Latest News 2024
25/02/2023
One-Litre F3 Joint Annual Awards Dinner - Saturday 25th February 2023
A record number of 77 people turned up on Saturday night for the One-Litre F3 dinner and prize giving at Chesford Grange, just a stone’s throw from Stoneleigh Park, and deliberately arranged to coincide with Race Retro.
This year’s event was designed to not only celebrate the British, but also the European Championship, as it normally falls to the European winner to organise a celebratory event to recognise their achievement - a bit like buying drinks for everyone in the bar after a hole in one….! Jeremy Timms, being one of the racers able to keep young Samuel Harrison honest in the UK, deservedly won the European Championship to add to his illustrious race winning tally.
Aside from the current array of drivers, partners and friends, were an equally impressive array of former “screamers” including such luminaries as Howden Ganley, Ian Ashley, Warwick Banks, Dave Berry, Dave Brodie, John Buxton, Tony Goodwin and Mike Wilds. Special mention and thanks go to Jennie Rollinson - Alan’s wife - who delighted everyone with her company, and very kindly presented the Alan Rollinson Award.
Pre-dinner, Francois Derossi and Christoph Widmer - joint Chairmen of the European Championship - gave a briefing on their initiative for racing at Spa Francorchamps in 2024, which included innovative ways to fund the cost of us securing a standalone one-litre F3 grid. The idea of racing at this iconic circuit was very warmly received.
Dinner itself was a result of considerable planning by Simon Etherington who worked tirelessly behind the scenes in both promoting and organising the event, as well as problem-solving the inevitable issues that arise in such an undertaking. As MC for the evening he not only smoothly oiled the evening’s wheels and trophy presentations, but his wordsmith skills delighted everyone with a pre-dinner Grace that paid humorous homage to both past and present racers.
The array of veteran F3 racers, which included two ex Grand Prix drivers, was the result of Mike Walker’s hard work and persistent phone persuasion. Mike, who beat James Hunt into second place in the 1969 Grovewood Awards and was offered a drive by John Surtees in his F1 team, still races an F3 screamer, proving that no matter how famous or far a racing career takes you, racing a one-litre F3 car is simply the best…!
Jonathan Sharp
