Royale Racing and the RP16 Formula Ford: A Club Racing Legacy
This paper traces the history of Royale Racing, a British race car manufacturer founded by Bob King and Alan Cornock in 1968, with a particular focus on the RP16 Formula Ford introduced in 1972. The paper covers the company's origins in race car preparation, its nearly two-decade production run of 735 cars across 48 models, and the engineering decisions that shaped the RP16—an updated RP3 fitted with Super Vee bodywork. It examines the model's technical specifications, its reception in international competition, and its enduring appeal as both a collector's item and a competitive historic racer. The roles of key designers including Bob Marston, Rory Byrne, and Pat Symonds are also discussed.
- Introduction: Founding of Royale Racing by Bob King
- History of the Company: Production run, models, and racing successes
- The RP16: Design origins, specifications, and competitive record
- What Makes the RP16 Special: Enduring appeal on track and as collectible
- Conclusion: Legacy of King, Cornock, and the RP16
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What makes this paper effective
- Grounds historical narrative in primary source material, including a direct quotation from Alan Cornock's correspondence that precisely documents the RP16's origin story.
- Balances technical specification detail (chassis type, suspension geometry, engine displacement, weight) with accessible narrative prose, making the paper useful to both enthusiasts and general readers.
- Contextualizes the RP16 within the full arc of Royale Racing's production history, showing how one model reflects the company's broader engineering philosophy and competitive record.
Key academic technique demonstrated
The paper demonstrates effective use of primary and secondary source integration. The Cornock letter excerpt is handled as a block quotation with clear attribution, while secondary sources such as Paul Lawrence's book and Ian Ward's encyclopedia entry are used to support broader historical claims. This layering of source types strengthens the paper's credibility without overwhelming the narrative.
Structure breakdown
The paper follows a clear five-part structure: an introduction establishing the founding of Royale Racing; a company history covering production volume and notable racing results; a detailed section on the RP16's design origins, specifications, and competitive record; a section reflecting on what distinguishes the model today; and a conclusion that synthesizes Bob King's legacy. Each section builds logically on the last, moving from institutional history to model-specific detail to lasting significance.
Introduction
Royale Racing was established in 1968 by Bob King in Great Britain. The company produced single-seater race cars until 1987, when it closed its production facility. King had gained some experience working on speedway cars in New Zealand in his youth, and after returning to Great Britain he opened a car lot selling road cars. His father owned a motor showroom, which is where King first developed his interest in cars (Ward). Operating his own lot, he acquired a used Elva on a trade-in and kept it with the intention of racing it—but the car caught the attention of other consumers, and because he had experience in the speedway, he found that he possessed a skill set in demand within a niche market in England. He soon found himself preparing race cars for other people interested in racing.
With his renewed passion for race car preparation, King established Racing Preparations, which focused on preparing cars using Coventry Climax engines. He was not alone: Alan Cornock came aboard to help move the business forward. However, enthusiasm for Coventry Climax engines dropped off by the late 1960s, so King and Cornock decided to take the company one step further and move into actual race car production. That decision gave birth to Royale Racing ("Royale"). This paper describes the history of the company behind the RP16, how that model came about, and what made it significant.
History of the Company
Over the course of its nearly two-decade run, Royale Racing produced 735 race cars ("About Royale Racing"). The first car the company produced was the Royale RP1 in 1968, a Formula Ford. This was the start of the company's production line of Formula Fords and Super Vees. When King retired in 1976 for health reasons, Alan Cornock took over at the helm and refocused production on the Formula Ford and Ford 2000 lines. Cornock would end up being involved in the production of every single one of the 731 cars produced under the Royale Racing badge. By the end of the company's run, Royale had become one of the most prolific race car manufacturers of its era. Whereas most race car manufacturers lasted only a few years due to the volatility of a niche market sport like club racing, Royale managed to endure for decades (Lawrence).
Across 11 classes, Royale Racing produced 48 different models, and every model was used to win at least one race, as the record books confirm (Royale Race Tires). The first major production line was the RP2, which found some success in the Brazilian Formula Ford championship, where driver Ray Allen placed third behind drivers wheeling Lotuses (Brazilian Formula Ford). Allen continued to drive Royale cars and took the RP4 to victories in the Formula F100 class in 1970. Royale also had success in 1971 in the Super Vee, with Royale Racing cars taking first and second places. The company's line found success in America as well.
Works Cited
1973 Royale RP16 Formula Ford. https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1973-royale-rp16/
"About Royale Racing." Royale FCS Competition Services. http://www.racingcarsforsale.co.uk/frameset-royale.htm
Brazilian Formula Ford.
Lawrence, Paul. Nowhere to Hide: The Story of Royale Racing Cars. TFM Publishing, 2001.
"Royale." http://www.f3history.co.uk/Manufacturers/Royale/royale.htm
Royale Race Tires. "About Us."
Ward, Ian. "Royale Racing." The World of Automobiles, volume 17. 1974.
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