British Formula Renault Championship

British Formula Renault is racing series in the United Kingdom.

The United Kingdom has two Formula Renault championships: Renault Sport UK's UK championship and the British Automobile Racing Club's BARC championship. Generally, the UK series is recognized as the "British Formula Renault".

History

In 1989, the series, the "British Formula Renault Championship", was founded by the British Automobile Racing Club (BARC). In the next year, the Renault Sport UK became the organizer of the event. Today, this championship is recognized as the "British Formula Renault". The name of the championship was changed to the "Formula Renault UK Championship" in 2005.

The BARC refounded another championship in 1996. Consequently, two championships existed at the following in the United Kingdom. However, the purpose the BARC championship is different from the UK championship and the championship exists mainly to satisfy the amateur racers' demands. Therefore, the BARC championship's Club Class uses old chassis had used in the UK series and Renault Sport UK also supports the BARC series.

Kimi Räikkönen, the champion of the UK series in 2000, made his successful debut in Formula One soon the next year when he finished the series. This event brought the keen attention to the Formula Renault Championships whole and became a chance to found the new championships in Italy, Brazil and Asia.

Championship

UK series

The championship owns an annual regular series and a winter series. The regular series is the main championship and usually holds 10 rounds, 20 races, in a year, from 2004.

Though the championship used the engines of 1,600cc or 1,700cc at the beginning, now uses its of 2,000cc, like other national championships, from 1995. Therefore, the championship is often called "Formula Renault 2.0" after the displacement.

Michelin, a French tyre manufacturer, taking a role of the tire supplier and the title sponsor of the series.

The series is one of the most competitive Formula Renault championships and there are some notable Formula One Drivers who have raced in the series, like Kimi Räikkönen, Lewis Hamilton and Heikki Kovalainen.

BARC series

The BARC championship was refounded in 1996. The series was named "Formula Renault BARC Championship" to distinguish from the another series, the British Formula Renault Championship. The series has two classes: FR2000 class and Club Class.

Most of the regulation of the FR2000 class about the cars is same as the UK series, but the car is 5 kg heavier than it of another.

The Club Class uses old chassis in the 1990s.

Champions

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BARC Formula Renault

; FR2000 class

Teams Participating

UK series

* CR Scuderia
* Coles Racing
* Comtec Racing
* Eurotek Motorsport
* Falcon Motorsport
* Fortec Motorsport
* HillSpeed
* Macob Competition
* Manor Motorsport
* Mark Burdett Motorsport
* Motaworld Racing
* Nexa Racing
* Position 1 Racing
* Robertshaw Racing
* Russell Racing
* RSR Engineering
* Scorpio Motorsport

* Team Nasamax
* Welch Motorsport

BARC series [ [http://www.renaultsport.co.uk/championships/formularenaultbarc/teams/ Renaultsport.co.uk - Championships - Formula Renault BARC - Teams ] ]

*Blackpool and the Fylde College Racing
*Hillspeed
*Double M Racing
*Mark Burdett Motorsport
*Eurotek Motorsport
*Vitulli Racing
*Falcon Motorsport
*Reon Motorsport
*Russell Racing
*Welch Motorsport
*Worswick Engineering
*3K's Racing
*Alpine Motorsport

References

External links

* [http://www.renaultsport.co.uk/championships/formularenaultuk/ Formula Renault UK official website]

* [http://www.renaultsport.co.uk/championships/formularenaultbarc/ BARC Formula Renault official website] website by [http://www.renaultsport.co.uk/ Renault Sport UK]
* [http://www.barc.net/competitors/single_seater/formula_renault_barc_championship.php BARC Formula Renault official website] website by [http://www.barc.net/ BARC]