Monoposto Racing 1800 Class

A good case can be made for the Mono 1800 class being the best value class in the Monoposto Championship, this equates to some of the best value racing in the U.K..

Eligible cars are FF Zetec 1800, Formula Vauxhall 2000s fitted with 16v 1600cc engines & FF 2000 fitted with Pinto engines. Engines must be in the same specification as used in the appropriate championship, Cars require no modification to race in this class. Engines produce between 135-140bhp. With driver, the power to weight ratio is about 250bhp/tonne. Most of the modern chassis require ballast to reach the Mono 1800 racing weight of 535kg for car with driver.

A competitive car, in good condition, with spares should cost between £4000-6000. Vauxhalls tend to be cheaper & the FF2000 cars more expensive. It is possible to pay more for a very recent Zetec or an immaculate FF2000. Odd because the FF2000s are the oldest chassis, dating from the early 1980s. Only these cars carry wings as standard.

The majority of the cars in Mono 1800 are Van Diemen chassis but Migale & Swift chassis are also found in the championship. On track performance is probably more to do with driver & team rather than selection of chassis or engine type. Chassis have a considerable reserve of ability & strength. The Comtec series of Van Diemens, built to Mono 2000 regulations, start with an 1800 chassis.

The Zetec & Vauxhall cars have similar modern chassis configurations. The design has been refined but not significantly changed in recent years. Similarly, modern 16v engines bolted to LD200 or LD202 series Hewland gearboxes confer reliability. Fuel injection makes these engines tractable, they start instantly, on the button, even in winter. Modern engines are remarkably durable, in racing conditions a Zetec is reputed to give up to five seasons service before requiring a rebuild. Mine gave two seasons service before I removed the spark plugs! As fuel prices continue to climb, one can even comment that fuel economy is good for a race car, at about 18mpg.

Given drivers of equal ability, a Mono 1800 is several seconds a lap faster than a Mono1600. Maintenance is limited to oil, brake & tyre changes & keeping the battery charged up, the fuel injection, with its pumps consumes a significant amount of electrical energy.

Mono 1800 represents a cost effective & time effective way to go circuit racing.

Patrick Huston