2006 Formula Palmer Audi season

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2006 was the ninth year of the Formula Palmer Audi open-wheel racing series. Briton Jon Barnes won the Championship, while American Dane Cameron took the Autumn Trophy

Contents

2006 Championship

The 2006 FPA Championship took in 15 rounds at six meetings. Brands Hatch was visited in both Indy and Grand Prix configurations, while Snetterton was added to the calendar and the series returned to Spa-Francorchamps. Two FIA GT Championship-supporting rounds at Dijon-Prenois in France and at Mugello in Italy concluded the season.

At the start of the season, Viktor Jensen, son of radio DJ David Jensen, romped away from the rest of the field, winning the first four races. But after that, having found his feet in his first year of open-wheel racing, Jon Barnes emerged as the dominant force, winning nine of the last 10 rounds to take the title with a race to spare. Barnes was nominated for the McLaren Autosport BRDC Award for his efforts throughout the season, breaking numerous FPA records such as most wins (nine), most consecutive wins (seven) and most points in a season (326).

2006 FPA Championship Schedule

RoundsDateVenue
1 and 2May 20/21, 2006 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Brands Hatch (GP)
3, 4 and 5June 3/4, 2006 Flag of Belgium (civil).svg Spa-Francorchamps
6, 7 and 8July 1/2, 2006 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Brands Hatch (Indy)
9 and 10July 15/16, 2006 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Snetterton
11 and 12September 2/3, 2006 Flag of France.svg Dijon-Prenois
13, 14 and 15September 16/17, 2006 Flag of Italy.svg Mugello

2006 Championship Standings

Pos.No.DriverNat.Total123456789101112131415Total
132Jon Barnes Flag of the United Kingdom.svg 326202016181624242024242424242424326
28 Viktor Jensen Flag of Iceland.svg 2762424242418202420201510201518276
321 Chris Hyman Flag of South Africa.svg 237161620122420181816141818DNF1215237
438Giacomo Petrobelli Flag of Italy.svg 1861213131113101515DNF122020DNF1616186
577Tom Haines Flag of the United Kingdom.svg 1801014111414151414151316DNF1614DNF180
655Chris Bell Flag of the United Kingdom.svg 154111214131DNF41013111314121313154
713James Wingfield Flag of the United Kingdom.svg 149181818202018166DNF15149
810Paul Warren Flag of the United Kingdom.svg 14414151015DNF1313DNFDNF101416DNF1014144
96Derrick Collin Flag of the United Kingdom.svg 128179979612105101311712128
104Josh Southall Flag of the United Kingdom.svg 1039DNF156121611DNF1816DNFDNF103
1112Bruce Hodges Flag of the United Kingdom.svg 10112DNF10121216111513DNFDNF101
1219Aaron Steele Flag of the United Kingdom.svg 9515DNFDNF161514107DNF1895
132Giorgio Rosa Flag of Italy.svg 78287DNF9DNF58991011DNF78
145Wesley Fongenie Flag of the United Kingdom.svg 7204DNF711DNF3DNFDNF88119DNF1172
157Alan Kempson Flag of the United Kingdom.svg 71765DNF87DNF596DNF12DNF6DNF71
1644Mark Powell Flag of the United Kingdom.svg 691310DNFDNF131294869
179Bill Knowles Flag of the United Kingdom.svg 605DNF81028DNFDNF11412DNF60
183Barry Walsh Flag of Ireland.svg 57DNF3685DNF7DNF14365DNFDNFDNF57
1920Niki Faulkner Flag of the United Kingdom.svg 5315182053
2011Tony Brewer Flag of the United Kingdom.svg 4635DNF445DNFDNF7DNF76DNF546
2123Howard Spooner Flag of the United Kingdom.svg 454111181145
2227John Bell Flag of the United Kingdom.svg 436248788DNF43
2315Adam Smith Flag of the United Kingdom.svg 381820DNF38
249Stephen Young Flag of the United Kingdom.svg 23149DNF23
2514Stuart Prior Flag of the United Kingdom.svg 156915
2612Trevor Hyman Flag of South Africa.svg 93339
2712Rob Lofting Flag of the United Kingdom.svg 88DNF8
2820Ludovico Manfredi Flag of Italy.svg 002456499570

Notes:

2006 Autumn Trophy

The 2006 Autumn Trophy, held on consecutive weekends at Snetterton and Brands Hatch in early November, heralded the dawn of the next generation of young FPA stars. At Snetterton, 16-year-old T Cars star Luciano Bacheta proved to be a contender, winning his very first race in an open-wheel car, and following it up with a third place and another victory to lead the series at the half-way stage. Meanwhile, Team USA Scholarship driver Dane Cameron won the second race to remain just two points behind Bacheta.

At Brands Hatch, however, Cameron put in a stunning weekend performance on a track the Californian had never driven before, winning all three races to become the third American to claim the title. Bacheta had to settle for third in the series, as the consistent Aaron Steele took the runner-up spot by virtue of podium finishes in all six races.

The Autumn Trophy was also notable for the open-wheel racing debuts of Alex Brundle, son of former Formula One driver Martin Brundle, and Stefan Wilson, brother of ChampCar star and former FPA champion Justin Wilson.

2006 Autumn Trophy Schedule

RoundsDateVenue
1, 2 and 3November 4/5 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Snetterton
4, 5 and 6November 11/12 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Brands Hatch (Indy)

2006 Autumn Trophy Standings

Pos.No.DriverNat.Total123456Total
111 Dane Cameron Flag of the United States.svg 136202420242424136
219Aaron Steele Flag of the United Kingdom.svg 114182018202018114
315Luciano Bacheta Flag of the United Kingdom.svg 10224182441616102
421Robert Podlesni Flag of the United States.svg 9810161618182098
58Gino Ussi Flag of Europe.svg 766151416111476
620Nigel Smith Flag of the United Kingdom.svg 701212121291370
755Chris Bell Flag of the United Kingdom.svg 68151491413368
838Giacomo Petrobelli Flag of Italy.svg 66162159121266
99Stefan Wilson Flag of the United Kingdom.svg 5214101571552
1010Paul Warren Flag of the United Kingdom.svg 481111DNFDNF151148
111Stephen Young Flag of the United Kingdom.svg 4591313DNFDNF1045
1244Mark Powell Flag of the United Kingdom.svg 427871010DNF42
1312Bruce Hodges Flag of the United Kingdom.svg 4085DNF1314DNF40
149Derrick Collin Flag of the United Kingdom.svg 39335118939
153Barry Walsh Flag of Ireland.svg 3513611DNFDNF535
167Alan Kempson Flag of the United Kingdom.svg 334988DNF433
174Richard Plant Flag of the United Kingdom.svg 312DNF1066731
1888Jeremy Preddy Flag of the United States.svg 2654353626
1935Steve Ross Flag of the United Kingdom.svg 21071DNF5821
2027John Bell Flag of the United Kingdom.svg 201DNF674220
214 Alex Brundle Flag of the United Kingdom.svg 140104DNFDNFDNF14
2250Mark Higson Flag of the United Kingdom.svg 3DNF213
2350Kirsty Jeffrey Flag of the United Kingdom.svg 20022

Notes: