In a previous entry I already mentioned that this year's BRSCC Formula Ford Festival was appropriately timed, since the same weekend Jenson Button won the F1 championship (1998 Festival winner) and Mark Webber took the Interlagos top positioin (1996 winner). I thought it might be good to add that also guys like Kimi Räikkönen have been at the Festivals, and quite successfully.
Of course, this being the Festival, actually winning it is not only a matter of skill - a lot of luck goes into it too. Thus unfortunately Kimi never was a winner, but the year he participated (1999) he did take the fastest lap in the Qualifying, won his heat, got third in the semifinals, and started in the sixth slot for the finals. Unfortunately a crash made him a DNF, but that happens to the best at the Festivals! Kimi was driving a Van Diemen RF99 for Continental Racing (in fact, the 1999 winner Ricardo van der Ende, drove a similar Van Diemen). His time in Qualifying was 52,858. The same year Kimi raced in the Formula Ford Eurocup, reaching fifth position.If you are interested, you can find the 1999 results at the BRSCC site, and mentions about Kimi's Formula Ford career here. Incidentally, some of the other Finnish drivers at the 1999 Formula Ford Festival included Olli Kaurala, today the lead mechanic for Team Söderman.
