through Paddock, but also negotiate the corner a further 19 times! With that in mind, everyone successfully made it and charged up to Druids in the order Herbert, Bancroft, Hill, O'Coileain, Rogers, Blundell, Seedhouse, Robertson, Jones and Booth.

Many people had thought that once in the lead, Herbert would waltz away. Bancroft, though, had other ideas, hanging on grimly to the Quest as they began to break away from Hill. Damon seemed a couple of tenths from the ultimate pace all weekend, troubled by an understeer problem which prevented him from really getting in amongst it. Rogers was looking for a way by immediately and was himself the subject of Blundell's attentions once more. The field had already lost the clutchless Ayles then O'Coileain overcooked it on the exit of Graham Hill Bend, spinning out of the race. Griffin joined him and we were down to 23.

By lap 6, Blundell was becoming frustrated behind Rogers and gave the Laser a hefty clout as they accelerated out of Druids, Pete spinning down to the back of the field.

Seedhouse, meanwhile, was successfully fending off Robertson with Tim Jones struggling along behind, still short on traction. At the front, Bancroft was beginning to have serious looks at Herbert into Paddock at around mid distance. Jonathan had suffered a puncture on the grid, necessitating a new left rear, and was now well into the groove and looking very threatening. "I eased up a bit too much," Herbert said later, but whatever, he had it all to do again, gradually opening up a small advantage over the Batemans Opticians/Racefax car.

Further down, Dean (son of former Atlantic driver, Tony) was enjoying a fine scrap with Stancombe, the pair merrily banging wheels as they barrelled up to Druids. Dean finally got the better of the sera and set off after Stapley and Biela, the former turning in a really fine performance with the Ray.

At the head of the field, the final had developed into four two-car battles. Herbert just about had the measure of Bancroft, while Hill just managed to hold off Blundell, Mark recording the fastest lap of the final in his pursuit. Seedhouse kept back Robertson while Tim Juries was a further 5secs in arrears holding off a spirited effort from Adrian Willmott who impressed throughout despite experiencing a throttle problem in the semi-final.

Rogers charged back up to 13th, while Perry McCarthy brought his Milldent RfB car home 18th after a contretemps at Druids. How was the dog? "Oh it was a bloody rat this time!" retorted Perry. It was too, Ratzenberger being eliminated in their coming together on lap 14.

And so, after starting his heat the day before from the back of the grid with a 10sec penalty, 20-year-old Johnny Herbert crossed the line to wild cheers and no doubt filled Mike Thompson's order books for next year. It was no more than they deserved. Never the ones to make excuses always sporting and down to earth, the small team had taken on the Van Diemen hordes and beaten them. It was an emotional moment and every one of the appreciative crowd knew it. Once more the Formula Ford Festival and World Cup had produced superb entertainment. England's victory was incidental - Herbert ironically not even a member of the team. Brands Hatch last Sunday was all about Quest Racing and Johnny Herbert.

Results

Post 9 Marshals Heat 1 (10 laps): 1, Allan Seedhouse (Van Diemen-Auriga RF85), 8m22.94s, 86.15mph; 2, Andy King (Van Diemen-Nelson RF85),8m25.1 1 s; 3, Gerald van Uitert (Mondiale-Minister M85S), 8m26.10s; 4, Eric van de Poele (Van Diemen-ZagkRF85), 8m26.43s; 5, Matti Sarilo (Van Diemen-AurigaRF85),8m26.69s; 6, Johnny Herbert (Quest-Ivey 85FF), 8m33.37s. Fastest lap: Sarilo, 49.22s, 88.03mph.

Racepeople Employment Agency Heat 2 (10 laps): 1, Damon Hill (Van Diemen-Nelson RFB5), 8m23.46s, 86.06mph; 2, Rick Shortle (Reynard-Scholar 84FF), 8m24.44s; 3, Mark Peters (Van Diemen-Auriga RF85) 8m24.58s; 4, Rick Morris (Van Diemen-Scholar RF85), 8m24.81s; 5, Tom Brown (Van Diemen-Scholar RF85) 8m28.72s; 6, Martin Boyle (Mondiale-AldonM84S), 8m30.61s. Fastest lap: Shortle, 49.42s, 87.67mph.

