Australian Formula 1

Australian Formula 1 was an open-wheeler racing car category introduced by the Confederation of Australian Motor Sport in 1971. It replaced the 2.5 litre Australian National Formula which had been Australia’s premier racing category from 1964 to 1970.

Initially Australian Formula 1 was a two part formula catering for racing cars fitted with 5.0 litre production based pushrod V8 engines (internationally known as Formula 5000 cars) and those fitted with less restricted racing engines of up to 2.0 litre capacity. The 2.0 litre option was discontinued after 1976.

In March 1979 Formula Pacific cars (using 1.6 litre production based four cylinder engines) became eligible for Australian Formula 1 alongside the existing 5.0 litre cars [The official 50-race history of the Australian Grand Prix, 1986, page 426] and 1980 saw the addition of 3.0 litre FIA Formula One cars to the mix. [The official 50-race history of the Australian Grand Prix, 1986, page 436] For 1982, Australian Formula 1 was restricted to Formula Pacific cars only. [Australian Motor Racing Yearbook, 1982/93, page 11] In 1983 CAMS adopted Formula Mondial as the new Australian Formula 1 but allowed cars complying with Formula Pacific to compete alongside the new cars for that year. [CAMS Manual of Motor Sport, 1983, page 273] (Formula Mondial was an FIA approved international formula very similar to Formula Pacific but with cars restricted to using the 1.6 litre Ford Cosworth BDA four cylinder engine. [ Australian Motor Racing Yearbook, 1982/93, pages 68-71] ). For 1984 CAMS changed the category name from “Australian Formula 1” to “Formula Mondial”. [ CAMS Manual of Motor Sport, 1984, page 264]

The Australian Drivers' Championship (for the CAMS Gold Star award) was open to drivers of Australian Formula 1 cars throughout the life of the formula, i.e. from 1971 to 1983. During those years the term Australian Formula 1 Championship was often used in lieu of Australian Drivers Championship [ CAMS Manuals of Motor Sport, 1973, page 92 & 1978, page 85 & 1983, page 92] however the latter is used by the Confederation of Australian Motor Sport in its official records of the championship. [ [http://www.camsmanual.com.au/records.asp Australian Drivers’ Championship / CAMS Gold Star] Retrieved from CAMS Online Manual of Motor Sport on 20 September 2008]

The Australian Grand Prix was contested by Australian Formula 1 cars during the years 1971 to 1983 although the 1981 event was restricted to cars complying with the Formula Pacific section of the formula. [The official 50-race history of the Australian Grand Prix, 1986, page 448]

References

Further reading

* CAMS Manuals of Motor Sport, 1964 through 1984

External links