Can a Classic Tamiya F1 Still Compete against modern cars?

Can an Old F1 Be Competitive in a Modern chassis?

If you’d told me a month ago that I’d be nipping at the heels of former BRCA National Champions – and even beating a couple, I’d have laughed so hard my tea would’ve gone everywhere. Honestly, probably all over my laptop too. But that’s exactly what happened at the weekend, in the final round of the BRCA 2WD National Championship at Cotswolds.

The Chassis

First up, the obvious question: what was I actually racing?

Last year I ran the full Iconic Cup with an F103 and some carefully chosen upgrades, finishing 4th overall. My first full F1 season. It had its ups, downs, and one or two “why did I do this to myself?” moments, but when things clicked… wow.

The BRCA Nationals, though? A whole different kettle of fish. Control rubber tyres, control additive, 21.5T motors – and yes, a lot more pressure. My trusty F103 wouldn’t fit the regs with its 200mm-wide front end (BRCA says 190mm max), so it was back to the drawing board.

Cue some online shopping and parcel anxiety. Enter: F104 front end. It bolts straight onto an F103 chassis, no mods required, and with control tyres it finally met the 190mm limit. Rear was already legal, so next up: squeeze in the electrics and pray.

Electrics and Setup

“Cramming” doesn’t even cover it. The F104 arms and flat-mounted servo made things tight, but everything went in:

• Yeah Racing Hactronic servo
• Hobbywing G2 Pro ESC
• Surpass V4 21.5T motor
• Ludicrous LiPos

I even managed to sneak a fan under the friction plate. A little trimming here and there, and airflow was solid – motor temps stayed nice and cool, which, let’s be honest, is a miracle sometimes.

The rear pod? Same adjustable setup I’d used all year in Iconic, with ride height shims and a thinner 1.5mm FRP plate for traction. And, a new twist: a TRF rear shock. Tried a few springs over the weekend, but settled on a soft with 500wt oil. Perfect balance for traction and damping – enough bite to feel planted without the car flopping about. Damping elsewhere? Low-friction plates run completely dry – no grease, no oil, nothing. Simple and effective.

Up front, the F104 arms slotted in perfectly. I bolted on the stiffest Tamiya black springs, then stuck 10g of lead up front for balance (5g each side of the camber strap).

Wings were Montech front and rear. Partly performance, partly because the Mardave FP1 shell looked “almost Williams” and I’m shallow like that.

Practice Day

Saturday is always a mix of nerves, excitement… and me pretending I know what I’m doing while running the meeting. Early start, but bonus: plenty of track time.

Scrubbed tyres were miles better than new (who knew?), and my additive/heat cycle kept them in the sweet spot for a five-minute run. Tried a few spring/shim combos on the TRF rear shock, and eventually the soft + 500wt setup just clicked.

Then the heavens opened. F1s in the wet? Absolute laugh. I even had time to try out “cut and shut” wet tyres I bodged together – touring car rubber glued to Matrix foam. Surprisingly… it worked. I even sneaked a spin in my plain F103 to test wet ideas for the Iconic class next weekend. Because obviously, I like making life difficult.

Race Day

Race day dawned sunny but brutally cold. The track barely warmed up until later in the afternoon, which made for tricky conditions early on.


Controlled practice went shockingly well – I was sitting much higher on the timing sheets than I’d dared hope. The car, 70% early-’90s tech, holding its own? Nosebleed territory. Running in the second F1 heat meant I could also watch the top boys in the next one, and I quickly picked up a few line choices I’d completely missed before. Some corners suddenly made sense, others… well, I was taking notes frantically while trying not to crash.

In my own heat, I was dominant. I won nearly every round, with my pace consistently at the front. Overall, across all heats, I finished 5th three times and snuck a single 4th, showing that while I could run with the leaders, consistency across the full field was the real challenge.

The paddock whispers were priceless: “Who’s this guy suddenly on our pace?” Felt good. Felt dangerous.

A few last-minute tweaks – one change to camber (2° down to 1°) and a bit more droop on the rear pod – and the car felt dialed in. By the time the finals rolled around, the car was working beautifully, and I was actually in the mix. My hybrid F103/F104 setup was responding perfectly to my tweaks, and I felt confident enough to push without panicking.

I had made it through to the A-Final

Finals

Yes. The A Final. Still can’t believe it.

Normally at BRCA events, finals are filled with ten cars at a time, leftovers drop down. Here? Split by pace. Top guys only. My heart rate is just thinking about it.

A1: chaos. First-corner collision launched me straight into P2. Cue a mix of disbelief and maniacal grinning. Of course, it didn’t last. A couple of spins and a small off later, and I was back down the order.

Chasing James Greener after that was like trying to tailgate a fighter jet. I saw where he slowed, tried to set up a pass every lap… didn’t happen. End result? 4th, so close to 3rd I could taste it. First-corner chaos was a gift, but it was also a lesson in keeping calm when the world is on fire.

A2: frustration city. Learned from A1 that I could compete with my hybrid F103/F104, so I pushed harder… and promptly paid for it with spins and mistakes. Finished 5th, car still solid, head slightly fried.

And then the kicker: overall result. Countback put me ahead of eight-time National Champion Luke Lee. Yes, that Luke Lee. On time, not luck. And I didn’t even need to borrow the spare Xray he’d brought along for me “just in case.”

So… Can an Old F1 Still Compete?

Absolutely.

The F103/F104 hybrid isn’t just surviving – it’s holding its own. Michael Hotchkins ran a hybrid too and scored a cracking B2 after qualifying BQ.

Most of my car is straight out of the ’90s, from the NiCad-and-brushed-motor era. But with a little faith, a few tweaks, and a pinch of stubbornness, you can show up to a National and scare the modern kids.

For now, the hybrid goes back to carpet duty at the Forest of Dean club. But don’t worry – it’ll be back on the big stage soon, probably with a grin plastered across my face.. See you around.. Mark R :)