This article has multiple issues. Please help improve it or discuss these issues on the talk page . (Learn how and when to remove these messages)
|
Category | Open Wheel Racing |
---|---|
Country | New Zealand |
Inaugural season | 1967 |
Drivers | 22 (2019) |
Constructors | Volkswagen |
Engine suppliers | VW 1200 (80 hp approx.) |
Tyre suppliers | Maxxis MA-P3 |
Drivers' champion | Chris Symon [1] |
Official website |
The New Zealand Formula First Championship is an open-wheel racing championship that runs on Volkswagen engines and bodies. The introduction of the Formula Vee concept to New Zealand can be attributed to Barry Munro, an Officer in the New Zealand Army who constructed the country's inaugural Formula Vee. Commencing chassis design in 1966, Munro finalized the first mock-up by November of that year, with the vehicle being fully assembled by March 1967.
Notably, adherence to regulatory standards of the time required all racing cars to be registered, with the Munro Vee obtaining its initial registration on February 10, 1967. Munro's design prioritized affordability within the constraints of available technology. Notably, the nose cone was fashioned from a wool coat shaped over metal ribs and set with resin.
Throughout the 1967 season, Munro actively competed with the car, participating in various classes to bolster its visibility and generate interest in Formula Vee racing. Subsequently, Digby Taylor followed suit in constructing his own Formula Vee, leading to the organization of the inaugural All-Formula Vee race.
Over the course of its 50-year history in New Zealand, Formula Vee has established itself as a prominent platform for driver development and compelling competition. Noteworthy alumni include Formula 1 and IndyCar drivers, as well as touring car champions. The New Zealand Formula First Championship has attracted a host of distinguished competitors throughout its existence, including renowned figures such as Scott Dixon, Brendon Hartley, Liam Lawson, Shane van Gisbergen, Mitch Evans, and Richie Stanaway.
On November 25, 1967, the inaugural Formula Vee race in New Zealand saw approximately six cars assemble at Levin, marking a significant milestone in the sport's history. Among the participants were notable figures such as Barry Munro, George Hetterscheid, Roy King, Digby Taylor, John Macey, Ivan Berry, Brian Yates, and Phil Deer, forming the grid for the inaugural race at Bay Park. The class swiftly gained traction, earning inclusion in prestigious events like the 'Rothmans National' meeting at Pukekohe.[ citation needed ]
Half a century later, Formula Vee remains a steadfast presence in motorsport, adhering to its foundational principles, including the utilization of the 1,200 cc (73 cu in) VW engine. While the cars have undergone development over time, they have retained their affordability and fundamental simplicity, making participation accessible to a wide range of enthusiasts. Notably, the class underwent a name change at the outset of the 1998–99 season, rebranding as 'Formula First' to better align with its role within the motorsport pathway.[ citation needed ]
Formula First TV, initially known as NZ Formula First on their YouTube channel, emerged as a platform for showcasing Formula First content, with Jordie Peters handling various production duties, including interviewing, filming, and editing race footage. The inaugural episode debuted on YouTube on October 24, 2015. Over a year and a half later, the first episode of Formula First TV premiered on May 6, 2017, featuring presenters Jonathan Morton and Sheridan Bonner. Both presenters continue in their roles, supplemented occasionally by guest presenters such as Callum Crawley and Conrad Clark.[ citation needed ]
The New Zealand Formula First Championship is noted for its successful alumni. The class has been known for kick-starting professional careers, allowing competitors to learn the essentials of racing. It is hard to look back at Kiwi drivers who have gone on to win championships at home and abroad and find one that didn't start with Formula First.[ citation needed ]
