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British Formula Renault Championship

From Alfawiki
British Formula Renault Championship
Company typeMotorsport championship
IndustryAuto racing
Founded1989
Defunct2014
FateDiscontinued
Area served
United Kingdom
ParentRenault Sport UK (main series), British Automobile Racing Club (Protyre series)

British Formula Renault Championship encompassed two distinct Formula Renault competitions hosted within the United Kingdom. The principal series, managed by Renault Sport UK, was known as the Formula Renault 2.0 UK championship, which operated from 1989 until 2011 and stood as the foremost British Formula Renault contest. In March 2012, it was declared that the championship would not take place that year, and by September 2012, it was officially terminated. Alongside this, a secondary competition titled the Protyre Formula Renault Championship, organized by the British Automobile Racing Club (BARC), ran uninterrupted from 1995 through 2014. Following the cessation of the main series, this championship became the exclusive Formula Renault 2.0 competition in the UK until its conclusion in 2014.

History

The inception of the British Formula Renault Championship dates back to 1989 when BARC established it, with Renault Sport UK assuming organizational responsibilities in 1990. The championship adopted the official name "Formula Renault 2.0 UK Championship" in 2005. Between 1995 and 2011, two parallel championships coexisted: a professional UK series and a predominantly amateur BARC series that utilized older chassis previously deployed in the main UK series. Both championships received backing from Renault Sport UK. A significant development occurred in 2000 when Tatuus introduced new chassis designs, setting a precedent for the modern one-make racing format that has since been widely adopted by series such as GP2 Series, GP3 Series, and Formula Renault 3.5 Series.

Several drivers who later advanced to Formula One competed in this series, including Lewis Hamilton, Paul di Resta, and Heikki Kovalainen. Notably, Kimi Räikkönen, who secured the championship title in 2000, made an impressive debut in F1 the following year. This success contributed to raising the profile of Formula Renault 2.0 championships worldwide and encouraged the creation of regional series across Italy, Brazil, and Asia. Both Räikkönen and Hamilton went on to claim Formula One World Championships in and , respectively, reinforcing the championship’s reputation as a critical stepping stone for emerging single-seater talent, particularly within Western Europe.

In March 2012, due to insufficient entries—only six confirmed drivers—and high expenses estimated at approximately £200,000 per season, the UK series was cancelled for that year. Initially described as a temporary suspension with plans for a revival in 2013 under promoter Stéphane Ratel Organisation, the series was ultimately discontinued permanently by September of that year.

In 2014, BARC and promoter Grovewood proposed reinstating Formula Renault UK as a dual-tier championship incorporating contemporary Tatuus FR2.0/13 vehicles alongside older BARC cars, effectively merging with the declining BARC series. However, negotiations with Formula Renault officials were unsuccessful, and interest waned owing to competition from emerging junior single-seater categories such as Formula 4-class MSA Formula and BRDC Formula 4. As a result, BARC terminated their existing Formula Renault championship for the 2015 season and introduced plans for a Formula Libre category that would accommodate former Formula Renault cars together with vehicles from other discontinued British racing series.

Formula Renault 2.0 UK

The Renault Sport championship held an annual racing series supporting both the British Touring Car Championship and the UK leg of the World Series by Renault, complemented by a winter competition. At its height, this main championship featured around 20 races spread over 10 events.

Initially named Formula Renault UK, the series utilized engines with a displacement of 1,721cc. From 1995 until 1999, it operated under the name Formula Renault Sport UK, powered by 2,000cc 8-valve engines. In 2000, it was rebranded as Formula Renault 2000 UK, later adopting the title Formula Renault 2.0 UK in 2005 while continuing to use 2,000cc 16-valve engines since the turn of the millennium. French tyre manufacturer Michelin provided tyres throughout this period and acted as title sponsor starting from 1992.

Several prominent Formula One competitors such as Kimi Räikkönen, Lewis Hamilton, Paul di Resta, and Heikki Kovalainen participated in this championship during their formative careers.

Graduate Cup

The Graduate Cup, serving as the secondary category, was designed to assist emerging drivers beginning their journey in the championship. Each round, the highest-placed Graduate Cup competitor was awarded a podium trophy, while the overall champion received a reduction on entry fees for either the Formula Renault 2.0 UK or Clio Cup UK series.

To qualify, drivers needed to have participated in no more than two Formula Renault 2.0 race events prior to the current season (excluding appearances in the Winter Cup or Formula Renault BARC Championship) and be younger than 19 years of age.

Weekend Format

Race weekends kicked off with two 25-minute practice sessions on Friday. Saturday included two 20-minute qualifying sessions that set the starting grids for two races lasting 30 minutes each. These races took place either both on Sunday or split between Saturday afternoon and Sunday.

