1.
Formula One
–
Formula One is the highest class of single-seat auto racing that is sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de lAutomobile. The FIA Formula One World Championship has been the form of racing since the inaugural season in 1950. The formula, designated in the name, refers to a set of rules, the F1 season consists of a series of races, known as Grands Prix, held worldwide on purpose-built F1 circuits and public roads. The results of each race are evaluated using a system to determine two annual World Championships, one for drivers, one for constructors. The racing drivers are required to be holders of valid Super Licences, the races are required to be held on tracks graded 1, the highest grade a track can receive by the FIA. Most events are held in locations on purpose-built tracks, but there are several events in city centres throughout the world. Formula One cars are the fastest road racing cars in the world. Formula One cars race at speeds of up to approximately 375 km/h with engines currently limited in performance to a maximum of 15,000 RPM, the cars are capable of lateral acceleration in excess of five g in corners. The performance of the cars is very dependent on electronics – although traction control and other driving aids have been banned since 2008 – and on aerodynamics, suspension, the formula has radically evolved and changed through the history of the sport. F1 had a global television audience of 425 million people during the course of the 2014 season. Grand Prix racing began in 1906 and became the most popular internationally in the second half of the twentieth century. The Formula One Group is the holder of the commercial rights. Its high profile and popularity have created a major merchandising environment, since 2000 the sports spiraling expenditures and the distribution of prize money favoring established top teams have forced complaints from smaller teams and led several teams to bankruptcy. On 23 January 2017 it was confirmed that Liberty Media had completed its $8 billion acquisition of Delta Topco, the Formula One series originated with the European Grand Prix Motor Racing of the 1920s and 1930s. The formula is a set of rules that all cars must meet. Formula One was a new formula agreed upon after World War II during 1946, the first world championship race was held at Silverstone, United Kingdom in 1950. A championship for constructors followed in 1958, national championships existed in South Africa and the UK in the 1960s and 1970s. Non-championship Formula One events were held for years, but due to the increasing cost of competition
2.
IndyCar Series
–
The IndyCar Series is the premier level of open wheel racing in North America. Its parent company began in 1996 as a competitor to CART known as the Indy Racing League which was created by then Indianapolis Motor Speedway owner Tony George, in 2008, the IndyCar Series merged with the Champ Car World Series. The series is sanctioned by INDYCAR, due to the legal settlement with CART, the Indy Racing League was unable to utilize the name IndyCar until the beginning of the 2003 season. For 1996–1997, the series was referred to as the Indy Racing League. For 1998–1999, the series garnered its first title sponsor, and was advertised as the Pep Boys Indy Racing League, the contract was not renewed after the second year. In 2000, the series sold its rights to Internet search engine Northern Light for five seasons. After only two seasons, however, the agreement ended when Northern Light reevaluated its business plan. The league reverted to the Indy Racing League name for the 2002 season, the IndyCar Series name was officially adopted beginning in 2003, as the series was now legally entitled to use it. Simmons also co-authored the new IndyCar theme song, I Am Indy, izod was announced as the series title sponsor beginning on November 5,2009. Exact financial terms were not disclosed but the deal is worth at least $10 million per year, izod ended its sponsorship after the 2013 season. On March 14,2014, Verizon Wireless was announced as the title sponsor. Since the series inception, IndyCar Series events have been broadcast in the United States on several networks, including ABC, CBS, ESPN, Fox Broadcasting Company, Fox Sports Networks, and Spike. Beginning in 2009, NBCSN began a 10-year deal to broadcast 13 IndyCar races per season, whereas the remaining races, including the Indianapolis 500, would remain on ABC through 2018. As of the 2016 season, ABC airs 5 races per season, in the United Kingdom, since the launch of BT Sport in August 2013 races are shown on one of the BT branded channels or ESPN. Previous to August 2013, the IndyCar Series races were broadcasts on the Sky Sports family of networks, the IndyCar Series also had highlights of all the races on the channel Five British terrestrial channel and Five USA, but has since been discontinued since the 2009 season. In Portugal, all of the IndyCar Series are broadcast on Sport TV, in February 2013, Sportsnet announced that it would become the official Canadian broadcaster of the IndyCar Series beginning in the 2013 season in a five-year deal with the series. The new contract will include broadcasts on the Sportsnet regional networks, Sportsnet One, additionally, Sportsnet would also originate coverage from the Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg, Indianapolis 500, and Honda Indy Toronto with Bill Adam, Todd Lewis, and Rob Faulds. Canadian driver Paul Tracy also joined Sportsnet as an analyst, rede Bandeirantes serves as the Brazilian broadcast partner in that country since 1989
3.
Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters
–
The Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters is a touring car series using a silhouette racing car based in Germany, but also with rounds elsewhere in Europe. From 2000 onwards, this new DTM continued the former Deutsche Tourenwagen Meisterschaft, since 1997 many ideas have been discussed in order to find a compromise for rules of a new DTM. As too many races were planned outside Germany, no Championship status was granted by the DMSB, Alfa Romeo, who at the time were mounting successful campaigns in the European Touring Car Championship, did not return to the series. BMW was also involved in the ETCC and was not satisfied with a championship only for Germany, Audi did not enter as they insisted on using their signature quattro 4WD. Unlike the previous incarnation which primarily used sedan models like the Mercedes-Benz W201, Opel used the upcoming Coupé version of the Astra as in the concept car, and Mercedes the CLK model which already was used as a pattern for the Mercedes-Benz CLK-GTR. Attempts of Zakspeed to enter with a car looking like a Volvo C70 were not approved, the 1999 STW-Supertouring-champion Christian Abt could not defend his STW title as this series was also discontinued, with Opel moving into DTM. Abt used the Audi TT as a basis, as Audi had no suitable 2-door coupé, in May 2000, the new DTM started with the traditional Hockenheimring short track version. Some cars still had no or few sponsorship decals, while Opel could match the speed of most Mercedes in the 2000 season, the hastily developed Abt-Audis were mainly outclassed. As the TT shape had rather poor aerodynamic properties, Abt was allowed to use a form later. Further benefits like a rear wing helped the Abt-Audi TT-R win the DTM championship in 2002 with Laurent Aïello. In 2000, Manuel Reuter came second in the championship, after that year, no Opel driver was among the top three, with few podium finishes and no victory for the disappointing lightnings. The Opels did not win in most of their entries in the VLN endurance races as they were testing, but the speed was impressive. They won however the 2003 Nürburgring 24 Hours against factory efforts by Audi, after their successes with the Audi R8 and the official support of the Abt-TTRs at the Nürburgring, Audi finally joined the DTM as a factory entry in 2004. The three constructors involved decided to switch to saloon bodies, the road models used as patterns since 2004 are the Audi A4, Opel Vectra GTS and the Mercedes-Benz C-Class. All dimensions, like wheelbase, are identical in order to equal opportunities without the actual design of the road cars having any influence. Initially the gap looked set to be filled by MG Rover, however their plans to enter the series were cancelled after the company collapsed in April 2005. Audi and Mercedes fielded 10 cars each in 2006, but the important television deal with the television station ARD required three marques in 2007. Rumours surfaced that Alfa Romeo would return to the DTM in 2007 and these rumors were helped by Alfa Romeo Sport boss Claudio Berro being seen in the Barcelona paddock
4.
