Superleague Formula is an
open wheel single seaterOpen-wheel car, formula car, or often single-seater car in British English, describes cars with the wheels outside the car's main body and, in most cases, one seat. Open-wheel cars contrast with street cars, sports cars, stock cars, and touring cars, which have their wheels below the body or fenders...
motor racing formulaFormula racing is a term that refers to various forms of open wheeled single seater motorsport. Its origin lies in the nomenclature that was adopted by the FIA for all of its post-World War II single seater regulations, or formulae. The best known of these formulæ are Formula One, Formula Two, and...
, which started in 2008, at
Donington ParkDonington Park is a motorsport circuit near Castle Donington in Leicestershire, England.Originally part of the Donington Hall estate, it was created as a racing circuit during the pre-war period when the German Silver Arrows were battling for the European Championship...
in the
United KingdomThe 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...
. The league introduced team sponsorship by association football clubs. It goes by the saying 'The Beautiful Race: Football at 300 km/h'. By 2011 the link with football was fading with more than half the teams no longer associated with football teams. It was founded by businessmen Alex Andreu and Robin Webb. On 19 May, 2010, Andreu stepped down in his role as series president, with his successor named as Alfredo Brisac not many weeks later. The season runs between April and November at the same time as most other European race series. Every team uses identical cars and 750-horsepower V-12 engines. The
Sonangol GroupGroup Sonangol is a parastatal that oversees petroleum and natural gas production in Angola. Sonangol actually had become a fundraising machine of government. The group consists of Sonangol EP and its many subsidiaries...
was the series' title sponsor from June 2009 until the end of the 2010 season. The future of the championship is in doubt after the cancellation of over three-quarters of 2011 season events.
History
Continuing the concept of
Premier 1 Grand PrixPremier 1 Grand Prix was intended to be a new motor racing series which had intended to have each car branded with the colours of a particular football team....
, the Superleague Formula was announced in 2005, receiving the full approval of the
FIAThe Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile is a non-profit association established as the Association Internationale des Automobile Clubs Reconnus on 20 June 1904 to represent the interests of motoring organisations and motor car users...
in December 2005. The goal was to have a starting grid of twenty teams, each with one car. Much of the sales, marketing and technology work would be handled centrally by the league, thus affording a considerable cost-savings to the teams.
The inaugural season, in 2008, was won by Chinese club
Beijing GuoanBeijing Guoan Superleague Formula team is the racing team of Beijing Guoan, a football team that competes in China in the Chinese Super League. The Beijing Guoan racing team competes in the Superleague Formula. They are operated by Alan Docking Racing...
, driven by Italian
FIA GT ChampionshipThe FIA GT Championship was a sports car racing series organized by the Stéphane Ratel Organisation at the behest of the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile . The championship was mostly concentrated in Europe, but throughout the years has visited other continents including Asia and South...
racer,
Davide RigonDavide Rigon is an Italian racing driver.-Career:Starting out in Formula BMW ADAC in 2003, he progressed to the Italian Formula Renault Championship and Italian Formula Three...
. The season consisted of six double-headers, featuring 18 clubs, and also brought victories for
Liverpool F.C.Liverpool F.C. Superleague Formula team is the racing team of Liverpool F.C., a football team that competes in England in the Premier League. The Liverpool F.C...
,
A.C. MilanA.C. Milan Superleague Formula team is the racing team of A.C. Milan, a football team that competes in Italy in the Serie A. The A.C. Milan racing team competes in the Superleague Formula.-2008 season:...
,
PSV EindhovenPSV Eindhoven Superleague Formula team is the racing team of PSV Eindhoven, a football team that competes in the Netherlands in the Eredivisie. The PSV Eindhoven racing team competes in the Superleague Formula. It has been operated by Azerti Motorsport for all seasons.-2008 season:In the 2008...
,
F.C. PortoF.C. Porto Superleague Formula team is the racing team of F.C. Porto, a football team that competes in Portugal in the Portuguese Liga. F.C. Porto racing team competes in the Superleague Formula. They were operated by Alan Docking Racing in the 2008 season but Hitech Junior Team are now running...
,
Sevilla FCSevilla FC Superleague Formula team is the racing team of Sevilla FC, a football team that competes in Spain in the La Liga. The Sevilla FC racing team competed in the Superleague Formula. They were operated by GTA Motor Competición.-2008 season:...
, Al Ain and
Borussia DortmundBorussia Dortmund Superleague Formula team was the racing team of Borussia Dortmund, a football team that competes in Germany in the Fußball-Bundesliga. The Borussia Dortmund racing team competed in the Superleague Formula. They were operated by former Formula One team Zakspeed...
. Superleague Formula's debut race was seen in 62 countries, and 100,000 people watched the twelve races, with 34,000 fans attending the last race in Jerez, broadcast live in 70 countries.
In 2009, the second season was won by English club
Liverpool F.C.Liverpool F.C. Superleague Formula team is the racing team of Liverpool F.C., a football team that competes in England in the Premier League. The Liverpool F.C...
