Time stands still for veteran Ashley in Historic Formula Ford

Veteran racer Ian Ashley has returned to his roots by entering the Historic Formula Ford Championship.

The 62-year-old former Grand Prix driver (left) is campaigning a Lola T200 this season, 40 years after he finished second to Emerson Fittipaldi in the Temporada Formula Ford series in Brazil.

“It feels just like it did 40 years ago,” said Ashley. “It’s probably the cheapest single-seater formula going and I love being back in a Formula Ford.”

In 1969 Ashley stepped down from Formula 3 to race a works Alexis in FFord. “I tested a Lola T200 at the end of ’69 as Eric Broadley wanted me to do the Temporada series. But Lotus offered various things so I ended up going with Lotus and the Fittipaldi brothers.”

Ashley later reached F1 and contested five Grands Prix before an accident in Canada with the Hesketh team left him with two broken ankles and ended his mainstream career.