OMP Racewear Heat 3 (10 1aps):1, Jonathan Bancroft (VanDiemen-AurigaRF85), 8m21.69s, 86.36mph; 2, Paulo Carcasci (Van Diemen-Minister RF85), 8m22.24s; 3, Colin Stancombe (Lola-Stancombe T640,4E). 8m31.89s; 4, Nicky d'Amico (Van Diemen-Auriga RF84), 8m31.99s; 5, Peter Bell (Ray-Auriga85F), 8m32.60s; 6, John M Davies (Crosslé-Scholar 6OF), 8m44.72s. Fastest lap: Bancroft, 49.20s, 88.06mph.

Percy Bilton plc Heat 4 (10 laps): 1, Peter Rogers (Laser-Minister HD85), 8m21.48s, 86.40mph; 2, Roland Ratzenberger (Van Diemen-MinisterRF85), 8m22.86s; 3, John 'Butcher' Booth (Van Diemen-Neil BrownRF85), 8m32.02s; 4, Alexander Arbis (Van Diemen-Neil Brown RF85), 8m32.05s; 5, Jeremy Packer (Van Diemen-Auriga RF85), 8m32.18s; 6, Henrik Barkstrom (Reynard-Auriga 85FF), 8m32.39s. Fastest lap: Ratzenberger, 49.30s, 87.88mph.

Minister Racing Engines Heat 5 (7 laps): 1, Stephen Robertson (Van Diemen-Auriga RF85), 5m52.83s, 85.96mph; 2, Ruairi O'Coileain (Van Diemen-Minister RF85), 5m53.46s; 3, Chris Hall (Jamun-Minister Tl2B), 6m04.25s; 4, Jaap Bokhoven (Mondiale-BS Power M84/85S), 6m04.82s; 5, Tony Walsh (Mondiale-Minister M85S), 6m04.93s; 6, Jeff Williams (Van Diemen-Ford RF80), 6m08.54s. Fastest lap: O'Coileain, 49.18s, 88.10mph. Results declared after seven laps due to crash at Paddock Hill Bend.

Formula Services Heat 6 (10 laps): 1, Mark Blundell (Van Diemen-Minister RF85), 8m22.24s, 86.27mph; 2, Alan McGarrity (Crossl6-GRD 6OF), 8m29.96s; 3, Vivion Daly (Mondiale-Minister M85S), 8m31.00s; 4, Gary Ayles (Reynard-Minister 84FF), 8m31.54s; 5, Andy Bovensiepen (Van Diemen-Minister RF85), 8m31.83s: 6, Lindoro da Silva (Van Diemen-Gatmo RF85), 8m39.36s. Fastest lap: Blundell, 49.32s, 87.85mph.

The Racing Car Show Heat 7 (10 laps): 1, Bertrand Gachot (Van Diemen-Nelson RF85), 8m20.92s, 86.5Omph; 2, Edmund Irvine (Mondiale-Auriga M85S), 8m22.65s; 3, Adrian Willmott (Van Diemen-Scholar RF85), 8m25.21s; 4, Len Bull (Van Diemen-Nolan RF84), 8m32.96s; 5, Andrew Stapley (Ray-Minister 85F), 8m33.96s; 6, Marc Hessel (Van Diemen-Auriga R@85), 8m34.10s. Fastest lap: Gachot, 49.32s, 87.85mph.

The Lep Group Heat 8 (10 laps): 1, Tim A Jones (Van Diemen-Minister RF85),8m23.96s, 85.97mph; 2, Jason Elliott (Van Diemen-Scholar RF85), 8m24.06s; 3, Frank Biela (Reynard-Eifelland 84FF), 8m24.20s; 4, David Griffin (Lola-Minister T644C), 8m33.23s; 5, Andy Mathew (Ray-Minister 83F), 8m33.24s; 6, Willie Rose (Reynard-Minister 84FF), 8m38.69s. Fastest lap: Jones & Biela, 49.57s, 87.41 mph.

Duckhams Oils Quarter-Final 1 (12 laps): 1, Carcasci, 9m57.64s, 87.0Omph; 2, Bancroft, 10m01.42s; 3, Seedhouse, 10m02.00s; 4, Herbert, 10m02.31s; 5, King, 10m05.61s; 6, van de Poele, 10ml 1.49s. Fastest lap: Herbert, 48.82s, 88.75mph (record).