, driven by Spanish racer
Adrián VallésAdrián Vallés is a Spanish race car driver.-Career:After a strong karting career, he drove in Spanish Formula Three, before moving to the World Series by Nissan in 2004. The series was renamed World Series by Renault in 2005 while he continued in the series, finishing 2nd in the standings with two...
. The season consisted of six double-headers, featuring 19 clubs, and brought first victories for Tottenham Hotspur, FC Basel 1893,
Rangers F.C.Rangers F.C. Superleague Formula team is the racing team of Rangers F.C., a football team that competes in Scotland in the Scottish Premier League. The Rangers racing team competes in the Superleague Formula. It has been operated by Alan Docking Racing for all seasons, although Team West-Tec...
,
Olympiacos CFPOlympiacos CFP Superleague Formula team is the racing team of Olympiacos CFP, a football team that competes in Greece in the Super League Greece. The Olympiacos CFP racing team competes in the Superleague Formula...
,
Sporting CPSporting Clube de Portugal Superleague Formula team is the racing team of Sporting Clube de Portugal, a football team that competes in Portugal in the Portuguese Liga. The Sporting Clube de Portugal racing team competes in the Superleague Formula...
,
R.S.C. AnderlechtR.S.C. Anderlecht Superleague Formula team is the racing team of R.S.C. Anderlecht, a football team that competes in Belgium in the Belgian First Division. The R.S.C. Anderlecht racing team competes in the Superleague Formula...
and
Galatasaray S.K.Galatasaray S.K. Superleague Formula team is the Superleague Formula racing team of Galatasaray SK, a multisports club, famous for its football section that competes in Turkey in the Süper Lig. The team competes in the Superleague Formula...
. This was the first season to feature the Super Final format, adding a six car shootout to four of the six rounds. The races were broadcast in 62 countries to a reach of 100 million people.
2010 was the third season and saw the biggest change yet, with the calendar increased from six to twelve race weekends and another increase to both race event and end-of-season prize money hand-outs. An average of 18 clubs competed at each event throughout the season. In a pre-season interview, Superleague Formula's Competition Director Robin Webb said,
After its biggest growth in 2010, 2011 saw a significant contraction with just six football clubs continuing their association into the series fourth season. The remaining cars carried national identities with many more closely associated with the competing drivers rather than any football connection. While an ambitious calendar was announced, several races were cancelled and relocated and as late as September organisers were still seeking to confirm some of its late season races, leaving doubt as to whether the series will have more than half the races of the 2010 season.
Champions
| Season |
Champion |
Second |
Third |
2008The 2008 Superleague Formula season was the inaugural Superleague Formula championship. The season started very late in 2008 with the first round being on August 31 at Donington Park. There were six rounds in total with the successful season finale at Circuito Permanente de Jerez on 23 November...
|
 Beijing GuoanBeijing Guoan Superleague Formula team is the racing team of Beijing Guoan, a football team that competes in China in the Chinese Super League. The Beijing Guoan racing team competes in the Superleague Formula. They are operated by Alan Docking Racing...
(Davide RigonDavide Rigon is an Italian racing driver.-Career:Starting out in Formula BMW ADAC in 2003, he progressed to the Italian Formula Renault Championship and Italian Formula Three...
) |
 PSV EindhovenPSV Eindhoven Superleague Formula team is the racing team of PSV Eindhoven, a football team that competes in the Netherlands in the Eredivisie. The PSV Eindhoven racing team competes in the Superleague Formula. It has been operated by Azerti Motorsport for all seasons.-2008 season:In the 2008...
(Yelmer BuurmanYelmer Evert Frans Buurman is a Dutch racing driver.-Formula König:Buurman drove in the German-based Formula König championship in 2002, finishing twentieth in the season standings.-Formula Renault:...
) |
 A.C. MilanA.C. Milan Superleague Formula team is the racing team of A.C. Milan, a football team that competes in Italy in the Serie A. The A.C. Milan racing team competes in the Superleague Formula.-2008 season:...
(Robert DoornbosRobert Michael Doornbos is a Dutch racing driver. He has been test and third driver for the Jordan and Red Bull Racing Formula One teams, as well as driving for Minardi and Red Bull Racing in 2005 and 2006. Doornbos then drove for Minardi Team USA in the 2007 and final season of the Champ Car...
) |
| 2009 The 2009 Superleague Formula season was the second Superleague Formula championship. The series has been rebranded "Superleague Formula by Sonangol" for this season and also 2010 with the Angolan oil company becoming the title sponsor...
|
 Liverpool F.C.Liverpool F.C. Superleague Formula team is the racing team of Liverpool F.C., a football team that competes in England in the Premier League. The Liverpool F.C...
(Adrián VallésAdrián Vallés is a Spanish race car driver.-Career:After a strong karting career, he drove in Spanish Formula Three, before moving to the World Series by Nissan in 2004. The series was renamed World Series by Renault in 2005 while he continued in the series, finishing 2nd in the standings with two...