Points were allocated down to the 20th position, with an additional two points granted for the fastest lap. Only a driver’s best 18 results contributed to their championship total:

Finishing Position Fastest Lap
1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th 8th 9th 10th 11th 12th 13th 14th 15th 16th 17th 18th 19th 20th
32 28 25 22 20 18 16 14 12 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 2

Champions

Season Champion Team Champion Winter/Finals Champion
1989 Template:Country data GBRTemplate:Namespace detect showall Neil Riddiford Template:Country data GBRTemplate:Namespace detect showall Tarry Racing Not held
1990 Template:Country data BRATemplate:Namespace detect showall Thomas Erdos Template:Country data GBRTemplate:Namespace detect showall Fortec Motorsport
1991 Template:Country data GBRTemplate:Namespace detect showall Bobby Verdon-Roe Template:Country data GBRTemplate:Namespace detect showall Fortec Motorsport
1992 Template:Country data ESPTemplate:Namespace detect showall Pedro de la Rosa Template:Country data ESPTemplate:Namespace detect showall Racing for Spain-Minister
1993 Template:Country data ESPTemplate:Namespace detect showall Ivan Arias Template:Country data ESPTemplate:Namespace detect showall Racing for Spain-Minister
1994 Template:Country data GBRTemplate:Namespace detect showall James Matthews Template:Country data GBRTemplate:Namespace detect showall Manor Motorsport
1995 Template:Country data GBRTemplate:Namespace detect showall Guy Smith Template:Country data GBRTemplate:Namespace detect showall Manor Motorsport
1996 Template:Country data GBRTemplate:Namespace detect showall David Cook Template:Country data GBRTemplate:Namespace detect showall DCCook Racing
1997 Template:Country data GBRTemplate:Namespace detect showall Marc Hynes Template:Country data GBRTemplate:Namespace detect showall Manor Motorsport
1998 Template:Country data BRATemplate:Namespace detect showall Aluizio Coelho Template:Country data GBRTemplate:Namespace detect showall Manor Motorsport Template:Country data BRATemplate:Namespace detect showall Antônio Pizzonia
1999 Template:Country data BRATemplate:Namespace detect showall Antônio Pizzonia Template:Country data GBRTemplate:Namespace detect showall Manor Motorsport Template:Country data FINTemplate:Namespace detect showall Kimi Räikkönen
2000 Template:Country data FINTemplate:Namespace detect showall Kimi Räikkönen Template:Country data GBRTemplate:Namespace detect showall Manor Motorsport {{flagicon{GBR}} Mark McLoughlin
2001 {{flagicon{GBR}} Carl Breeze {{flagicon{GBR}} Motaworld Racing {{flagicon{GBR}} Robert Bell
2002 {{flagicon{GBR}} Danny Watts {{flagicon{GBR}} Fortec Motorsport {{flagicon{GBR}} Robert Bell
2003 {{flagicon{GBR}} Lewis Hamilton {{flagicon{GBR}} Manor Motorsport {{flagicon{GBR}} Jay Howard
2004 {{flagicon{GBR}} Mike Conway {{flagicon{GBR}} Fortec Motorsport]] {{flagicon{GBR}} Stuart Hall (racing driver)]]
2005 {{ flagicon { GBR } }}Oliver Jarvis {{ flagicon { GBR } }}Manor Motorsport {{ flagicon { NLD } }}Junior Strous
2006 {{ flag icon { SWE } }}Sebastian Hohenthal {{ flag icon { GBR } }}Fortec Motorsport {{ flag icon { FRA } }}Franck Mailleux
2007 {{ flag icon { GBR } }}Duncan Tappy {{ flag icon { GBR } }}Fortec Motorsport {{ flag icon { GBR } }}Richard Singleton[note 1]
2008 {{ flag icon { GBR } }}Adam Christodoulou {{ flag icon { GBR } }}CRS Racing {{ flag icon { GBR } }}James Calado
2009 {{ flag icon { GBR } }}Dean Smith (racing driver) {{ flag icon { GBR } }}Manor Competition {{ flag icon { GBR } }}Harry Tincknell
2010 {{ flag icon { GBR } }}Tom Blomqvist {{ flag icon { GBR } }}Fortec Motorsport {{ flag icon { GBR } }}Alex Lynn
2011 {{ flag icon { GBR } }}Alex Lynn {{ flag icon { GBR } }}Fortec Motorsport {{ flag icon { GBR } }}Oliver Rowland
Notes

Protyre Formula Renault Championship

Established in 1995 under the management of the British Automobile Racing Club, the Protyre Formula Renault Championship originated as a support series to the Renault Sport UK championship and was initially titled the Formula Renault BARC Championship. It adopted the technical standards of the Formula Renault UK Championship from 1989 through 1994. Beginning in 2005, most vehicle regulations mirrored those of the UK series but incorporated fixed gear ratios, an intake restrictor to reduce engine wear, and a limitation of one new tyre set per event. The championship utilized the older Tatuus chassis introduced in 2000 and upgraded in 2007, making it a cost-effective option for competitors with smaller budgets.

