CLUB CORNER F1000 Club Originally set up to offer opportunities for low-cost rallying, this club is now one of the sport’s breeding grounds, with two alumni making it into the World Rally Championship The concept of the F1000 club is simple: take a field of lowcost 1,000cc rally cars driven by enthusiastic 14 to 17-yearolds and introduce them to competition on a collection of single venues around the country. Originally formed to run a senior series, the F1000 club focused in on the younger generation in 2009 with the creation of what is now the UK Junior Rally Championship. Since then, many of its participants have progressed from here into other Rally series, as well as onto the racetrack. “The original aim was to create a cost effective and enjoyable way to go rallying for anyone,” explains championship co-ordinator Tony Bilham: “It was set up by Tristan Dodd and he then spotted the opportunity to use the concept to bring on junior talent. “They had this kind of thing in Europe – which is probably why they got all these good drivers by the time they were old enough to drive – but at the time there was nothing like that out there in this country. “When it started there were only five or six cars, but it just grew and grew. The series runs in Scotland as the Ecosse Challenge, and we share some events together. On combined events we have had over 30 entries. So, Tristan created a bit of a monster!” The original concept has remained to this day, with limitations on engine size, the use of a control tyre and very minimal modifications allowed to the cars – just the mandatory safety installations with little else that can be changed. Bilham rallied in the early days of the senior championship and supported his son through the junior category before signing up to help on the technical side and eventually ending up running the championship. “The idea of it is talent not budget,” he adds. “Anybody can make somebody shine if they have enormous amounts of money to throw at a car, but we have people competing in Micras, Citroen C1s and latterly some Skoda City Gos and VW Ups. The aptly named Max Speed in his yellow C1 Lyndon Darkes Caption 42 Revolution - March 2022