) |
Tottenham Hotspur (Craig Dolby Craig Dolby is an English racing driver. He has raced in Formula Renault series around the world for most of his career, winning the Formula Renault 1.6 Belgium championship in 2006....
) |
 FC Basel 1893 (Max Wissel) |
| 2010 The 2010 Superleague Formula season was the third Superleague Formula championship. The series was rebranded "Superleague Formula by Sonangol", due to a two-year deal that began in the previous season...
|
 R.S.C. AnderlechtR.S.C. Anderlecht Superleague Formula team is the racing team of R.S.C. Anderlecht, a football team that competes in Belgium in the Belgian First Division. The R.S.C. Anderlecht racing team competes in the Superleague Formula...
(Davide RigonDavide Rigon is an Italian racing driver.-Career:Starting out in Formula BMW ADAC in 2003, he progressed to the Italian Formula Renault Championship and Italian Formula Three...
) |
Tottenham Hotspur (Craig Dolby Craig Dolby is an English racing driver. He has raced in Formula Renault series around the world for most of his career, winning the Formula Renault 1.6 Belgium championship in 2006....
) |
FC Basel 1893 (Max Wissel) |
| 2011 The 2011 Superleague Formula season was the fourth Superleague Formula championship. The series reverted to being known simply as "Superleague Formula", with 2009's two-year sponsorship deal with Sonangol also having expired...
|
 Australia (John MartinJohn Martin is an Australian championship winning open-wheel motor racing driver. Martin has been racing in European based open-wheel series since 2006. In that time Martin has had a wide experience of open-wheel racing having driven in various national and international series driving Formula...
) |
 Japan (Duncan TappyDuncan Tappy is a professional racing driver from the United Kingdom.-Career:Tappy began his racing career in 2003 in the Zip Formula Great Britain series....
/Robert DoornbosRobert Michael Doornbos is a Dutch racing driver. He has been test and third driver for the Jordan and Red Bull Racing Formula One teams, as well as driving for Minardi and Red Bull Racing in 2005 and 2006. Doornbos then drove for Minardi Team USA in the 2007 and final season of the Champ Car...
) |
 Luxembourg (Frédéric VervischFrédéric Vervisch is a Belgian racing driver who currently races for Luxembourg in the Superleague Formula.-Early career:...
) |
Race format
Superleague Formula’s race format incorporates a Saturday qualification and races on Sunday, one with a reverse grid. For each round, the competing teams will compete for prize money, plus points in a yearly championship.
2008
- Saturday: 45-minute free practice session, qualifying and rookie session.
- Sunday: Two 45-minute races (one with reverse grid).
- €1 million prize money per race weekend.
New in 2009
- Saturday: Two 45-minute free practice sessions, 1 hour rookie session and qualifying.
- Sunday: Two '44-minute plus a lap' races (the latter with reverse grid).
- Compulsory pit stop in Races 1 and 2 which must be made between laps 8 and 20. Both races feature a rolling start.
- A third, 5 lap 'Super Final' race in 4 of the 6 events in which the weekend's top six cars/drivers, found based on their combined points scores from the first two races, race to decide a 'Weekend Winner' and the distribution of prize money. This race begins with a standing start.
- €333,000 prize money to share per race weekend, including €5,000 for Race 1 pole position and €3,000, €2,000 and €1,000 for the three podium positions in the first two races as well as overall weekend prize money for the top 20 cars by performance, the most one club can get per weekend is €111,000.
New in 2010
- Race and qualifying format is largely unchanged from the 2009 season, although practice sessions have moved to Friday.
- There is now a 'Super Final' race at the end of all twelve events instead of just at select weekends, and will now count for points.
- The series now offers the biggest prize fund in European motorsport with the end-of-season champions set to earn €1 million in prize money. €500,000 will go to second place and €250,000 to the third place entry. Over €5 million in total will be dished out throughout 2010, with €100,000 going to the 'Weekend Winner' of each of the twelve rounds. It is therefore possible for an entry to earn up to €2.2 million over the course of the season.
- Drivers now need to finish a race, not only start, in order to score points.