Indy Lights
–
Indy Lights is an American developmental automobile racing series sanctioned by IndyCar, currently known as Indy Lights Presented by Cooper Tires for sponsorship reasons. Indy Lights is the highest step on the Road to Indy, the Indy Lights series has been promoted by Anderson Promotions since 2014, which also manages the Road to Indy programme. A similar series named Indy Lights filled the role for the CART series. The Indy Lights champion is awarded a $1M scholarship toward the IndyCar Series, during the early 1960s, open wheel cars were front engined roadsters. The primary ladder series included sprints and midgets, by the end of the decade, and into the 1970s, the cars evolved into rear-engine formula-style machines. Likewise, the series began to follow the same mold. When USAC became the sanctioning body for top-level Indy car racing. The SCCA Super Vee and Formula Atlantic series were among the first formula-based ladder series, however, neither had any direct tie to USAC. In 1977, USAC started the Mini-Indy series, using Super Vee machines, the series ended after 1980 when USAC stopped sanctioning Indy car races outside of Indianapolis. The original Indy Lights series was formed as a racing series that acted as a developmental circuit for CART from 1986 to 2001. It was founded in 1986 as the American Racing Series, the series was renamed Indy Lights in 1991. The CART-sanctioned series became popular and secured the title sponsorship of Firestone. Later, Firestones subsidiary Dayton Tires took over as tire supplier, a spec-series, CART Indy Lights used March chassis from 1986 to 1992. Lola provided chassis from 1993 to 2001, buick V6 engines were used for its entire existence. The ARS/Indy Lights series championship winners included two CART champions, two IndyCar Series champions, seven CCWS race-winners and two Formula One drivers, the Indy Lights schedule closely followed that of the CART series, with the noteworthy exception of Indianapolis. The series typically had a gap of up to a month while the primary CART teams raced at the Indy 500, the races were usually held the morning of the CART series races, as an undercard, support event. In early years, the Indy Lights series skipped superspeedway races such as Michigan, by the late 1990s and early 2000s, CART was suffering from financial problems. Meanwhile, in 1996, the rival Indy Racing League was formed, CART canceled the minor league outright after the 2001 season
5.
Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series
–
The Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series is the top racing series of the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing. It is named for the current sponsor, Monster Energy, but has been known by names in the past. The series began in 1949 as the Strictly Stock Series, in 1971, when the series began leasing its naming rights to the R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Company, it was referred to as the Winston Cup Series. A similar deal was made with Nextel in 2003, and it became the Nextel Cup Series, Sprint acquired Nextel in 2005, and in 2008 the series was renamed the Sprint Cup Series, which lasted until 2016. In December 2016, it was announced that Monster Energy would become the new sponsor starting in 2017. The championship is determined by a system, with points being awarded according to finish placement. The season is divided into two segments, after the first 26 races,16 drivers, selected primarily on the basis of wins during the first 26 races, are seeded based on their total number of wins. They compete in the last ten races, where the difference in points is greatly minimized and this is called the NASCAR playoffs. The series holds strong roots in the Southeastern United States, with half of the races in the 36-race season being held in that region, the current schedule includes tracks from around the United States. Regular season races were held in Canada, and exhibition races were held in Japan. The Daytona 500, the most prestigious race, had an audience of about 16 million U. S. viewers in 2009. Cup Series cars are unique in automobile racing, the engines are powerful enough to reach speeds of over 200 mph, but their weight coupled with a relatively simple aerodynamic package make for poor handling. The bodies and chassis of the cars are strictly regulated to ensure parity, in 1949, NASCAR introduced the Strictly Stock division, after sanctioning Modified and Roadster division races in 1948. Eight races were run on seven dirt ovals and on the Daytona Beach beach/street course, the first NASCAR Strictly Stock race was held at Charlotte Speedway on June 19,1949. Jim Roper was declared the winner of race after Glenn Dunaway was disqualified for having altered the rear springs on his car. The division was renamed Grand National for the 1950 season, reflecting NASCARs intent to make the more professional. It retained this name until 1971, the 1949 Strictly Stock season is regarded in NASCARs record books as the first season of GN/Cup history. Martinsville Speedway is the track on the 1949 schedule that remains on the current schedule
6.
