Wayne Boyd is the 2008 British Formula Ford Champion. The 17-year-old from Templepatrick in Ulster clinched the crown at Donington Park at the weekend (11/12 Oct) with a hat-trick of podium finishes in the final rounds of the 25-race Ford-backed series.

Boyd won a total of 13 races at the wheel of his Mygale to secure the fourth consecutive Formula Ford title for the Jamun Racing team. Alas for Wayne, he did not end his year on a race-winning note: one of the Donington victories went to his Brazilian team-mate, Victor Correa, and the other two to Scottish Van Diemen driver David Brown.

But Wayne was nonetheless delighted to have secured the championship: “It hasn’t really sunk in yet, but mostly it’s a feeling of relief that the job is done. It’s been a great season for me and Jamun have been fantastic. I think the high spots – other than this weekend’s championship win – were dominating at Knockhill and winning all three races, and doing the double at Spa.

“This season has taught me an awful lot that I know I will put to good use in my future career. Many of the teams I am talking to for next season have told me that they welcome drivers from Formula Ford because they believe it’s the best training you can get.”

Boyd’s team-mate and last remaining title rival, Australian Tim Blanchard, was quick to pay tribute: “All respect to him… Wayne has done a great job all year and he thoroughly deserves the championship.”

Boyd led Saturday’s Donington race up to the final lap, when he was bumped back to third by Correa and Brown, and led again on Sunday morning until Brown got the better of him two laps from home. Wayne finished second to Brown again in the final race, with David leading from start to finish to record Van Diemen’s third win of the season.