After the demise of the Renault Sport championship in early 2012, the BARC series emerged as the foremost Formula Renault Championship within the United Kingdom. In 2013, it was renamed the Protyre Formula Renault Championship, shedding the BARC designation as it evolved into a leading national single-seater competition in Great Britain. Although initial seasons saw growth and expanded race weekends, participation numbers dwindled in subsequent years, culminating in the series' closure in 2014.

Weekend Format

Race weekends commenced with two 25-minute testing sessions on Friday. On Saturday, two qualifying sessions lasting 20 minutes each determined starting grids for two 30-mile races scheduled on Sunday. From 2012 onward, triple-header weekends were introduced: race one took place on Saturday, followed by races two and three on Sunday. The grid for the third race was established based on drivers’ second fastest lap times during the second qualifying session. Points were allocated down to 20th place, with an additional two points awarded for setting the fastest lap. All rounds contributed to championship standings except one.

Position Fastest Lap
1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th 8th 9th 10th 11th 12th 13th 14th 15th 16th 17th 18th 19th 20th
32 28 25 22 20 18 16 14 12 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 2

Latest season

The 2013 Protyre Formula Renault Championship represented the nineteenth iteration organized by the British Automobile Racing Club and marked its second year as the UK's foremost Formula Renault 2.0 competition. The campaign commenced on April 14 at Donington Park and concluded on September 29 at Silverstone Circuit, encompassing sixteen races over six English venues. This included four triple-header events integrated into BARC club racing meetings.

Champions

Formula Renault BARC
Season Title Holder Winter/Finals Title Holder
1995 Template:Country data GBRTemplate:Namespace detect showall David Henderson Not conducted
1996 Template:Country data GBRTemplate:Namespace detect showall Ian Astley
1997 Template:Country data GBRTemplate:Namespace detect showall Peter Clarke
1998 Template:Country data GBRTemplate:Namespace detect showall Nick Dudfield
1999 Template:Country data GBRTemplate:Namespace detect showall Elliot Lewis
2000 Template:Country data GBRTemplate:Namespace detect showall Jamie Beales
2001 Template:Country data GBRTemplate:Namespace detect showall Martin Wallbank
2002 Template:Country data GBRTemplate:Namespace detect showall Jeremy Smith
2003 Template:Country data GBRTemplate:Namespace detect showall James Gornall
2004 Template:Country data GBRTemplate:Namespace detect showall Nicky Wilson
2005 Template:Country data GBRTemplate:Namespace detect showall Nick Wilcox
2006 Template:Country data GBRTemplate:Namespace detect showall Richard Singleton
2007 Template:Country data GBRTemplate:Namespace detect showall Hywel Lloyd Template:Country data GBRTemplate:Namespace detect showall Hywel Lloyd
2008 Template:Country data GBRTemplate:Namespace detect showall Ollie Hancock Template:Country data GBRTemplate:Namespace detect showall James Theodore
2009 Template:Country data GBRTemplate:Namespace detect showall Kieren Clark Not conducted
2010 Template:Country data GBRTemplate:Namespace detect showall Alice Powell Template:Country data GBRTemplate:Namespace detect showall Josh Webster
2011 Template:Country data GBRTemplate:Namespace detect showall Dino Zamparelli Template:Country data ESPTemplate:Namespace detect showall Victor Jiminez
2012 Template:Country data GBRTemplate:Namespace detect showall Scott Malvern Template:Country data GBRTemplate:Namespace detect showall Seb Morris
Protyre Formula Renault Championship
Season Title Holder Autumn Title Holder
2013 Template:Country data GBRTemplate:Namespace detect showall Chris Middlehurst Template:Country data GBRTemplate:Namespace detect showall Ben Barnicoat
2014 Template:Country data BRATemplate:Namespace detect showall Pietro Fittipaldi Not conducted

Teams Participating

The following teams have participated in the Renault Sport or BARC Championships:


  • Antel Motorsport
  • Apotec Scorpio
  • Cliff Dempsey Racing
  • CORE Motorsport
  • Cullen Motorsport
  • CRS Racing
  • Falcon Motorsport
  • Fortec Motorsport
  • Hillspeed
  • Jamun Racing
  • JWA-Avila
  • Manor Motorsport
  • Manor Competition
  • Mark Burdett Motorsport
  • MTECH Lite
  • Mark Godwin Racing
  • RPD Motorsport
  • Team DFR
  • Scorpio Motorsport
  • SWB Motorsport
  • Vitulli Racing
  • Welch Motorsport


External links

Formula Renault 2.0 UK

Formula Renault BARC


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