Formula Ireland car - too much for a novice?
Discussion
I'd like to ask anyone who has single seater experience for their opinion on the following. I really want to start racing next season, probably in Monoposto. 
I have been looking through the classifieds on Motorsportads and the like and have seen several FF1600s, but what has really caught my eye are the Vauxhall engined 16V cars and the 2.0 litre zetecs. In all honesty (I shan't be offended!) am I kidding myself thinking about one of these for a first racing car or should I stick with a humbler 1600?
What do you all reckon?
Nick
I have been looking through the classifieds on Motorsportads and the like and have seen several FF1600s, but what has really caught my eye are the Vauxhall engined 16V cars and the 2.0 litre zetecs. In all honesty (I shan't be offended!) am I kidding myself thinking about one of these for a first racing car or should I stick with a humbler 1600?What do you all reckon?
Nick
CaptiV8ted said:
I'd like to ask anyone who has single seater experience for their opinion on the following. I really want to start racing next season, probably in Monoposto. I have been looking through the classifieds on Motorsportads and the like and have seen several FF1600s, but what has really caught my eye are the Vauxhall engined 16V cars and the 2.0 litre zetecs. In all honesty (I shan't be offended!) am I kidding myself thinking about one of these for a first racing car or should I stick with a humbler 1600?
What do you all reckon?
Nick
Lots of people will give you lots of advice on this - most of it contradictory but plenty of people have done something similar in Mono - try to have a test in the car that you are going to buy & maybe take someone with you who knows what they are looking at & then go for it. There should be plenty of people to "play" with in Mono, just enjoy the single seater experience. Test a few times & try a few races with the CTCRC at their Silverstone Stowe events first - they are great value as you get 3 races for £110 and there's no scenery to hit. I have been looking through the classifieds on Motorsportads and the like and have seen several FF1600s, but what has really caught my eye are the Vauxhall engined 16V cars and the 2.0 litre zetecs. In all honesty (I shan't be offended!) am I kidding myself thinking about one of these for a first racing car or should I stick with a humbler 1600?What do you all reckon?
Nick
Mono is a good club for the novice & single seaters are fantastic to drive. I drove in Mono for 3 years but gave up single seaters because I was rubbish! Didn't mean I didn't really enjoy myself, though.
I can give you contact details of a mate of mine that I bought my first 2 single seaters off who has a F Ireland for sale cheaper than those I have seen advertised - he'll also provide trackside support at very affordable prices for tests & races. PM/ e-mail me if you want his details.
Hi
I've dabbled with Formula Fords a couple of times and help out pushing a friends Mono car round a few paddocks.
Jumping into a single seater from the point of a total novice was an unusual experience as they're so direct in everything they do but if you've got some track experience (track days) you'll not find it takes long to get used to the sensations and the way they drive - just make sure you book a few test days before venturing out for a qualyifying session - IMHO.
The formula Irelands in Mono this year have varied a bit, from right near the front to right near the back, so they can obviously go very well, but does make you wonder how easy they are to make do it?
I've been very lucky to have been offered a run in a few different cars as one off's and by far and away the car I've felt comfortable in the quickest was a Vauxhall Lotus 2L. Seemed very forgiving to me and speaking as a numpty with the spanners they're nice to work on too as they're relativly simple.
I've dabbled with Formula Fords a couple of times and help out pushing a friends Mono car round a few paddocks.
Jumping into a single seater from the point of a total novice was an unusual experience as they're so direct in everything they do but if you've got some track experience (track days) you'll not find it takes long to get used to the sensations and the way they drive - just make sure you book a few test days before venturing out for a qualyifying session - IMHO.
The formula Irelands in Mono this year have varied a bit, from right near the front to right near the back, so they can obviously go very well, but does make you wonder how easy they are to make do it?
I've been very lucky to have been offered a run in a few different cars as one off's and by far and away the car I've felt comfortable in the quickest was a Vauxhall Lotus 2L. Seemed very forgiving to me and speaking as a numpty with the spanners they're nice to work on too as they're relativly simple.
Thanks Jim, 
I've done a fair amount of spannering and really am not concerned about any of the mechanical stuff. I have driven a 1700 Formula Renault on an experience day (albeit limited to 4500 revs)and enjoyed it so much I ended up buying a Westfield to get as close to the experience as I could on the road.
