Last month, Connor Willis made a triumphant return from England, bringing with him a wealth of experience, knowledge, and fantastic results. Connor’s first race of the season, and his first ever in the UK, took place at the iconic Lydden Hill Race Circuit, the birthplace of Rallycross and home to the World Rallycross Championship.
Piloting the Formula Ford (F1600) Ray Race Car, Connor navigated a competitive and experienced field with ease and enjoyment, despite the cold and wet conditions. In an impressive display, he secured P3 in qualifying on just his second lap, during intense rain, ensuring his position at the front of the field. This race also marked Connor’s first standing start; including a light board on a slightly declined surface made for an excellent learning curve. The race was thrilling, with intense battles that saw Connor finish fifth in the first race and eighth in the second.
Connor returned to England for another round of Formula Ford racing at the legendary Brands Hatch Race Circuit, the former home of the F1 British Grand Prix until 1986. The weekend’s conditions were nearly perfect, except for a challenging qualifying session. Recently applied oil dry from a prior session red flag event, combined with light rain, made finding the perfect strategy and conditions for a quick lap difficult. Connor pushed hard and qualified 12th. In the first race, he finished P12, but in the second race, Connor pushed harder and worked his way up to P8. The field was highly competitive, with over 20 finely tuned Formula Fords and drivers with significant seat time at this circuit, making it an impressive feat for Connor in his first race at Brands Hatch.
We return home with newfound knowledge and experience, ready to put it all to use at the Autobahn Country Club. Connor’s newly acquired Formula Ford Ray Race Car will be instrumental as we prepare for future open-wheel racing events.
