Yorkshire’s Samuel Harrison racing for festival glory

By Samuel Harrison
Contributor
Published 1st Oct 2024, 10:56 BST
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The annual Formula Ford Festival at Brands Hatch in kent, this year taking place between the 19th-20th October, has been one of the best proving grounds for racing drivers for over 50 years. Some of the biggest names in motorsport have passed through this prestigious event on their way to the very top.

Past winners include many F1 drivers such as 2009 World Champion Jenson Button, Mark Webber, Eddie Irvine and Johnny Herbert. Other famous names to drive here that didn’t make the top step of the podium include 4 other F1 World Champions in Michael Schumacher, Mika Hakkinen, Nigel Mansell, and Kimi Raikkonen.

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Today’s Formula Ford Festival remains as relevant and fiercely competitive as ever. One name hoping to follow in the footsteps of these illustrious drivers is young 20 year old Yorkshireman, Samuel Harrison, dubbed by some as the ‘Yorkshire Verstappen’ such is his talent. Unlike most competitors who drive with professional teams, Samuel will be tackling this event in a car prepared with his father, Tim; in their 1970 Elden Mk8. He will be competing in the Historic Category at the festival, aiming to win the Historic class and be the highest placed Historic car in the main event against cars much younger than his.

Achieving this would see Samuel continue to add to his impressive career so far, having already won 2 consecutive national championships and currently leading this year’s HSCC Formula Ford 2000 Championship. Samuel has also collected podiums at prestigious events such as Goodwood Revival and the Abu Dhabi 6-hour for Toyota. As part of the Motorsport UK Academy, which selects and nurtures the UK’s most talented young racing drivers, Samuel is well placed to realise his dream of a career in professional motorsport, with his sights set on racing in the McLaren Trophy championship in 2025.

Picture of Samuel HarrisonPicture of Samuel Harrison
Picture of Samuel Harrison

The Formula Ford Festival is streamed live on Youtube and watched by tens of thousands of people meaning this event provides Samuel an excellent platform to showcase his skills to a large audience and help promote himself to people looking for the next generation of drivers. Brands Hatch has been a happy hunting ground for Harrison in the past, accumulating 2 Lap Records and 4 race wins on his previous visits.

To find out more or support Samuel on his journey please contact [email protected]

Related topics:Yorkshire

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