Now, my Westy had a 2.0XE engine circa 170hp and was pretty viscious! However, I'm not an experienced racer and I'm looking for guidance on the amount of extra power a mono 2000 would have over a 1600. I can't help but picture these things as fire breathing monsters. I'd like it to be the case where I could go straight for a 2000, but I fear that if it was so damn fast I'd look a right pratt, showing my obvious inexperience by being left behind by everybody else.
It's interesting you drove the vauxhall lotus, was it as demonic as I imagine????
Nick
I've done a fair amount of spannering and really am not concerned about any of the mechanical stuff. I have driven a 1700 Formula Renault on an experience day (albeit limited to 4500 revs)and enjoyed it so much I ended up buying a Westfield to get as close to the experience as I could on the road.
Now, my Westy had a 2.0XE engine circa 170hp and was pretty viscious! However, I'm not an experienced racer and I'm looking for guidance on the amount of extra power a mono 2000 would have over a 1600. I can't help but picture these things as fire breathing monsters. I'd like it to be the case where I could go straight for a 2000, but I fear that if it was so damn fast I'd look a right pratt, showing my obvious inexperience by being left behind by everybody else.
It's interesting you drove the vauxhall lotus, was it as demonic as I imagine????
Nick
Hi Nick
Ok so the mechanical side of it we have covered - that'll make things easier.
I hillclimb & sprint a Striker and on the day I had a few runs in the Vauxhall Lotus (at the new Anglesey) we were also running the Striker so it was an interesting comparison. The Striker has 170bhp and weighs about 500kg, the FVL had about 180ish and actually weighs a bit more, striker has shorter top end gearing as single seaters have a much better aero package than a 7. So in terms of punch their actually wasn't that much difference so it's not a case of eye wateringly fast acceleration.
But
The difference is GRIP and hence corner speed (especially as the Striker is on MSA list 1a road tyres) and then of course you're going onto the quick bits at a hgher speed and it's got much better aero so it keeps on accelerating longer, and then there's the brakes.. had to accelerate back up to a few corners..
Of course there's a huge difference in the way the car feels, they're much more focused even than a track preped 7, so for example the level of vibration is higher, but then so's the feedback. I really don't think many entusiastic drivers would struggle driving and racing any single seater to be honest, but having the talent to win is the hard bit! Getting close to the pace so you're enjoying yourself most people should find easy enough - getting on it is the tricky bit.
Certainly you'll always find someone to race against in Mono as the races are multi class most of the time, so even if the bloke your dicing with is in a FF1600 and you're in a FVL it doesn't matter as everyones having fun.
The only area where I struggled is fitting the thing (I actually had too much room round my shoulders so moved sideways in it)so make sure what you buy you fit comfortably.
Hope this helps
Ok so the mechanical side of it we have covered - that'll make things easier.
I hillclimb & sprint a Striker and on the day I had a few runs in the Vauxhall Lotus (at the new Anglesey) we were also running the Striker so it was an interesting comparison. The Striker has 170bhp and weighs about 500kg, the FVL had about 180ish and actually weighs a bit more, striker has shorter top end gearing as single seaters have a much better aero package than a 7. So in terms of punch their actually wasn't that much difference so it's not a case of eye wateringly fast acceleration.
But
The difference is GRIP and hence corner speed (especially as the Striker is on MSA list 1a road tyres) and then of course you're going onto the quick bits at a hgher speed and it's got much better aero so it keeps on accelerating longer, and then there's the brakes.. had to accelerate back up to a few corners..
Of course there's a huge difference in the way the car feels, they're much more focused even than a track preped 7, so for example the level of vibration is higher, but then so's the feedback. I really don't think many entusiastic drivers would struggle driving and racing any single seater to be honest, but having the talent to win is the hard bit! Getting close to the pace so you're enjoying yourself most people should find easy enough - getting on it is the tricky bit.
Certainly you'll always find someone to race against in Mono as the races are multi class most of the time, so even if the bloke your dicing with is in a FF1600 and you're in a FVL it doesn't matter as everyones having fun.
The only area where I struggled is fitting the thing (I actually had too much room round my shoulders so moved sideways in it)so make sure what you buy you fit comfortably.
Hope this helps
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