2014–15 MRF Challenge Formula 2000 Championship

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The 2014–2015 MRF Challenge Formula 2000 Championship was the third running of the MRF Challenge Formula 2000 Championship. The championship commenced on 17 October 2014 in Losail International Circuit, Qatar and finished on 25 January 2015 in Madras Motor Racing Track, India. The series consisted of 12 races, spread across 3 meetings. [1]

With four victories – two at Losail and two in Madras – and top-five finishes in every race, Toby Sowery finished the season as champion. Sowery finished 47 points clear of his next closest competitor Ryan Cullen, who was a three-time race winner, winning a pair of races in Bahrain and one in Madras. Third place in the championship went to the best placed home driver Raj Bharath, who was a race winner at Losail; he finished 26 points in arrears of Cullen. Four other drivers won races during the season; Tarun Reddy won the other race to be held at Losail, Struan Moore and Mathias Lauda each won races in Bahrain, and Oscar King won the season's final race, in Madras.

Drivers

Freddie Hunt, son of 1976 Formula One champion James Hunt and Mathias Lauda, son of 1975, 1977 and 1984 Formula One champion Niki Lauda both competed in the series. [2]

No.DriverRounds
1 Flag of Austria.svg Mathias Lauda 1–2
2 Flag of India.svg Tarun ReddyAll
3 Flag of Australia (converted).svg Dylan YoungAll
4 Flag of France.svg Christophe Mariot2
5 Flag of India.svg Raj Bharath All
6 Flag of Brazil.svg Pedro Cardoso1
7 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Toby Sowery All
8 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Ryan Cullen All
9 Flag of India.svg Lee Keshav All
10 Flag of India.svg Vikash Anand1–2
11 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Freddie HuntAll
12 Flag of Brazil.svg Vinicius PapareliAll
15 Flag of India.svg Advait Deodhar2
16 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Laura TillettAll
17 Flag of Russia.svg Nikita Mazepin 1
18 Flag of South Africa.svg Kyle Mitchell1–2
19 Flag of the United States.svg Camren Kaminsky2
20 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Struan Moore2
21 Flag of Hong Kong.svg Matthew Solomon 3
23 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Jordan Albert3
35 Flag of India.svg Mahaveer Raghunathan 3
50 Flag of Brazil.svg Gustavo Myasava3
61 Flag of Germany.svg Sebastian Balthasar 3
77 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Oscar King3

Race calendar and results

The second round in Bahrain was held in support of the FIA World Endurance Championship.

RoundCircuitDatePole positionFastest lapWinning driver
2014
1R1 Flag of Qatar.svg Losail International Circuit, Lusail 17 October Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Toby Sowery Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Toby Sowery Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Toby Sowery
R2 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Toby Sowery Flag of India.svg Tarun Reddy
R318 October Flag of South Africa.svg Kyle Mitchell Flag of India.svg Raj Bharath
R4 Flag of India.svg Raj Bharath Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Toby Sowery
2R1 Flag of Bahrain.svg Bahrain International Circuit, Sakhir 14 November Flag of India.svg Raj Bharath Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Ryan Cullen Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Ryan Cullen
R2 Flag of the United States.svg Camren Kaminsky Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Struan Moore
R315 November Flag of South Africa.svg Kyle Mitchell Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Ryan Cullen
R4 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Ryan Cullen Flag of Austria.svg Mathias Lauda
2015
3R1 Flag of India.svg Madras Motor Racing Track, Chennai 24 January Flag of Germany.svg Sebastian Balthasar Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Oscar King Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Toby Sowery
R2 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Toby Sowery Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Toby Sowery
R325 January Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Ryan Cullen Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Ryan Cullen
R4 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Oscar King Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Oscar King

Championship standings

Pos.Driver LOS
Flag of Qatar.svg
BHR
Flag of Bahrain.svg
MMR
Flag of India.svg
Points
1 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Toby Sowery 133152341125221
2 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Ryan Cullen 2643131810†514174
3 Flag of India.svg Raj Bharath 971224435647148
4 Flag of South Africa.svg Kyle Mitchell35273622112
5 Flag of India.svg Tarun Reddy6175Ret7RetRet24Ret987
6 Flag of Austria.svg Mathias Lauda 446915†86171
7 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Oscar King933161
8 Flag of Brazil.svg Gustavo Myasava325358
9 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Struan Moore41Ret645
10 Flag of Russia.svg Nikita Mazepin 52Ret636
11 Flag of Australia (converted).svg Dylan Young811810657RetRet109Ret36
12 Flag of Hong Kong.svg Matthew Solomon Ret86230
13 Flag of Brazil.svg Vinícius PapareliRet109810115Ret6Ret111229
14 Flag of Brazil.svg Pedro Cardoso1185426
15 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Jordan Albert4127626
16 Flag of the United States.svg Camren Kaminsky1298518
17 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Laura Tillett12131112812Ret7RetRet8818
18 Flag of India.svg Vikash Anand7913137RetRet916
19 Flag of India.svg Lee Keshav 1114121113139Ret79101310
20 Flag of Germany.svg Sebastian Balthasar Ret7Ret118
21 Flag of India.svg Mahaveer Raghunathan 811DNS105
22 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Freddie Hunt101210Ret910RetRetRetRet12Ret5
23 Flag of France.svg Christophe Mariot141511101
24 Flag of India.svg Advait Deodhar111410Ret1
Pos.Driver LOS
Flag of Qatar.svg
BHR
Flag of Bahrain.svg
MMR
Flag of India.svg
Points
ColourResult
GoldWinner
SilverSecond place
BronzeThird place
GreenPoints finish
BlueNon-points finish
Non-classified finish (NC)
PurpleRetired (Ret)
RedDid not qualify (DNQ)
Did not pre-qualify (DNPQ)
BlackDisqualified (DSQ)
WhiteDid not start (DNS)
Withdrew (WD)
Race cancelled (C)
BlankDid not practice (DNP)
Did not arrive (DNA)
Excluded (EX)

Bold – Pole
Italics – Fastest Lap

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References

  1. "@MRF_Racing: 8 August". Twitter. Twitter Inc. 8 August 2014. Retrieved 14 August 2014.
  2. Simmons, Marcus (15 July 2014). "The sons of James Hunt and Niki Lauda to race in MRF series". Autosport . Haymarket Publications . Retrieved 15 August 2014.