Caterham ace impresses on Historic Formula Ford debut at Combe

Former Caterham champion Neil Shinner made his Historic FF1600 at Castle Combe when he raced the ex-mike Wrigley Merlyn Mk20 under the wing of Nigel Grant.

The Cornwall-based toy designer raced in FF1600 in the mid-1980s in the Dunlop- Autosport Star of Tomorrow Championship as a youngster. He returned to racing six years ago when a serious leg injury curtailed his motorbike enduro activities.

He took two Caterham Graduate titles but always hankered after returning to single-seaters. “I wanted to do Formula Ford again; it was a real passion,” said Shinner, who finished seventh in the first race at Combe.

Shinner also has a Reynard SF78 for Historic Formula Ford 2000 and hopes to race both cars on some weekends this season.