Gardner Platform Floors Quarter-Final 2 (12 lags): 1, Rogers, 10m02.66s, 86.27mph; 2, Hill, 10m04.22s;3. Shortle, 10m04.58s; 4, Peters, 10m09.9@s; 5, Booth, 10ml 1.41s; 6, Ratzenberger, 10ml 1.52s. Fastest lap: Rogers & Packer, 49.39s, 87.72mph.

Road and Racing Accessories Quarter-Final 3 (12 laps): 1, Gachot, 10m01.80s, 86.40mph; 2, O'Coileain, 10m02.34s; 3, Robertson, 10m02.50s; 4, Willmott, 10m12.25s; 5, Stapley, 10m13.47s; 6, Hessell, 10m14.50s. Fastest lap: Robertson, 49.01s, 88.40mph.

Quest Racing Cars Quarter-Final 4 (12 laps): 1, Blundell, 9m58.68s, 86.85mph; 2, Jones, 10m03.37s; 3, Elliott, 1 0m03.40s; 4, Alan McGarrity, 1 0m04.08s; 5, Daly, 1 0m07.31 s; 6, Ayles, 1 0m07.44s. Fastest lap: Blundell, 49.20s, 88.06mph.

Brands Hatch Racing Semi-Final 1 (15 1aps): 1, Bancroft, 12m33.62s,86.24mph;2, Herbert. 12m33.64s;3, O'Coileain, 12m34.13s; 4, Seedhouse, 12m36.60s; 5, Robertson, 12m36.89s; 6, Willmott, 12m43.25s. Fastest lap: Herbert, 48.89s, 88.62mph.

Dunlop Semi-Final 2 (15 laps): 1, Hill, 12m40.77s, 85.43mph; 2, Rogers, 12m40.91 s; 3, Jones, 12m44.17s; 4, Blundell, 12m44.30s; 5, Booth, 12m45.28s; 6, McGarrity, 12m45.30s. Fastest lap: McGarrity, 49.61 s, 87.34mph.

Final

1 Johnny Herbert (Quest-Ivey FF85), 16m34.35s
2 Jonathan Bancroft (Van Diemen-Auriga), 16m34.83s
3 Damon Hill (Van Diemen), 16m37.94s
4 Mark Blundell (Van Diemen-Minister RF85) 16m37.94s
5 Allan Seedhouse (Van Diemen-Auriga RF85) 16m41.22s
6 Stephen Robertson (Van Diemen-Auriga RF85)
7 Tim A Jones (Van Diemen-Minister RF85), 16m46.67s
8 Adrian Willmott (Van Diemen-Scholar RF85), 16m46.72s
9 Eric van de Poele (Van Diemen-Zagk RF85),16rr.51.89s
10 Alan McGarrity (Crosslé-GRD 6OF), 16m52.54s
11 John 'Butcher' Booth (Van Diemen-Neil Brown RF85), 16m52.58s
12 Andrew Stapley (Ray-Minister 85F), 16m52.75s
13 Peter Rogers (Laser-Minister HD85),16m52.98s
14 Frank Biela (Reynard-Eiffeland 84FF), 16m53.31s
15 Richard Dean (Van Diemen-Neil Brown RF85), 16m53.79s
16 Colin Stancombe (Lola-Stancombe T640/4E), 16m58.25s
17 Mark Hessel (Van Diemen-Auriga RF85), 16m58.51s
18 Perry McCarthy (Van Diemen-Minister RF85), 16m59.27s
19 Robert Murphy (Getem-Minister GD1 15),17m01.30s
20 Gerald van Uitert (Mondiale Minister M85S), 17m01.76s
21 Andrew Mathew (Ray-Minister 83F), 17m17.13s
22 Tim Harvey (Quest-Ivey 85FF), 18 laps.

Not Classified: Roland Ratzenberger (Van Diemen-Minister RF85), 14 laps; David Griffin (Lola Minister T644C), 2 laps; Ruairi O'Coileain (Van Diemen-Minister RF85), 2 laps; Gary Ayles (Reynard-Minister 84FF), 1 lap.

Fastest lap: Blundell, 49.05s, 88.33mph.

Many thanks to Autosport and the writers for the above report. All rights reserved.
The series of historic reports comes to you from the archives of fan Harry Lythgoe
This page prepared 20th September 1997.