British Formula One Series
Encyclopedia
The British Formula One Series, often abbreviated to British F1, was a Formula One
motor racing
championship held in the United Kingdom
. It was often referred to as the Aurora AFX Formula One series due to the Aurora company's sponsorship of the series for three of the four seasons.
The long established Ford DFV engine helped make the series possible between 1978 and 1980. As in the South African Formula One Championship
a decade or so before, second hand cars from manufacturers like Lotus and Fittipaldi Automotive were run by many entrants, although some, such as the March 781, were built specifically for the series. In 1980 Desiré Wilson
became the only woman to win a Formula One race. She won at Brands Hatch driving a Wolf.
cars. In 1977 the series was opened up to allow Formula One cars to race and the BRSCC
upgraded it to a full Formula One championship a year later. Formula Two
cars were also present on the grid to make up the numbers.
† x/y: Competed in x races of the season total y.
Formula One
Formula One, also known as Formula 1 or F1 and referred to officially as the FIA Formula One World Championship, is the highest class of single seater auto racing sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile . The "formula" designation in the name refers to a set of rules with which...
motor racing
Auto racing
Auto racing is a motorsport involving the racing of cars for competition. It is one of the world's most watched televised sports.-The beginning of racing:...
championship held in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. It was often referred to as the Aurora AFX Formula One series due to the Aurora company's sponsorship of the series for three of the four seasons.
The long established Ford DFV engine helped make the series possible between 1978 and 1980. As in the South African Formula One Championship
South African Formula One Championship
The South African Formula One Championship, was a Formula One motor racing championship held in South Africa between 1960 and 1975, including a race in Rhodesia during each season....
a decade or so before, second hand cars from manufacturers like Lotus and Fittipaldi Automotive were run by many entrants, although some, such as the March 781, were built specifically for the series. In 1980 Desiré Wilson
Desiré Wilson
Desiré Randall Wilson is a former racing driver from South Africa, one of only five women to have competed in Formula One. She entered one Formula One World Championship Grand Prix in 1980 with a non-works Williams FW07 prepared by Brands Hatch Racing, but failed to qualify...
became the only woman to win a Formula One race. She won at Brands Hatch driving a Wolf.
Origins
The British Formula One Series was a successor to the older Group 8 Shellsport Championship, which had previously run for Formula 5000Formula 5000
Formula 5000 was an open wheel, single seater auto-racing formula that ran in different series in various regions around the world from 1968 to 1982. It was originally intended as a low-cost series aimed at open-wheel racing cars that no longer fit into any particular formula...
cars. In 1977 the series was opened up to allow Formula One cars to race and the BRSCC
British Racing and Sports Car Club
The British Racing and Sports Car Club is one of the major organisers of motorsport events in the United Kingdom.-History:The 500 Club, as it was then known, was founded in 1946. The club promoted racing in 500 c.c. single-seater racing cars, later known as Formula Three. Motor Sport reported in...
upgraded it to a full Formula One championship a year later. Formula Two
Formula Two
Formula Two, abbreviated to F2, is a type of open wheel formula racing. It was replaced by Formula 3000 in 1985, but the FIA announced in 2008 that Formula Two would return for 2009 in the form of the FIA Formula Two Championship...
cars were also present on the grid to make up the numbers.
Champions
| Season | Series Name | Champion | Car | Races† | Pole Positions |
Wins | Podiums | Fastest Laps |
Points | Margin (pts) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1978 1978 British Formula One season The 1978 British Formula One season was the first British Formula One Series season. It commenced on March 24 1978 and ended on September 24 after twelve races.... |
Shellsport F1 Series | Tony Trimmer Tony Trimmer Tony Trimmer is a British former racing driver from England, who won the Shell British Formula Three Championship and E.R. Hall Trophy in 1970.... |
McLaren M23 McLaren M23 The McLaren M23 was a Formula One racing car designed by Gordon Coppuck, with input from John Barnard, and built by the McLaren team. It was a development of the McLaren M16 Indianapolis 500 car. A Ford Cosworth DFV engine was used, which was prepared by specialist tuning company Nicholson Engines... -Cosworth Cosworth Cosworth is a high performance engineering company founded in London in 1958, specialising in engines and electronics for automobile racing , mainstream automotive and defence industries... |
8/12 | 4 | 5 | 8 | 5 | 149 | 56 |
| 1979 1979 British Formula One season The 1979 British Formula One season was the 2nd British Formula One Series season. It commenced on April 1, 1979 and ended on October 7 after fifteen races.-Races:- Drivers :... |
Aurora F1 Series | Rupert Keegan Rupert Keegan Rupert Keegan is a former racing driver from England. He participated in 37 Formula One Grands Prix, debuting on 8 May 1977. He scored no championship points.... |
Arrows A1 Arrows A1 The Arrows A1 was the car with which the Arrows Formula One team competed in the and Formula One seasons. It was a replacement for the Arrows FA1, which the team had been forced to withdraw after a legal protest from the Shadow team on the grounds that it was too similar to their own design; the... -Cosworth Cosworth Cosworth is a high performance engineering company founded in London in 1958, specialising in engines and electronics for automobile racing , mainstream automotive and defence industries... |
13/15 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 4 | 65 | 2 |
| 1980 1980 British Formula One season The 1980 British Formula One season was the third British Formula One Series season. It commenced on April 4, 1980 and ended on October 5 after twelve races.-Races:-Drivers' Championship:... |
Aurora F1 Series |  Emilio de VillotaEmilio de Villota Emilio de Villota Ruíz is a former racing driver from Spain, born in Madrid. He participated in 15 Formula One World Championship Grands Prix, debuting on 2 May 1976... |
Williams FW07 Williams FW07 The Williams FW07 was a ground effect Formula One racing car designed by Patrick Head for the 1979 F1 season. It was closely based on the Lotus 79, even being developed in the same wind tunnel at Imperial College London. Some observers, among them Lotus aerodynamicist Peter Wright felt the FW07 was... -Cosworth Cosworth Cosworth is a high performance engineering company founded in London in 1958, specialising in engines and electronics for automobile racing , mainstream automotive and defence industries... |
12/12 | 6 | 5 | 9 | 4 | 85 | 33 |
| 1981 | no series | |||||||||
| 1982 1982 British Formula One season The 1982 British Formula One season was the 4th British Formula One Series season. It commenced on April 9, 1982 and ended on August 30 after five races.- Teams and drivers :- Races :- Drivers :... |
British F1 Series | Jim Crawford | Ensign Ensign (racing team) Ensign was a Formula One constructor from Britain. They participated in 133 grands prix, entering a total of 155 cars. Ensign scored 19 championship points and no podium finish... N180-Cosworth Cosworth Cosworth is a high performance engineering company founded in London in 1958, specialising in engines and electronics for automobile racing , mainstream automotive and defence industries... |
4/5 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 34 | 18 |
† x/y: Competed in x races of the season total y.