Is it needed or am I safe to remove this?

What did you decide ?

I Can't specifically say, but what are you intending, generally road or occasionally track use? Think its ment to also help in warming the oil onstart up, if ford fitted on as standard and spirited driving I would consider keeping it, I have a silvertop in a fiesta and on trackdays oil temp use to hit 140 deg before I fitted a separate oil cooler

I binned mine..

Fast road and odd track day, Standard power and I always warm an engine before giving the beans so I think I will take it of for now.

I ditched mine, gives a little extra clearance for the column. I haven't done a warm trackday yet, but it's never gone over 110 so far.

ATB Dan.