Formula Holden

Formula Holden was an Australian open wheel racing category.

History

) and TAFE Shrike designs.

From its inception in 1989 until 2004 the formula was used to determine the winner of the Australian Drivers' Championship for the CAMS Gold Star. From 2005 this title was moved to the Australian Formula 3 Championship.

From 1991 to 1995 the class was known as Formula Brabham in honour of Jack Brabham who acted as the category patron for five seasons. In 1996 the name reverted to Formula Holden and from the 2003 season the class was officially called "Formula 4000 powered by Holden".

The formula was also used for a 1993 Pan-Pacific series, several New Zealand Grands Prix, and Tasman Cup (Australia versus New Zealand) summer series. It has also been proposed to be used for an Asian series based in China. With numbers dropping and the increasing prominence of Formula 3, the class was dropped by the CAMS sanctioning body after the 2005 season. In 2006, the category was run as part of the Australian Motor Racing Series under the sanctioning of the Australian Auto Sport Alliance (AASA) and at times the regular Formula 4000 field was complemented by vehicles competing in the new Oz BOSS category for open wheel racing cars. In 2007 numbers had dropped to the point they could no longer form races by themselves and were amalgamated into the OzBOSS category. As part of this amalgamation, the cars themselves were re-badged again as Formula 3000V6.

The drivers in the series in the 2000s were a mix of older drivers who own their own cars, or very young Oceanic or South Asian drivers looking to make a name for themselves in the international scene. Although technically using cars just a step below Formula One, the lack of competition in the series means that drivers tend to progress from Formula 4000 to a minor series in Europe (Will Power, British Formula 3) or North America (Scott Dixon, Indy Lights).

In 2008 entries dropped to a low point of just a single car, the class is effectively defunct.

Past Champions

OzBoss Championships, F3000V6 class

*2007 flagicon|Australia Ty Hanger - Reynard 95D

Australian Formula 4000 Championship (AMRS)

*2006 flagicon|Australia Derek Pingel - Reynard 95D

Australian Formula 4000 Championship

*2005 flagicon|Australia Peter Hackett - Reynard 96D

Australian Drivers' Championship - Formula 4000

*2004 flagicon|Australia Neil McFadyen - Reynard 95D
*2003 flagicon|New Zealand Daniel Gaunt - Reynard 96D

Australian Drivers' Championship - Formula Holden

*2002 flagicon|Australia Will Power - Reynard 94D
*2001 flagicon|Australia Rick Kelly - Reynard 94D
*2000 flagicon|New Zealand Simon Wills - Reynard 94D
*1999 flagicon|New Zealand Simon Wills - Reynard 94D
*1998 flagicon|New Zealand Scott Dixon - Reynard 92D
*1997 flagicon|Australia Jason Bright - Reynard 91D
*1996 flagicon|Australia Paul Stokell - Reynard 91D

Australian Drivers' Championship - Formula Brabham

*1995 flagicon|Australia Paul Stokell - Reynard 91D
*1994 flagicon|Australia Paul Stokell - Reynard 91D
*1993 flagicon|Australia Mark Skaife - Lola T91/50
*1992 flagicon|Australia Mark Skaife - Spa FB003
*1991 flagicon|Australia Mark Skaife - Spa FB003

Australian Drivers' Championship - Formula Holden

*1990 flagicon|Australia Simon Kane - Ralt RT21
*1989 flagicon|Australia Rohan Onslow - Ralt RT20

Cars used in Formula Holden

Cheetah Mk.9, Dome F102, Elfin FA891, Hocking 901, Hocking 911, Liston BF3, Lola T87/50, Lola T91/50, Lola T93/50, March 87B, Ralt RT4, Ralt RT20, Ralt RT21, Ralt RT23, Reynard 89D, Reynard 90D, Reynard 91D, Reynard 92D, Reynard 93D, Reynard 94D, Reynard 95D, Reynard 96D, Reynard 97D, Reynard 98D, Shrike NB89H, SPA 001, SPA 002, SPA 003

External links

* [http://www.f4000.com/ Official site]