Qualifying
Superleague Formula employs a unique qualifying system based on a group stage to knock-out format used in some football tournaments:
- There is a draw on the Friday to split cars in Group A and Group B
- No refueling or tyre changing can take place during the qualifying
- Each group in turn has a 15-minute (2008-2009)/10-minute (2010) session to try to be in the fastest four in that group
- Five slowest from the group of the fastest driver go 9th, 11th, 13th, 15th, 17th on the grid
- Five slowest from the other group go 10th, 12th, 14th, 16th, 18th on the grid
- Quarter Final 1: first from fastest group versus fourth from slowest: single flying lap: loser goes 8th on the grid
- Quarter Final 2: first from slowest group versus fourth from fastest: single flying lap: loser goes 7th on the grid
- Quarter Final 3: second from fastest group versus third from slowest: single flying lap: loser goes 6th on the grid
- Quarter Final 4: second from slowest group versus third from fastest: single flying lap: loser goes 5th on the grid
- Semi Final 1: winner from quarter final 1 versus winner from quarter final 4: single flying lap: loser goes 4th on the grid
- Semi Final 2: winner from quarter final 2 versus winner from quarter final 3: single flying lap: loser goes 3rd on the grid
- Final: single flying lap: loser goes 2nd on the grid, winner gets pole position
Scoring system
The championship is decided by points, which are awarded according to the position in which a driver classifies at the end of each race, of which there are three per race weekend. The points are allocated as follows:
Race 1 and 2 points
| Position |
1st |
2nd |
3rd |
4th |
5th |
6th |
7th |
8th |
9th |
10th |
11th |
12th |
13th |
14th |
15th |
16th |
17th |
18th |
19th |
20th |
21st |
22nd |
DNF |
DNS |
| Points |
50 |
45 |
40 |
36 |
32 |
29 |
26 |
23 |
20 |
18 |
16 |
14 |
12 |
10 |
8 |
7 |
6 |
5 |
4 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
Super Final points (since 2010)
| Position |
1st |
2nd |
3rd |
4th |
5th |
6th |
DNQ |
DNS |
| Points |
6 |
5 |
4 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
For the first two seasons the driver did not need to finish the race in order to collect points, but did have to start. However in 2010 a driver needs to start and finish the race in order to score. The same points are awarded for Race 1 as Race 2, despite Race 2 having a reverse grid with the slowest given the advantage at the front. In 2009 began the running of a third race, a 'Super Final', at the end of certain weekends, however no points were awarded this race. As a result, the maximum number of points any football club/driver could score in one round during 2008 or 2009 was 100, by winning both main races. This feat wasn't achieved although
Sébastien BourdaisSébastien Olivier Bourdais is a French race car driver. He is one of the most successful drivers in the history of the Champ Car World Series, having won four successive championships from 2004 to 2007....
,
Craig DolbyCraig Dolby is an English racing driver. He has raced in Formula Renault series around the world for most of his career, winning the Formula Renault 1.6 Belgium championship in 2006....
,
Robert DoornbosRobert Michael Doornbos is a Dutch racing driver. He has been test and third driver for the Jordan and Red Bull Racing Formula One teams, as well as driving for Minardi and Red Bull Racing in 2005 and 2006. Doornbos then drove for Minardi Team USA in the 2007 and final season of the Champ Car...
and Max Wissel all scored 90 points in a weekend by finishing either 2nd and 2nd or 1st and 3rd.
In 2010 however, with the Super Final also counting for points and 6 points going to the winner, the maximum points haul is now 106, achieved by winning all three races during the weekend. The current record is 92 points, held by
Craig DolbyCraig Dolby is an English racing driver. He has raced in Formula Renault series around the world for most of his career, winning the Formula Renault 1.6 Belgium championship in 2006....
from the
2010 Silverstone Superleague Formula roundThe 2010 Silverstone Superleague Formula round was a Superleague Formula round held on April 4, 2010, at the Silverstone Circuit, Northamptonshire, England. It was the first ever round at the Silverstone Circuit and the opening round of the 2010 Superleague Formula season.It was the first...
.
Entrants
Each Superleague Formula car represents a football club or national team.
Twenty-three football clubs and ten country-represented cars have started at least one race in Superleague Formula, and all are listed in the table below:
Participating entrants
| Americas |
Asia / Oceania |
Europe |
 CR FlamengoClube de Regatas do Flamengo Superleague Formula team is the racing team of Clube de Regatas do Flamengo, a football team that competes in Brazil in the Série A. The Flamengo racing team competes in the Superleague Formula. It was operated by Team Astromega during the first season.-2008 season:In...
SC CorinthiansSport Club Corinthians Paulista Superleague Formula team is the racing team of Sport Club Corinthians Paulista, a football team that competes in Brazil in the Série A. The Corinthians racing team competes in the Superleague Formula...
Team Brazil |
 Al Ain
Beijing GuoanBeijing Guoan Superleague Formula team is the racing team of Beijing Guoan, a football team that competes in China in the Chinese Super League. The Beijing Guoan racing team competes in the Superleague Formula. They are operated by Alan Docking Racing...
Team Australia
Team ChinaTeam China Superleague Formula team is a national racing team from China, similar to the A1 Team China which competed in A1 Grand Prix between 2005 and 2009. The car will compete in Superleague Formula for the two Chinese races in October of the 2010 season...
Team Japan
 Team New Zealand
 Team South Korea |
A.C. MilanA.C. Milan Superleague Formula team is the racing team of A.C. Milan, a football team that competes in Italy in the Serie A. The A.C. Milan racing team competes in the Superleague Formula.-2008 season:...
 AC Sparta Prague
A.S. RomaA.S. Roma Superleague Formula team is the racing team of A.S. Roma, a football team that competes in Italy in the Serie A. The A.S. Roma racing team competes in the Superleague Formula.-2008 season:...
 Atlético Madrid
 Borussia DortmundBorussia Dortmund Superleague Formula team was the racing team of Borussia Dortmund, a football team that competes in Germany in the Fußball-Bundesliga. The Borussia Dortmund racing team competed in the Superleague Formula. They were operated by former Formula One team Zakspeed...
FC Basel 1893
 FC MidtjyllandFC Midtjylland Superleague Formula team is the racing team of FC Midtjylland, a football team that competes in Denmark in the Danish Superliga...
 F.C. PortoF.C. Porto Superleague Formula team is the racing team of F.C. Porto, a football team that competes in Portugal in the Portuguese Liga. F.C. Porto racing team competes in the Superleague Formula. They were operated by Alan Docking Racing in the 2008 season but Hitech Junior Team are now running...
|
 Galatasaray S.K.Galatasaray S.K. Superleague Formula team is the Superleague Formula racing team of Galatasaray SK, a multisports club, famous for its football section that competes in Turkey in the Süper Lig. The team competes in the Superleague Formula...
 GD BordeauxGirondins de Bordeaux Superleague Formula team is the racing team of FC Girondins de Bordeaux, a football team that competes in France in Ligue 1. The Girondins de Bordeaux racing team competes in the Superleague Formula. It will be operated by Barazi-Epsilon for their debut season in 2010. The...
Liverpool F.C.Liverpool F.C. Superleague Formula team is the racing team of Liverpool F.C., a football team that competes in England in the Premier League. The Liverpool F.C...
 Olympiacos CFPOlympiacos CFP Superleague Formula team is the racing team of Olympiacos CFP, a football team that competes in Greece in the Super League Greece. The Olympiacos CFP racing team competes in the Superleague Formula...
Olympique LyonnaisOlympique Lyonnais Superleague Formula team is the racing team of Olympique Lyonnais, a football team that competes in France in the Ligue 1. The Olympique Lyonnais racing team competes in the Superleague Formula. It will make its debut in the 2009 season and be operated by Barazi-Epsilon.-2009...
PSV EindhovenPSV Eindhoven Superleague Formula team is the racing team of PSV Eindhoven, a football team that competes in the Netherlands in the Eredivisie. The PSV Eindhoven racing team competes in the Superleague Formula. It has been operated by Azerti Motorsport for all seasons.-2008 season:In the 2008...
 Rangers F.C.Rangers F.C. Superleague Formula team is the racing team of Rangers F.C., a football team that competes in Scotland in the Scottish Premier League. The Rangers racing team competes in the Superleague Formula. It has been operated by Alan Docking Racing for all seasons, although Team West-Tec...
R.S.C. AnderlechtR.S.C. Anderlecht Superleague Formula team is the racing team of R.S.C. Anderlecht, a football team that competes in Belgium in the Belgian First Division. The R.S.C. Anderlecht racing team competes in the Superleague Formula...
|
Sevilla FCSevilla FC Superleague Formula team is the racing team of Sevilla FC, a football team that competes in Spain in the La Liga. The Sevilla FC racing team competed in the Superleague Formula. They were operated by GTA Motor Competición.-2008 season:...
Sporting CPSporting Clube de Portugal Superleague Formula team is the racing team of Sporting Clube de Portugal, a football team that competes in Portugal in the Portuguese Liga. The Sporting Clube de Portugal racing team competes in the Superleague Formula...
Team England
Team Luxembourg
Team Netherlands
 Team Russia
Tottenham Hotspur |
| bold represents an active entry in the 2011 season The 2011 Superleague Formula season was the fourth Superleague Formula championship. The series reverted to being known simply as "Superleague Formula", with 2009's two-year sponsorship deal with Sonangol also having expired...
|
Circuits
A typical circuit usually features a stretch of straight road on which the starting grid is situated. The
pit laneIn motorsports, a pit stop is where a racing vehicle stops in the pits during a race for refuelling, new tires, repairs, mechanical adjustments, a driver change, or any combination of the above...
, where the drivers stop for fuel and tyres during the race, and where the teams work on the cars before the race, is normally located next to the starting grid. The layout of the rest of the circuit varies widely, although in most cases the circuit runs in a clockwise direction.
All of the circuits currently in use are specially constructed for competition. All of the rounds are held in Europe, but discussions are taking place to have rounds outside of Europe. In total, 15 different circuits from 8 countries have hosted a race weekend. The first to do so was
Donington ParkDonington Park is a motorsport circuit near Castle Donington in Leicestershire, England.Originally part of the Donington Hall estate, it was created as a racing circuit during the pre-war period when the German Silver Arrows were battling for the European Championship...
, where the first races, at its 2008 round, were held. Only Circuit Zolder has hosted races in every season until now.