Super GT
–
Super GT is a grand touring car racing series that began in 1993. Originally titled as the Zen Nihon GT Senshuken, generally referred to as either the JGTC or the All Japan Grand Touring Car Championship and it is the top level of sports car racing in Japan. The series is sanctioned by the Japan Automobile Federation and sponsored by the GT Association, autobacs has served as the title sponsor of the series since 1998. The prototypes and European GT cars would appear one race to be joined by the IMSA. For the following season, the series would undergo an overhaul, class 1 for cars similar to that of the FIAs GT1 category. The JSS series would altogether dissolve into the latter category, the Group C prototypes, whilst easily showing dominant form, were banished at the end of the 1994 season. This time was an adoption of the newly formed GT500 and GT300 regulation which capped cars depending on weight. After years of successive rules changes, at the same time, however, holding the series in more than three countries violates from the definition of the national championship of FIA. Races are held as part of a yearly series, races take place on well known Japanese race tracks like Twin Ring Motegi, Fuji Speedway, and Suzuka Circuit. The series was expanded to its first international venue in Malaysia, the Malaysian leg of the series, held at Sepang International Circuit was made an official race from 2002 and counted in the points. For the 2011 &2012 Malaysian leg, the organizer is JP Performance Motorsports Sdn. The baton was passed on to JPM to carry the Super GT tradition in Malaysia with hopes of producing an even more electrifying event, races were planned for both Zhuhai International Circuit in 2004 and Shanghai International Circuit in 2005, but both events failed to materialize. Races are held as a long endurance race of 300 km or greater such as 1000km Suzuka event. Through in season 2011, most of the changes into sprints of 250 km due to the aftermath of 2011 Tōhoku earthquake. On 15 December 2011, a deal has been agreed between GT-A and Woo Myung Holdings to host a Super GT race at the Korea International Circuit in Korea in 2013, although the race fell through. On 12 August 2013, GT-A signed a contract with Buriram United International Circuit to host a race at Buriram, the cars are divided into two groups, GT300 and GT500. However, the current generation of GT500 powerplants produce in excess of 600 horsepower, meanwhile, in present-day GT300, the horsepower range varies from around 400 to just over 500 horsepower, however, GT300 cars have far less downforce than their GT500 counterparts. The top class in Super GT, GT500, is dominated by the three largest automakers in Japan - Nissan, Honda, and Toyota
7.
Supercars Championship
–
The Supercars Championship is a touring car racing category based in Australia and run as an International Series under Fédération Internationale de lAutomobile regulations. Supercars events take place in all Australian states and the Northern Territory, an international round is held in New Zealand, while events have previously been held in China, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates and the United States. A non-championship event is held in support of the Australian Grand Prix. The series is broadcast in 137 countries and has an average event attendance of over 100,000, the vehicles used in the series are loosely based on road-going, four-door saloon cars. Cars are custom made using a chassis, with only certain body panels being common between the road cars and race cars. To ensure parity between each make of car, many components are utilised. All cars must use a 5. 0-litre, naturally aspirated V8 engine, originally only for Ford Falcons and Holden Commodores, the New Generation V8 Supercar regulations, introduced in 2013, opened up the series to more manufacturers. Nissan were the first new manufacturer to commit to the series with four Nissan Altimas, Volvo entered the series in 2014 with Garry Rogers Motorsport racing the Volvo S60. The concept of a formula centred around V8-engined Fords and Holdens for the Australian Touring Car Championship had been established as early as mid-1991, however, CAMS was waiting to see what the FIA did with its proposed international formula for 2.5 and 2. 0-litre touring cars. The new rules for the ATCC were announced in November 1991, during 1992, CAMS looked at closing the performance gap between the classes, only to have protests from Ford and Holden, who didnt want to see their cars beaten by the smaller cars. In June 1992, the structure was confirmed, Class A, Australian-produced 5. 0-litre V8-engined Fords. Class B,2. 0-litre cars complying with FIA Class II Touring Car regulations, Class C, normally aspirated two-wheel drive cars complying with 1992 CAMS Group 3A Touring Car regulations. This class would only be eligible in 1993, both the Ford EB Falcon and Holden VP Commodore ran American-based engines which were restricted to 7,500 rpm and a compression ratio of 10,1. The V8s were first eligible to compete in the races of 1992. Cars from all three classes would contest the 1993 Australian Touring Car Championship as well as non-championship Australian touring car events such as the Bathurst 1000, however, for the purposes of race classification and points allocation, cars competed in two classes, Over 2, 000cc. Originally the 2. 0-litre class cars competed in a race to the V8s. This was changed for the round of 1993, after there were only nine entrants in the 2. 0-litre class for the first round at Amaroo Park. After round five at Winton, Holden was granted a new front, the BMWs were also allowed a new splitter and a full DTM-specification rear wing
8.
