End Of Season Review
End Of Season Review 2024
Ben’s Thoughts
As December rolls in, the 2024 racing season draws to a close and the garage doors are shut.
The 2024 racing season was a season of a steep learning curve with; 2 new tracks, new car, 0 additional testing, fastest lap times and more! Although results may not have shown it, we have made huge progress at every event this year. The competition level has risen since last year and seeing personal best lap times and championship result.
Overall Performance - Comparing this season against my previous years, this has been my strongest overall season for sure! Finishing 13 out of 14 races whilst being in the top 10 in 11 out of the 14 United Formula Ford Championship races delivering incredible consistency throughout the year. Whilst setting constant personal best lap times at every event this season, the biggest difference in lap times was at Brands Hatch where I set a lap time -0.587 of a second faster than my previous visit in 2023!
New Challenges - This year, we had Lydden Hill & Castle Combe on the calendar, whilst not having the budget for any additional test days prior to the events it made it quite a challenge to get up to speed. That placed a physical challenge upon myself at Lydden Hill by being the only driver to take part in every practice session on the Friday doing all 8x 15 minute practice sessions when no other driver did, leaving me physically drained for Saturday. Whereas at Castle Combe, the test day was soaking wet and nearly straight away I was on the pace doing some of the fastest times during the day. Unfortunately it dried up for race day meaning I was starting from scratch again, it took the whole day to get up to speed in the dry but from my qualifying time I managed to improve by 1.2 seconds and catching the leaders in race 2 and finishing on the podium!
Best Moments - Some of my most positive moments this season being; Challenging for the win at Snetterton in the pouring rain, perfect starts almost every race this season, partnership with the RBL Deddington branch, personal Best championship results, media coverage, constant improvements, driver development etc.
This season has produced so much, I believe the things I have learned over 2024 will help me mount a stronger challenge for the front in the coming season. I must say thank you to Oldfield Motorsport for the constant support to develop me throughout the year and doing some insanely good mechanics work.
More credit for this season is my sponsors keeping me on track along with my Dad for putting in endless amounts of effort for me which I will forever be grateful for all of the support in my racing career. Now as the dust settles we roll into the winter, so over the next few months I will be endlessly training to make myself even fitter and stronger for next season along with seeing any other ways to make myself better for next season.
