Ritter confident in Formula Ford future

The future of the Australian Formula Ford Series is bright, according to Sonic Motor Racing Services principal Michael Ritter.

With an impressive track record of Championships and a veritable who’s who of drivers having competed with Sonic over the last decade and a half Ritter is well qualified to comment on what has been a turbulent period for the category over the last few years.

“The category has certainly been through some uncertainty,” he concedes, “I don’t think that’s news to anyone, but I believe the formula that organisers have come up with now will be a strong one and guarantee a bright future for drivers, teams and administrators.”

Ritter enters his 16th year of competition for Sonic with Formula Ford in 2014, armed with another barrage of bright young talent for 2014 in the landmark season.

West Australian Nick Rowe and Victorians Hamish Hardeman and Christian Morina spearhead’s Sonic line-up which blasts off as part of the Shannon’s Nationals later this month (April 26-27) at Mallala Raceway.

“I can honestly say I’m very excited about the future,” he admits, “with a new structure and National calendar in place and a philosophy of reducing costs the National Formula Ford Series positions itself as the leading driver development series in Australia and it’ll continue to provide a platform for our best young talent to learn their craft. Endorsed by CAMS as a national series, the 2014 Australian Formula Ford Series continues the long tradition of Formula Ford racing in Australia which has developed more professional drivers than any other category in the country and I’m confident will continue to do so.”

Ritter believes that one cornerstone in particular of the new Formula Ford vision will have a dramatic and positive effect on the product.

“The category’s in the unusual and enviable position of having a dramatically reduced budget to compete in this year’s series. This will definitely result in a substantial increase in grid sizes where we can expect between 20-25 cars and offers private entrants a fantastic opportunity to go racing on a National level. That’s very exciting news on its own. The future looks very bright.”