Formula Ford Champion Makes Leap to British F3

The Canadian Formula Ford champion, Ben Hurst, has announced that he will make the leap up to BRDC British F3 for the new season as he joins the Hillspeed team that has a history of Formula Ford drivers within the championship.

Hurst, born in Oakville, Ontario made a name for himself in his home country. He only started racing in 2014 having just turning 17, the same age as last years champion Enaam Ahmed, but quickly found his feet in a number of Formula Ford events.

The following year he entered his local Ontario Championship, picking up Best Rookie and fourth in the standings. After a low-key 2016 in which he returned to both the Ontario and Quebec Series, he made the leap to Canada’s primary Formula Ford series, the Toyo Tyres F1600 Championship.

In his first season he dominated, winning the title by 159 points, while also being selected as part of the Formula Ford ‘Team Canada’ Scholarship that gained his access to the Formula Ford Festival at Brands Hatch.

Sadly, he was forced into retirement during the final.

Hillspeed raced in 2017 with the assistance of Cliff Dempsey Racing, allowing the team to bring in Formula Ford stars Chase Owen and (before his departure) Jordan Cane. While Cliff Dempsey will not return for the current year, the association with Formula Ford remains.

“I’m really looking forward to getting started with Hillspeed,” said Hurst, who is currently based in the UK in Manchester, “It was the right time to make the step up into a faster car and I have found the right series and team to make that step with. It’s an absolute privilege to be racing in the UK against such high competition and I’m very excited for the new challenge.”

Hillspeed are set to announce a second driver within the coming weeks.