Besley gets Formula 1 break

Grand Prix Masters drive gives Formula Junior racer a taste of 3-litre power

Formula Junior racer Crispian Besley stepped up to race in Grand Prix Masters at Silverstone when he accepted an invitation to race Ron Maydon’s Cooper-Alfa Romeo T86C.

“I started racing single-seaters when I was 17, so it has only taken me 30 years to make my F1 debut,” joked Besley, who is interested in doing some more F1 racing. “I’ve been wanting to try Grand Prix Masters for a while and the Cooper is a lovely car. But it is very different from a front-engined Formula Junior!” Cooper experimented with the Alfa V8 in 1968, unsuccessfully.

Having successfully finished both races at Silverstone, Besley also campaigned his US championship-winning Elva 100 Formula Junior car the same weekend.