FINNISH driver Antti Buri has won the 40th Formula Ford Festival at Brands Hatch last weekend.
Buri joins an illustrious group of previous winners including Johnny Herbert, Eddie Irvine, Jenson Button and Mark Webber.
The Finn, who spent the majority of the 2012 Formula Ford season fighting tooth and nail with Eric Lichtenstein, did the same throughout the festival.
The pair traded wins in the quarterf-inal and semi-final.
Lichtenstein claimed the honours in the quarter, before Buri fought back in the semi with an audacious pass starting at Surtees and ending on Brabham Straight to take the win from his Argentinean rival.
Buri took the initiative into the final but a slip-up by the Finn at Druids on lap five allowed Liechtenstein through into the lead.
The Finn battled franticly to get back ahead as the race passed half-distance before contact between the pair at Clark Curve on lap 12 saw Liechtenstein spinning down the order.
Although Liechtenstein recovered to finish second, the contact effectively handed Buri the Festival honours.
A late Safety Car intervention failed to deprive Frenchman Xavier Michel of the Zetec honours, finishing ahead of Paul Sieljes and John Whitbourn.
While in the Kent category, Ivor McCullough recovered from fifth to repeat his 2011 victory ahead of Stuart Gough and Luke Cooper.
The next major event at Brands Hatch is the truck racing and fireworks spectacular on November 3 and November 4.
Tickets are available from £13 with free entry for children aged 12 and under.
For more information, call 0843 453 9000.
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