‘Mondiale wasn’t just a company; it was a dream’
A GREYABBEY man who made global waves in the racing car scene in the 80s and 90s has reached his milestone 80th birthday, just as the car company he started turns 40.
Leslie Drysdale established Mondiale Cars in 1984, a company celebrated for engineering some of the most competitive vehicles in Formula Ford racing during the 1980s and 1990s.
The company shaped the careers of renowned drivers like Eddie Irvine, and also made an indelible impact on the evolution of the Formula Ford series.
Founded in Bangor, Leslie’s Mondiale Cars became a powerhouse in motorsport innovation thanks to his expertise and the collaboration of racing drivers, Colin Lees and Dennis McGall.
Together with Tommy Acheson they launched the company with one shared goal, to create world-class racing cars that would compete and win on the global stage.
The initial letters of the four surnames M-D-A-L were the inspiration for the chosen name of Mondiale.
Work began in October 1983, and the team quickly turned their ambitious vision into reality, producing the first Mondiale car – a Formula Ford 1600 – by March the next year.
It was sold to Irish-born racing driver Arnie Black, and it wasn’t long before the car clinched its first win, solidifying Mondiale’s place in the racing world.
By June of that year, the company expanded into Formula Ford 2000 cars, which also proved highly competitive and began winning races.
Mondiale’s success wasn’t limited to local circuits. In 1985, the company ventured into manufacturing cars for the Skip Barber Racing School in the United States, exporting around 200 kits for assembly in Connecticut.
This achievement opened the door to a landmark project in 1986, when Mondiale designed and built 33 cars for the Barber Saab Pro Series.
The ambitious venture earned Mondiale the title of ‘Northern Ireland Exporter of the Year 1986’ from the Institute of Freight Forwarders and an official Royal visit by the Duke of Kent.
Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, Mondiale Cars constantly refined its Formula Ford 1600 and Formula Ford 2000 designs, producing race-winning vehicles that were highly successful in championships across Ireland, England, Europe, and the United States.
Their reach extended even further, with cars finding homes in Australia, New Zealand, Norway, Sweden and Mexico. Remarkably, many of these cars remain in action today, a testament to their exceptional engineering and timeless design.
Leslie’s contribution to motorsport extends beyond the cars themselves. Mondiale played a pivotal role in the careers of aspiring drivers, providing them with the tools to compete at the highest levels.
Figures like Eddie Irvine, who went on to achieve success in Formula One, as well as Jonathan McGall and Bernard Dolan, benefitted from the foundation that Mondiale helped lay during the early stages of their careers.
The story of Mondiale Cars is as much about community as it is about innovation. Leslie’s vision, combined with the expertise of his co-founders and team, turned Bangor into a hub for motorsport excellence.
The firm’s work not only helped to keep Northern Ireland motorsport on the map but also inspired generations of engineers and drivers.
As Mondiale celebrates 40 years of innovation and success, the company’s achievements are intertwined with the personal milestone of its founder.
Leslie, who turns 80 this December, reflects on a lifetime dedicated to pushing boundaries and crafting a legacy that endures to this day.
“We set out with the goal of building something exceptional, cars that weren’t just fast but were built to last,” he said.
“The fact that so many of our cars are still racing today shows that we achieved that goal. Mondiale wasn’t just a company; it was a dream shared by a group of people who believed in what we could create together.”