In July 2010, it was announced that the series would race for the first time outside of Europe by having two events in two successive weekends in China on 3 & 10 October that same year. Robin Webb described the venture as "a significant moment in the championship’s history".
Drivers and teams
Notable drivers and teams
Drivers who have also raced in
Formula OneFormula 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...
Enrique BernoldiEnrique Antônio Langue e Silvério de Bernoldi is a Brazilian racing driver who raced for the Arrows Formula One team...
(F1 in 2001, 2002)
Sébastien BourdaisSébastien Olivier Bourdais is a French race car driver. He is one of the most successful drivers in the history of the Champ Car World Series, having won four successive championships from 2004 to 2007....
(2008, 2009)
Robert DoornbosRobert Michael Doornbos is a Dutch racing driver. He has been test and third driver for the Jordan and Red Bull Racing Formula One teams, as well as driving for Minardi and Red Bull Racing in 2005 and 2006. Doornbos then drove for Minardi Team USA in the 2007 and final season of the Champ Car...
(2005, 2006)
Narain KarthikeyanKumar Ram Narain Karthikeyan , is the first Formula One motor racing driver from India. He has previously competed in A1GP, and the Le Mans Series. He made his Formula One debut in with the Jordan team, and was a WilliamsF1 test driver in and...
(2005, 2011)
Franck MontagnyFranck Montagny is a French motor racing driver. He briefly raced for the Super Aguri Formula One team in 2006.-Early career:...
(2006)
Giorgio PantanoGiorgio Pantano is an Italian racing driver who drove for the Jordan Formula One team for much of the 2004 season before being replaced by Timo Glock...
(2004)
Antônio PizzoniaAntônio Reginaldo Pizzonia Júnior is a Brazilian racing driver who has raced in Formula One and the Champ Car World Series.He is nicknamed "Jungle Boy", a reference to his native Amazonas...
(2003, 2004, 2005)
Teams who have also raced in
Formula OneFormula 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...
ZakspeedZakspeed is a motor racing team from Germany, founded in 1968 by Erich Zakowski and nowadays run by his son Peter Zakowski. Their home town of Niederzissen is located not far away from the Nürburgring race track.-1973 to 1981: Saloon and sports car racing:...
(1985–1989)>
Drivers who have also raced in the IndyCar SeriesThe IZOD IndyCar Series is the premier level of American open wheel racing. The current championship, founded by Indianapolis Motor Speedway owner Tony George, began in 1996 as a competitor to CART known as the Indy Racing League . Citing CART's increasing reliance on expensive machinery and...
Bertrand BaguetteBertrand Baguette is a Belgian racing driver from Thimister-Clermont. Since 2000, he has competed in various motorsport formulae.-Karting:...
(IndyCar in 2010, 2011) Enrique BernoldiEnrique Antônio Langue e Silvério de Bernoldi is a Brazilian racing driver who raced for the Arrows Formula One team...
(2008) Sébastien BourdaisSébastien Olivier Bourdais is a French race car driver. He is one of the most successful drivers in the history of the Champ Car World Series, having won four successive championships from 2004 to 2007....
(2005, 2011) Robert DoornbosRobert Michael Doornbos is a Dutch racing driver. He has been test and third driver for the Jordan and Red Bull Racing Formula One teams, as well as driving for Minardi and Red Bull Racing in 2005 and 2006. Doornbos then drove for Minardi Team USA in the 2007 and final season of the Champ Car...
(2009) Franck MontagnyFranck Montagny is a French motor racing driver. He briefly raced for the Super Aguri Formula One team in 2006.-Early career:...
(2008, 2009) Giorgio PantanoGiorgio Pantano is an Italian racing driver who drove for the Jordan Formula One team for much of the 2004 season before being replaced by Timo Glock...
(2005, 2011) Franck PereraFranck Perera is a race car driver who has competed in a number of international open wheel racing championships.-Career:...
(2008) Nelson Philippe-Early career:Philippe raced go-karts from 1998-2002. In 2003, he raced in the Barber Dodge Pro Series, finishing the season with one podium, and four top five finishes....
(2008, 2009) Antônio PizzoniaAntônio Reginaldo Pizzonia Júnior is a Brazilian racing driver who has raced in Formula One and the Champ Car World Series.He is nicknamed "Jungle Boy", a reference to his native Amazonas...
(2008) Ho-Pin TungHo-Pin Tung is a Chinese-Dutch auto-racing driver who races with a Chinese license.-Career:Tung started kart racing in the Netherlands in 1997 before graduating to single-seaters. He won the 2003 Formula BMW Asia series and was rewarded with a test drive with the Williams F1 team.In 2004 he joined...
(2011) |
Broadcasting and media
Fans globally are able to view the championship on national TV channels or via live streaming from the Superleague Formula website. Video highlights of every race from every weekend are also available for streaming from their website. Superleague Formula is also praised for its comprehensive series coverage on
YouTubeYouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
, where it uploads qualifying and race highlights, driver interviews and news events, which is a service that no other major racing series offers.
