Why enduring appeal of Walter Hayes Trophy ensures it's an end-of-season highlight

Any event that can attract 103 drivers to a cold and windy Silverstone in November is clearly pretty popular. And it’s brilliant that the thrilling final of the 25th edition of the Walter Hayes Trophy ensured that the anniversary was celebrated in style.

The event has progressed a long way from its humble beginnings as a single historic contest as part of the Silverstone Festival in 2001. It has become a national racing institution attracting hardy drivers and spectators to Northamptonshire year after year.

Not that its creator James Beckett had any idea what the Hayes would turn into from that very first event. “When you create a race, you hope you will create something people enjoy,” he says. “It quickly turned into a knockout format and grew from there. A huge amount of effort goes into it, and we have great support from everyone: Silverstone, the Historic Sports Car Club, Colin and Freddie [Beckett’s brother and son]. I’m thrilled that it was a classic.

“We had over 100 cars, Formula Ford is still popular, and the Walter Hayes Trophy just brings people together. It’s an international spectacle and a great way to finish the national racing season.”

What makes this year’s 103-car entry (and the 84 at the Formula Ford Festival the previous week) so impressive amid challenging economic times is the fact that FF1600 racing’s relevance to the wider motorsport world has dwindled over the past quarter of a century.

No longer is it the crucial starting point on the ladder to single-seater stardom. The halo-less cars with their stick-shift gearboxes and limited aero may still be brilliant training tools, but they have become ever less relevant to the machines that drivers encounter further along the ladder. That may have contributed to the demise of the National Formula Ford championship a couple of years ago, but the Hayes remains as adored as ever.

Take Andrew Rackstraw as a good example. The South African is an enthusiastic character at the best of times, but his passion for the Hayes and Formula Ford racing is undeniable even while the Porsche Carrera Cup GB champion attempts to embark on a paid sportscar racing career.

“I’ve had to work so hard to get the Porsche championship, so it’s nice to come here with some old friends and have a fun weekend,” he enthuses. “I will be back next year, and I want to do this for the rest of my life!”

Walter Hayes winner Jason Smyth recovered from a grid penalty imposed for this semi-final clash

Photo by: Steve Jones

While Rackstraw is still yet to taste overall glory, one driver who knows all about that is Joey Foster. His first Hayes triumph came in 2003 (the year the knockout format was adopted) and he’s remained a fixture of the event ever since, adding three further wins. His 2025 attempt ended in semi-final disappointment, but Foster was quick to quash retirement rumours.

While he may take a break to focus on work commitments, he is determined to achieve more Silverstone success. “Where else can you go racing with this level of competition and have so much fun?” says Foster, who feels he has unfinished business. “I will be back.”

Speaking of returns, respective 2016 and 2019 winners Niall Murray and Jordan Dempsey were back among the entry. The event often clashes with the Mondello Park Fiesta endurance race in which Murray fields cars, but that very different contest is a week later this year, so he was free to compete – and very nearly took a second win.

“It’s the first time I’ve done it since 2017 and the racing is still close,” he says. “There’s so many potential frontrunners. Last weekend [the Festival] was really down to me and Jason [Smyth] on pace, with Jordan – there were three or four people. Here it’s 10 people [with a genuine shot].”

“That was probably the best final there’s been for a long time, it’s the best Formula Ford racing in the world” Jordan Dempsey

Dempsey’s race also ended in disappointment, but he relished the battle. “That was probably the best final there’s been for a long time, it’s the best Formula Ford racing in the world,” he states. “I will have to come back.”

The historic finals were entertaining contests as well, while even the sun made an unusual appearance during this year’s special event. And there was a fitting send-off for renowned commentator Ian Titchmarsh, who was presented with an award from Silverstone’s Stuart Pringle having officiated over the podium before hanging up his microphone after 50 years.

The one thing missing? The BRDC Grandstand. The atmosphere there is always brilliant at the Hayes as the partisan cheer on their favourites. Refurbishment work meant it was closed this time, so its reopening next year is something to look forward to. After all, the view it provides of exciting wheel-to-wheel racing is the embodiment of why this event remains so popular after 25 years.