Scott Dixon became NZ's first 'junior driver', entering the championship at 12 years of age and winning the National Championship in his rookie season. Formula One driver, WEC Champion and Le Mans 24 hour winner Brendon Hartley was another driver who started their racing with Formula First in their early teens. Open wheeler Mitch Evans is another of those success stories the class has seen over the years.[ citation needed ]
The SpeedSport Scholarship, originally a partnership between Grant McDonald's SpeedSport magazine and Dennis Martin's Sabre Motorsport team has seen many of NZ's recent stars kick-start their careers in Formula First. The majority of the scholarships recipients have gone on to win championships and have produced some of the most recognisable names in Motorsport including 2016 Supercars champ Shane van Gisbergen, 3x NZGP winner and SuperGT champ Nick Cassidy as well as GP2 race winner and ADAC Formula 3 champ Richie Stanaway along with Formula One rookie Liam Lawson.[ citation needed ]
|
Bold – Pole
|
Season | Champion |
---|---|
2023-24 | Chris Symon |
2021-22 | Liam Foster |
2020-21 | Chris Symon |
2019-20 | Reece Hendl-Cox |
2018-19 | Reece Hendl-Cox |
2017–18 | Callum Crawley |
2016–17 | Bramwell King |
2015–16 | Michael Shepherd |
2014–15 | Michael Shepherd |
2013–14 | Rowan Shepherd |
2012–13 | Rowan Shepherd |
2011–12 | Matt Higham |
2010–11 | Michael Shepherd |
2009–10 | Michael Shepherd |
2008–09 | Ian Foster |
2007–08 | Cliff Field |
2006–07 | Selby Allison |
2005–06 | Michael Shepherd |
2004–05 | Mark Russ |
2003–04 | Leo Francis |
2002–03 | Paul Butler |
2001–02 | Michael Shepherd |
2000–01 | Michael Shepherd |
1999–2000 | David Payne |
1998–99 | N Luxford |
1997–98 | Mike Rohloff |
1996–97 | Craig Greenwood |
1995–96 | Dennis Martin |
1994–95 | Robert Lester MNZM |
1993–94 | Scott Dixon |
1992–93 | Dom Kalasih |
1991–92 | Dennis Martin |
1990–91 | Chris Maxwell |
1989–90 | Tim Natusch |
1988–89 | Ross Symon |
1987–88 | Ross Symon |
1986–87 | Ross Symon |
1985–86 | Ross Symon |
1984–85 | Robert Lester MNZM |
1983–84 | Roger Coles |
1982–83 | Roger Coles |
1981–82 | Chris Abbott |
1980–81 | Roger Coles |
1979–80 | Steve Cameron |
1978–79 | Robert Lester MNZM |
1977–79 | Mick Scott |
1976–77 | Donald Halliday |
1975–76 | Ian Hodge |
1974–75 | Norm Lankshear |
1967–74 | Was not a national championship |
Most Titles | ||
---|---|---|
Rank | Driver | Titles |
1 | Michael Shepherd | 7 |
2 | Ross Symon | 4 Consecutive |
3= | Robert Lester MNZM | 3 |
3= | R Coles | 3 |
4= | Rowan Shepherd | 2 |
4= | Dennis Martin | 2 |
5= | Reece Hendl-Cox | 1 |
5= | Callum Crawley | 1 |
5= | Bramwell King | 1 |
5= | Matt Higham | 1 |
5= | Ian Foster | 1 |
5= | Cliff Field | 1 |
5= | Selby Allison | 1 |
5= | Mark Russ | 1 |
5= | Leo Francis | 1 |
5= | Paul Butler | 1 |
5= | David Payne | 1 |
5= | N Luxford | 1 |
5= | Mike Rohloff | 1 |
5= | Craig Greenwood | 1 |
5= | Dom Kalasih | 1 |
5= | Scott Dixon | 1 |
5= | Chris Maxwell | 1 |
5= | Tim Natusch | 1 |
5= | Mike King | 1 |
5= | Donald Halliday | 1 |
5= | Ian Hodge | 1 |
5= | Norm Lankshear | 1 |
Denis Clive Hulme was a New Zealand racing driver, who competed in Formula One from 1965 to 1974. Nicknamed "The Bear", Hulme won the Formula One World Drivers' Championship in 1967 with Brabham, and won eight Grands Prix across 10 seasons.
Formula Vee or Formula Volkswagen is a popular open wheel, single-seater junior motor racing formula, with relatively low costs in comparison to Formula Ford.
Alexandre Prémat is a French racing driver. He won the Pirtek Enduro Cup for Triple Eight Race Engineering alongside Shane van Gisbergen in 2016. He also won the 2019 Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000 with Scott McLaughlin, driving for DJR Team Penske.
