The Walter Hayes Trophy is a non-championship

Formula Ford Formula Ford, also known as F1600 and Formula F, is an entry-level class of single-seater, open-wheel formula racing. The various championships held across the world have historically been an important step for many prospective Formula One dri ...

race. Sanctioned by the Historic Sports Car Club and created by James Beckett the race has grown into the most prestigious Formula Ford race worldwide. The race is held annually in November at the

Silverstone Circuit Silverstone Circuit is a motor racing circuit in England, near the Northamptonshire villages of Silverstone and Whittlebury. It is the home of the British Grand Prix, which it first hosted as the 1948 British Grand Prix. The 1950 British Grand ...

History

The first Walter Hayes Trophy was held at Silverstone between 26 and 28 August 2001 after being created by James Beckett. It is named after

Walter Hayes Walter Leopold Arthur Hayes (12 April 1924 – 26 December 2000) was an English journalist, and later public relations executive for Ford Motor Company, Ford. Hayes was key in developing Ford's Formula One program, by signing Jackie Stewart a ...

who was a

Ford Motor Company Ford Motor Company (commonly known as Ford) is an American multinational corporation, multinational automobile manufacturer headquartered in Dearborn, Michigan, United States. It was founded by Henry Ford and incorporated on June 16, 1903. T ...

public relations executive. As a public relations executive Hayes was very much involved with racing and was instrumental in the creation of the famous

Cosworth DFV The DFV is an internal combustion engine that was originally produced by Cosworth for Formula One motor racing. The name is an abbreviation of ''Double Four Valve'', the engine being a V8 development of the earlier four-cylinder FVA, which had f ...

engine. Hayes died on 26 December 2000, aged 76 and since, his name has carried on in this event. Neil Fowler won the inaugural race in a classic

Lola Lola may refer to: Places * Lolá, a or subdistrict of Panama * Lola Township, Cherokee County, Kansas, United States * Lola Prefecture, Guinea * Lola, Guinea, a town in Lola Prefecture * Lola Island, in the Solomon Islands People * Lol ...

T200 beating 48 competitors. The 2001 race was the only Trophy held in August as part of the Silverstone Historic Festival in which the race was sanctioned by the BRDC (British Racing Drivers club). From 2002, the race became (and still is) a stand-alone event. The events held between 2002 and 2006 were sanctioned by the BRDC, with this role being taken by the HSCC (Historic Sports Car Club) from 2007. Gavin Wills won the 2002 edition and after that,

Joey Foster Joseph Nathaneal Foster (born 5 July 1982 in London) is a British racing driver. He has competed in such series as Le Mans Series, Australian Formula Ford Championship and the German Formula Three Championship The German Formula Three Ch ...

won three races consecutively in 2003, 2004 and 2005 in a

Reynard Reynard the Fox is a list of literary cycles, literary cycle of medieval allegorical Folklore of the Low Countries, Dutch, English folklore, English, French folklore, French and German folklore, German fables. The first extant versions of the cy ...

chassis. He is the most successful competitor after winning the race 4 times, once more in 2022 with Don Hardman Racing in a Firman RFR20 chassis. Four

Team USA Scholarship The Team USA Scholarship is a scholarship program which allows young American people, American racecar drivers to compete outside of the United States. Each year, a competition is used to select the best young racecar drivers in the United States, ...

racers have won the race,

Conor Daly Conor James Daly (born December 15, 1991) is an American professional auto racing, racing driver. He competes in the IndyCar Series driving the No. 76 Chevrolet for Juncos Hollinger Racing. He also competes occasionally in NASCAR and has also rac ...

in 2008,

Connor De Phillippi Connor De Phillippi (born December 25, 1992) is an American professional racing driver and gold rated BMW Motorsport works driver. Racing career Early career De Phillippi began karting at the age of 5 years old and by the time he was 14 years o ...

in 2009,

Tristan Nunez Tristan Nunez (born October 31, 1995 in Boynton Beach, Florida) is an American racing driver from Boca Raton, Florida. He is the son of Juan Nunez, a former professional tennis player and coach. Nunez has a fraternal twin brother, Dylan, who was ...

in 2012 and

Max Esterson Maxwell Esterson (born October 9, 2002) is an American racing driver and esports driver, who competes in the FIA Formula 2 Championship for Trident. He previously competed in the FIA Formula 3 Championship with Jenzer Motorsport and in the GB3 ...

in 2021. Fellow Team USA Scholarship drivers have finished highly in the event such as

Oliver Askew Oliver Clark Askew (born December 12, 1996) is an American racing driver. He is the 2019 Indy Lights champion. Racing career Early career Askew began karting at the age of 8 in Jupiter. He finished third and sixth in the Rotax Max Challenge Gra ...

, who finished second in 2016 to Niall Murray. Drivers from the United States must user a Ford Kent engine, as the Honda L15A7, which has dominated domestic Formula Ford racing in Sports Car Club of America sanctioned competition since being legalised in 2010 for Kent-based Formula Ford racing, is prohibited in this event.

Winners

References

{{reflist Formula Ford Formula races