Formula Ford is a single seater, open wheel class in motorsport which exists in some form in many countries around the world. It is an entry-level series to motor racing.

The origins of Formula Ford began in the early 1960s, where motor racing schools such as The Jim Russell school, and Motor Racing Stables featured single seat Formula Junior and Formula 3-like machines from world class constructors like Cooper and Lotus. Many aspiring formula 1 stars looked to these schools in the hope of learning the craft and also looking the part. However, although there was no shortage of aspiring drivers, these schools had much trouble avoiding bankruptcy. The 1 litre Formula 3 engines, the 1.1 litre Coventry Climax FJ and later the Ford Anglia 105E, cost around £3,000 at the time in addition to the Dunlop racing tires that cost £80 a set. Furthermore, these engines were incredibly fragile to boot, meaning these engines had a tendency to self destruct. All these factors contributed to a steep maintenance and upkeep cost of these schools.

David Marshall Coulthard, MBE, (/ˈkoʊlθɑrt/; born 27 March 1971,, often known as DC, is a Scottish former Formula One racing driver .

Coulthard, who was born and raised in Twynholm, made his Formula One debut in 1994 and won 13 Grands Prix in a career spanning 15 seasons. Twice a winner in Monaco, Coulthard was team-mate to Mika Häkkinen in the Finn's two Drivers' Championship-winning seasons for McLaren Mercedes before helping establish the Red Bull team. His best Drivers' Championship finish was second in 2001.

After retiring from racing in Formula One, Coulthard continued to be involved with the Red Bull Racing team as a consultant, as well as joining the BBC as a Television commentator and pundit. He returned as an active driver in the DTM series for 2010, piloting a 2008 Mercedes-Benz C-Class for Mücke Motorsport. He has finished in 16th position in the drivers championship in both years of competing in the series.

Coulthard began karting as soon as he was permitted, at the age of 11. He raced karts for six years, moving south once he had started to win local championships. He regarded Rowrah, in Cumbria, as his home circuit. It was there that he won the Cumbria Kart Racing Club championship in 1985, a year after Allan McNish. McNish credited the start given to him, David Coulthard, and Dario Franchitti largely to David Leslie, senior and junior.

John Paul Herbert (born 25 June 1964 in Brentwood, Essex, England) is a British racing driver from England. He competed in Formula One, winning three races, and also in sports cars winning the Le Mans 24 Hours in 1991 driving a Mazda 787B. He enjoyed much success in lower-level motor racing but never managed to achieve the same level of performance at the top level of motorsport.

During the mid-1980s, Johnny Herbert was widely regarded as a coming man of motor racing, comparable to the Scot Jim Clark. Winning the Formula Ford Festival at Brands Hatch in 1985, Herbert caught Eddie Jordan's attention, and together they won the 1987 British Formula Three title. Disaster struck in 1988, though, as Herbert, then a championship hopeful in International Formula 3000 was caught up in a major accident at Brands Hatch, badly breaking his legs in a fearsome impact with the barriers. It was an act of huge bravery that saw him back in a racing car at the beginning of 1989, despite the fact he could barely walk. Even more remarkably, he was now in Formula 1, scoring points on his debut in Brazil driving for the Benetton team, then managed by his long time mentor and friend Peter Collins.