Formula 4
–
FIA Formula 4, also called FIA F4, is an open-wheel racing car category intended for junior drivers. There is no championship, but rather individual nations or regions can host their own championships in compliance with a universal set of rules. The series is a part of the FIA Global Pathway, the FIA-endorsed category was formally created in March 2013, when it was approved by the World Motor Sport Council. The first Formula 4 championships started in 2014 as a category before the regulations were opened up to multiple chassis. The engines are equalised so that no one Formula 4 championship is faster than the others, to become an eligible FIA Formula 4, the chassis must meet the FIA homologation requirements respecting technical and commercial regulations. Four chassis manufacturers have been approved by the FIA, Tatuus, Mygale, Dome, to become an eligible FIA Formula 4 engine, the engine must meet the homologation requirements. According to the requirements a FIA Formula 4 engine must last at least 10,000 km and have a maximum purchasing price of €9,500. According to the FIA Formula 4 technical regulations only four engines are allowed. Both normally aspirated and turbocharged engines are permitted, the power output has been maximized at 160hp. Currently four engines are homologated for use in the FIA Formula 4 and these championships are held to Formula 4 regulations and approved by the FIA as the national Formula 4 series. Drivers participating in series can receive FIA Super Licence points. The French F4 Championship is a Formula Renault series, aimed at young drivers graduating from karting. The championship uses Formula Renault 1.6 Signatech cars, an entry level category, the Formula STCC Nordic will debut in 2016, replacing the Formula Renault 1.6 Nordic. The Formula 4 Sudamericana is a Formula 4 racing class that debuted in 2014, the class uses the same Signatech chassis and Fiat engines used previously in the Brazilian-based Formula Future Fiat. Japan Formula 4 is a racing series in Japan. The series was founded in 1993 by the Japan Automobile Federation as a class between the FJ1600 series and the All-Japan Formula Three Championship, japanese Formula 4 is an open formula, where competitors can choose the chassis and engine manufacturers. The BRDC Formula 4 Championship was an entry level motorsport series based in the United Kingdom which began in 2013, although run to the FIAs regulations, it was not recognised by the FIA as an official Formula 4 championship. In 2016, the series was upgraded and renamed the BRDC British Formula 3 Championship, FIA Technical Regulations for Formula 4
9.
