Sports 2000 ace back to single-seaters

Former Sports 2000 Duratec ace Tom Mills will make a return to single-seaters this season, having acquired a Royale RP26 for Classic Formula Ford.

One of four examples of Pat Symonds’ design supplied to the Brands Hatch Racing school in 1979, chassis 14 was subsequently raced by Nigel Greens all but has been sprinted and hill climbed for the past few years.

“I miss Sports 2000 but couldn’t afford a car,” said Buckingham-based Mills, twice runner-up in the Duratec championship in Gunn chassis. “Initially I looked at Caterhams – because I love ultra-competitive racing – but a visit to November’s Walter Hayes Trophy changed all that. I came away hooked on FF1600!

“[Reigning] Historic champion Richard Tarling is a mate from school days, and I’d have liked to join him, but the [Pre-’72] cars were beyond my pocket. He recommended the Classic [Pre-’82] series and Alan Cornock of Fulmar Competition Services did a deal on the RP26.

“It will be tough – particularly after a bit of slicks and wings FF2000 racing in my dad Steve’s SPAM+SPORT Delta – but I’m looking forward to getting stuck in and learning as much as I can from period Royale works driver Rick Morris, who is racing his RP26.”