Brendon Morris Hartley is a New Zealand racing driver, currently competing in the FIA World Endurance Championship for Toyota. Hartley competed in Formula One from 2017 to 2018. In endurance racing, Hartley has won a joint-record four FIA World Endurance Championship titles—tied with Sébastien Buemi—and is a three-time winner of the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
Shane Robert van Gisbergen, also known by his initials SVG, is a New Zealand professional racing driver. He competes full-time in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, driving the No. 97 Chevrolet Camaro for Kaulig Racing in partnership with Trackhouse Racing, part-time in the NASCAR Cup Series, driving the Nos. 16 and 13 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1s for Kaulig Racing, and part-time in the ARCA Menards Series, driving the No. 28 Chevrolet SS for Pinnacle Racing Group. He is known for his time racing in the Supercars Championship, last driving the No. 97 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 car for Triple Eight Race Engineering. He is a three-time Supercars Champion, winning driver's titles in 2016, 2021, and 2022. With a total of 80 wins and 46 pole positions, van Gisbergen is 4th on the all-time wins list in the Supercars Championship. He has won the Bathurst 1000 three times, in 2020, 2022, and 2023.
Borland Racing Developments is an Australian championship winning manufacturer of open-wheel racing cars, principally in the junior categories of Formula Ford and Formula Vee.
Richard Stanaway is a racing car driver from New Zealand. He currently competes full-time in the Supercars Championship, driving the No. 26 Ford Mustang GT for Grove Racing.
Sabre Motorsport is a New Zealand company owned by Dennis Martin that designs and constructs Formula First cars, runs a Motorsport New Zealand Licensed Entrant and Racing School, hires racing cars, and manages a New Zealand Formula First Team.
The New Zealand Grand Prix, sometimes known as the New Zealand International Grand Prix, is an annual motor racing event held in New Zealand. First held in 1950, it is best known for hosting rounds of the Tasman Series in the 1960s and 1970s. It is currently run as the signature race of the Formula Regional Oceania Championship.
Earl Anderson Bamber is a New Zealand professional racing driver and racing team owner who currently competes in the FIA World Endurance Championship for Cadillac Racing. He is a factory driver for Corvette Racing, having previously driven in a factory capacity for Porsche.
Chris Pither is a New Zealand professional racing driver. Pither has won eight national championships including; three New Zealand karting titles, the New Zealand Holden HQ Series in 2003 and 2004, the NZ V8 Ute Championship Series in 2010 as well as the NZ and Australian V8 Ute Racing Series in 2011.
Daniel Thomas Gaunt is a New Zealand racing driver and owner of Game Over Auckland.
Thomas Vincent Thompson was an American racing driver of Afro-American descent. Thompson competed in various racing series most notably in the SCCA Formula Super Vee and USAC Mini-Indy series.
The 2016 Toyota Racing Series was the twelfth running of the Toyota Racing Series, the premier open-wheel motorsport category held in New Zealand. The series, which consisted of fifteen races at five meetings, began on 16 January at Ruapuna Park in Christchurch, and ended on 14 February with the 61st running of the New Zealand Grand Prix, at Manfeild Autocourse in Feilding.
Motor sport in New Zealand can be traced back to a least 1901 when the Pioneer Cycle Club held a three-mile handicap race which included both motor bikes and cars. Since then it has developed and now almost all types of motor sport events are represented.
James Munro is a New Zealand former racing driver. Munro won championships in junior formulae such as Formula Ford and Formula Pilota China. James is the son of Mark Munro, a former Toyota Racing Series racing driver.
Kaleb Ngatoa, is a New Zealand Māori motor racing driver.
Stuart Crow is an American former racing driver. Crow won the 1990 United States Formula Super Vee Championship and the 2000 United States Formula 3 Championship.
The 2023 Castrol Toyota Formula Regional Oceania Championship was the inaugural season of the Formula Regional Oceania Championship. It was originally planned to be the eighteenth running of the Toyota Racing Series, the premier open-wheel motorsport category held in New Zealand, before the series was rebranded to become a fully FIA-certified Formula Regional championship. It was held over five consecutive weekends in January and February 2023.
The 2023 New Zealand Grand Prix event for open wheel racing cars was held at Hampton Downs Motorsport Park in northern Waikato on 5 February 2023. It was the sixty-seventh New Zealand Grand Prix and utilised Formula Regional cars. The event also served as the third race of the fourth round of the 2023 Formula Regional Oceania Championship. This marked the Grand Prix's return after the 2022 iteration was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and was the first to feature international drivers since 2020.