Formula Three
–
Formula Three, also called Formula 3 or F3, is a class of open-wheel formula racing. The various championships held in Europe, Australia, South America, F3 is not cheap, but is regarded as a key investment in a young drivers future career. Success in F3 can lead directly to a GP2 seat or even a Formula One test or race seat, Formula Three evolved from postwar auto racing, with lightweight tube-frame chassis powered by 500 cc motorcycle engines. Cooper came to dominate the formula with mass-produced cars, and the income this generated enabled the company to develop into the senior categories, other notable marques included Kieft, JBS and Emeryson in England, and Effyh, Monopoletta and Scampolo in Europe. John Cooper, along with most other 500 builders, decided to place the engine in the middle of the car, the 500cc formula was the usual route into motor racing through the early and mid-1950s. Other notable 500 cc Formula 3 drivers include Stuart Lewis-Evans, Ivor Bueb, Jim Russell, Peter Collins, Don Parker, Ken Tyrrell, from a statistical point of view, Don Parker was the most successful F3 driver. Although coming to motor racing late in life, he won a total of 126 F3 races altogether, and was described by Motor Sport magazine as the most successful Formula 3 driver in history. Although Stirling Moss was already a star by 1953, Parker beat him more than any driver, and was Formula 3 Champion in 1952, again in 1953. He took the title for a time in 1959. In 1954, Parker took on a man named Norman Graham Hill as his mechanic and general assistant. Some years later, now using his name of Graham. Parker retired from Formula Three after the 1959 season, and chose not to move to Formula 2 or Formula 1 because of his age. However, he did race for one season, representing Jaguar in the British Saloon Car Championships. As a retirement gift in 1961, Jaguars Lofty England presented him with a specially-designed 3.8 litre Jaguar Mark 2 and it was claimed to be the fastest Mark 2 Jaguar had built, being tested at 140 mph on the newly opened M4 motorway in 1963. 500cc Formula Three declined at an international level during the late 1950s, although it continued at a level into the early 60s. A one-litre Formula Three category for four-cylinder carburetted cars, with heavily tuned production engines, was reintroduced in 1964 based on the Formula Junior rules and these engines tended to rev very highly and were popularly known as screamers, F3 races tended to involve large packs of slipstreaming cars. The screamer years were dominated by Brabham, Lotus and Tecno, early one-litre F3 chassis tended to descend from Formula Junior designs but quickly evolved. For 1971 new regulations allowing 1600 cc engines with an air intake were introduced
10.
Formula Renault
–
Formula Renault is a class of formula racing founded in 1971, popular in Europe and elsewhere. Regarded as a series to motor racing, it is a respected series where drivers can learn advanced racecraft before moving on to Formula Three, World Series by Renault. Renault now backs two one-make single-seater series, Formula Renault 1.6 and Formula Renault 2.0, with Formula Renault 3.5 becoming the World Series Formula V83.5 in 2016. At the end of each racing season, Renault Sport gave an opportunity to the best Formula Renault 2.0 drivers to try the 3. 5L car at Circuit Paul Ricard. The most senior Formula Renault was the Formula Renault V6 Eurocup started by Renault to run as part of Eurosports Super Racing Weekends, in 2016 the series became the World Series Formula V83.5. Formula V6 Asia started in 2006 in Asia and ran at Asian Festival of Speed Weekends, the old Eurocup and current Asian formulas use Tatuus chassis, while the World Series uses Dallara cars. Formula Renault 2.0 descends from Formula France created in 1968 and its predecessors used 1. 3L,1. 6l,1. 6L turbo and later 1,721 cc, then 2l 8V engines in single-seater chassis. The series evolved in 2000 into a 2L 16V series using one-make cars from Italian manufacturer Tatuus. The series was introduced into the UK in 1989 and even after the 1721 cc cars had replaced at the top level a club-level series for them continued in parallel with the more ambitious 2.0 series. This is seen as one of the key steps in a career before Formula Three. The most notable recent graduate of the formula is Kimi Räikkönen, the cars were open-wheelers, with Tatuus-made chassis running 2.0 L Renault Clio engines attached to a Sadev gearbox. They are capable of accelerating from 0 to 100 mph in 4.85 seconds, the Tatuus Formula Renault car is the most successful single seater ever, with 10 years of service and nearly 1000 sold. The car has produced many current Formula One stars, with 11 of the 25 drivers in the 2009 Formula One season using the car in the infancy of their careers. For the 2010 season, a new car developed by Barazi-Epsilon, will be used in most major championships and it also incorporates a FIA-approved roll hoop and lateral drivers head protection. This was introduced in 2000 and updated with new bodywork in 2004 and 2007, both the chassis and engine are of an FIA-approved impact break-away design. It also uses Elf Transmission LS, regular championships and Winter Series, an off-season championship held usually between November and February with few races. In 2005, all names were replaced from Formula Renault 2000 to Formula Renault 2.0. An Uruguyan 2. 0L series is also held, a majority of Formula Renault champions have gone onto lead successful careers in motor racing, most notably Alain Prost who won the Formula One World Championship four times in his career
