Les Leston and British Motor Racing: From Formula 3 to Formula Ford

Today, the Les Leston name is perhaps best known for steering wheels, driving gloves and other pieces of period motorsport equipment. But during the 1960s and 1970s, the connection between Les Leston and motor racing went considerably further than supplying equipment to drivers.

Les Leston was also directly involved in supporting British club racing, putting his name and company behind racing championships at some of the country's best-known circuits.

Period race programmes provide a fascinating record of this side of Les Leston history, including the Les Leston Formula 3 Championship and, later, the Les Leston Formula Ford Championship.

The Les Leston Formula 3 Championship

By the mid-1960s, Les Leston was already using the success of his motor racing equipment business to support the sport from which it had grown.

This surviving Brands Hatch programme from 1967 describes the Les Leston Formula 3 Championship as being sponsored by Les Leston.

The championship was held across selected club meetings at four of Britain's best-known racing circuits:

• Brands Hatch

• Mallory Park

• Oulton Park

• Snetterton

It was a points-based championship with prize money and a trophy for the leading drivers.

The winner received £100 and a trophy, with £75 going to second place and £50 to third. Points were awarded to the first six finishers on a 9-6-4-3-2-1 basis.

The championship attracted drivers who would go on to become familiar names in international motorsport. The 1967 standings included Derek Bell, John Miles, Tony Lanfranchi and Tetsu Ikuzawa, among others.

Harry Stiller ultimately won the 1967 Les Leston Formula 3 Championship.

The Les Leston Grand Prix Circuit Races

On 8 October 1967, Brands Hatch hosted the Les Leston Grand Prix Circuit Races.

The meeting featured Formula 3 alongside Formula Ford, sports-racing cars, Special GT, marque sports cars and saloon cars.

It shows just how closely the Les Leston name had become associated with British club motorsport during this period.

Rather than simply manufacturing equipment for racing drivers, Les Leston was putting the company name behind the racing itself.

From Formula 3 to Formula Ford

The Les Leston name would subsequently become associated with one of the most important junior categories in motor racing: Formula Ford.

Formula Ford had arrived in Britain in 1967 and quickly established itself as an accessible route into single-seater racing.

By 1969 there was a Les Leston Formula Ford Championship.

The 1969 championship was contested across selected race meetings at Brands Hatch, Mallory Park, Oulton Park and Snetterton. Twenty-two meetings were planned, with a driver's best 15 performances counting towards the championship.

Once again, Les Leston backed the championship with prize money. The overall winner received £150, with £75 for second and £25 for third.

The 1970 Les Leston Formula Ford Championship

Les Leston continued his backing of Formula Ford into 1970.

The scale of the championship is particularly interesting.

The 1970 Les Leston Formula Ford Championship consisted of 23 rounds at eight circuits, including Brands Hatch, Snetterton, Castle Combe, Mallory Park, Mondello Park, Oulton Park, Silverstone and Thruxton.

Points continued to be awarded on a 9-6-4-3-2-1 basis, while prize money was also paid according to the number of championship points scored.

The company was putting money behind competitors and supporting a championship that gave aspiring racing drivers somewhere to prove themselves.

Dave Walker won the 1969 Les Leston Formula Ford Championship before progressing into Formula 3 and eventually Formula One with Lotus.

Other Les Leston championship entry lists and standings contain names that would become familiar throughout international motor racing.

For Les Leston, motorsport was never simply an image used to sell racing equipment; it was where the company came from and a sport he actively supported.