Superleague Formula has an extensive web following, with most major motorsport website and publications such as
AutosportAutosport is a weekly magazine covering motorsport, published in the United Kingdom every Thursday by Haymarket Consumer Media. It was first published on 25 August 1950 by Gregor Grant, immediately prior to the Silverstone International Trophy meeting of that year...
covering the series. The Superleague Formula website is the official website for Superleague Formula, and has a live timing Java applet that can be used during the race to keep up with the leaderboard in real time. The series also operates several official
social networking websitesA social networking service is an online service, platform, or site that focuses on building and reflecting of social networks or social relations among people, who, for example, share interests and/or activities. A social network service consists of a representation of each user , his/her social...
for its fans, including
TwitterTwitter is an online social networking and microblogging service that enables its users to send and read text-based posts of up to 140 characters, informally known as "tweets".Twitter was created in March 2006 by Jack Dorsey and launched that July...
and
FacebookFacebook is a social networking service and website launched in February 2004, operated and privately owned by Facebook, Inc. , Facebook has more than 800 million active users. Users must register before using the site, after which they may create a personal profile, add other users as...
.
Superleague Formula has currently got a media deal with The NewsMarket to distribute video content to 25,000 global media outlets in over 190 countries throughout the 2010 season.
Future
The organisers of Superleague Formula are looking to expand and evolve the sport very quickly with up to 18 races by 2012 and the possibility of a separate street race series so the fans can get up close to the cars and drivers. They are also considering introducing new classes of racing within the series in the idea of football 'divisions'.
In June 2009, Robin Webb stated he wanted the formula to eventually increase to 26 cars and a more diverse range of circuits. He expects the formula to attract more big global clubs and was keen to promote the idea that "Superleague Formula combines the passion of football with the thrill of auto racing".
- PSV Eindhoven
PSV Eindhoven Superleague Formula team is the racing team of PSV Eindhoven, a football team that competes in the Netherlands in the Eredivisie. The PSV Eindhoven racing team competes in the Superleague Formula. It has been operated by Azerti Motorsport for all seasons.-2008 season:In the 2008...
has a contract with Superleague Formula until 2013. The contract includes the condition that they will only race if they are the sole club entrant from Holland. Fellow DutchThe Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
football giants AFC Ajax have said that even come 2013 they have little wish to venture into motorsport pointing out that they would have no control over the running of their car in the series and that they are primarily a football club.
Technology
The cars were built by Panoz Auto Development under the
Élan Motorsport TechnologiesÉlan Motorsport Technologies is an umbrella company containing the race car manufacturing companies owned by the Panoz Motor Sports Group. Élan designs and builds Panoz-branded race cars, and have also acquired other manufacturers, including famous Formula Ford builders Van Diemen and IndyCar...
banner and officially named the
Panoz DP09The Panoz DP09 is the sole spec race car that is used in the Superleague Formula....
. They are powered by 750 bhp, 4.2 litre, V12 engines designed by US-owned Menard Competition Technologies. Élan previously manufactured the
Panoz DP01The Panoz DP01 is an open-wheel car that was produced by Élan Motorsport Technologies near Road Atlanta, Georgia, United States. It was developed for use in the 2007 Champ Car World Series season, replacing the aging de facto-spec Lola chassis. The DP01 was introduced to the world at the 2006 Grand...
for the
Champ CarChamp Car was the name for a class and specification of open wheel cars used in American Championship Car Racing for many decades, primarily for use in the Indianapolis 500 auto race...
series, as well as cars for other championships.
The chassis was built on a two-metre wide track, using under-body aerodynamics to create the needed conditions for increased overtaking opportunities. The cars were subjected to the lengthy FIA safety tests during development stages in 2007.
Car details
- Carbon fibre tub for extreme strength/lightness
- Under-body aerodynamics to facilitate nose-to-tail driving/overtaking
- Hewland
Founded by Mike Hewland in 1957, Hewland is a British engineering company specialising in racing-car gearboxes. Hewland was the first company to manufacture a bespoke racing-car gearbox....
6 speed LSFA gearbox with Hewland semi-automaticA semi-automatic transmission is an automobile transmission that does not change gears automatically, but rather facilitates manual gear changes by dispensing with the need to press...
system
- Pi “SIGMA” based dashboard / data logging system
- ‘Slick’ racing style tyres with no grooves or tread
- Weight Target: 750 kg
- Wheels supplied by OZ Racing and tyres by Michelin
Michelin is a tyre manufacturer based in Clermont-Ferrand in the Auvergne région of France. It is one of the two largest tyre manufacturers in the world along with Bridgestone. In addition to the Michelin brand, it also owns the BFGoodrich, Kleber, Riken, Kormoran and Uniroyal tyre brands...
