Australia’s national Formula Ford championship will cease to exist from 2014 onwards.
The Confederation of Australian Motor Sport said sustainability reviews had indicated the series was not viable in the long-term, persuading them to cease operating it from the end of the current season.
State championships will continue to run however, while CAMS is exploring alternative formats, including a Formula Ford Festival.
Chief Executive Eugene Arocca said rising costs and falling manufacturer support had forced CAMS to abandon a national series that counts Mark Webber, Garth Tander and Jamie Whincup among its recent graduates.
A national Formula Ford series has run in Australia since 1970, and was named the Australian Formula Ford championship in 1993.
“As much as CAMS would like to see a thriving national Formula Ford competition, this has been and will be difficult to achieve,” Arocca said.
“We agreed to run the category in 2013 when the category manager at the time was not able to continue doing so due to financial pressures – primarily a result of the withdrawal of important funding from the manufacturer.
“Those pressures have not eased and despite careful management of the category this year by CAMS, we simply cannot justify the time and money it will take to continue doing so beyond 2013.
“It is expensive for everyone competing in the national competition and we feel there is a better, more affordable, more sustainable way of showcasing Formula Ford racing nationally.”