- Brembo
Brembo S.p.A. is a manufacturer of automotive brake systems, especially for high-performance cars and motorcycles. It was established in Bergamo, Italy in 1961. Soon after the company was formed, it specialised in disc brakes, which were exclusively imported from the United Kingdom at the time...
and Pi Research provide the brakes and electronics, respectively
Engine details
- No of Cylinders: 12
- Capacity: 4.2 litres
- Configuration: 60 degrees V formation
- Weight: 140 kg (308 lb) Dry
- Peak Power: 750 bhp (560 kW) @ 11,750 rpm
- Maximum RPM: 12,000
- Peak Torque: 510 N·m (376 ft·lb) @ 9,500-10,500
Regulations
- The cars are driven without the aid of traction control, launch control or anti-stall, leaving a lot down to the skill of the driver.
- Michelin
Michelin is a tyre manufacturer based in Clermont-Ferrand in the Auvergne région of France. It is one of the two largest tyre manufacturers in the world along with Bridgestone. In addition to the Michelin brand, it also owns the BFGoodrich, Kleber, Riken, Kormoran and Uniroyal tyre brands...
have been the sole tyre supplier in Superleague Formula since 2008. Cars are allowed four new sets of tyres throughout a race weekend, lasting practice sessions, qualifying and all the races. Under conditions of rain, there is no limit to how many sets of wet tyres that can be used.
- A new 'Push to Pass' button is fitted to cars for 2010. The idea, previously successful in A1 Grand Prix
A1 Grand Prix was a 'single make' open-wheel auto racing series. It was unique in its field in that competitors solely represented their nation as opposed to themselves or a team, the usual format in most formula racing series. As such, it was often promoted as the "World Cup of Motorsport"...
, gives the car 12,000rpm for a minimum of 15 seconds, 1,000rpm more than the normal rev limit of 11,000rpm. Drivers can use the extra horsepower advantage to attempt to overtake another car. After the 15 seconds, the 'power boost' will stop once the car's revs drop back to below 9,000rpm. The 'Push to Pass' button can be used a maximum of eight times by a driver during both races. After a period on the 'power boost', the extra power option is unavailable for 120 seconds. The 'Push to Pass' option is not available during practice sessions or qualifying.
Performance
At
Magny-Cours in 2009The 2009 Magny-Cours Superleague Formula round was the opening round of the 2009 Superleague Formula season, with the races taking place on June 28, 2009. Liverpool F.C. and A.C. Milan shared the two race wins, with Liverpool also being the Weekend Winner after winning the six-car Super Final...
, the best qualifying time for a Superleague Formula car was 1:26.391, almost 11.5 seconds slower than the fastest qualifying time for an F1 car in 2008 of 1:15.024. Both Superleague Formula and Formula One raced at
MonzaThe Autodromo Nazionale Monza is a race track located near the town of Monza, north of Milan, in Italy. The circuit's biggest event is the Formula One Italian Grand Prix, which has been hosted there since the sport's inception....
in 2009 where similar dry qualifying conditions meant a better time comparison was possible. The fastest F1 time at the
2009 Italian Grand PrixThe 2009 Italian Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held on September 13, 2009 at the Autodromo Nazionale Monza, Monza, Italy. It was the 13th race of the 2009 Formula One season. It was contested over 53 laps.The race was won by Brawn GP's Rubens Barrichello...
was a 1:22.955, whereas at the
2009 Monza Superleague Formula roundThe 2009 Monza Superleague Formula round was the fifth round of the 2009 Superleague Formula season, with the races taking place on October 4, 2009.-Qualifying:* In each group, the top four qualify for the quarter-finals.-Group A:-Group B:...
, a month later, the fastest SF time was 1:36.444, 13.5 seconds slower. This makes the speed of Superleague Formula car comparable to the
World Series by RenaultThe World Series by Renault, formerly the World Series by Nissan from 1998 to 2004, is a motor racing series. The series consists of the flagship Formula Renault 3.5 Series , the Eurocup Formula Renault 2.0 and the Eurocup Mégane Trophy...
cars.
On January 14, 2010, Menard Competition Technologies received a Motorsport Industry Association’s award for Technology and Innovation for its "outstanding design and engineering work undertaken on the Superleague V12 racing engine".
Other ventures
A state-of-the-art video game for Superleague Formula was made by Media Game and
Image Space IncorporatedImage Space Incorporated, commonly known as ISI is an Independent video game developer based in Ann Arbor, Michigan, specializing in the fields of...
and released for
PCA personal computer is any general-purpose computer whose size, capabilities, and original sales price make it useful for individuals, and which is intended to be operated directly by an end-user with no intervening computer operator...
on 31 October 2009, although it was originally announced to be released in September. The game, released for download by the series' official website, features 18 clubs and 6 circuits from in the
2009 seasonThe 2009 Superleague Formula season was the second Superleague Formula championship. The series has been rebranded "Superleague Formula by Sonangol" for this season and also 2010 with the Angolan oil company becoming the title sponsor...
. During the 2009 Donington round some star drivers tested out the new game, giving it positive feedback.
External links