.

Grand Prix Masters: Difference between revisions

Wikicars, a place to share your automotive knowledge
Jump to navigationJump to search
mNo edit summary
 
mNo edit summary
Line 1: Line 1:
{{Infobox motorsport championship
'''Grand Prix Masters''' was a one-make [[motor racing]] series featuring retired [[Formula One]] drivers. The inaugural (and sole 2005) event, at the [[Kyalami]] circuit in South Africa, took place on 11-13 November, but the series folded after a 2 race season in 2006.
| logo            = GPMasterslogo.jpg
| pixels          = 180px
| caption        = The Grand Prix Masters logo.
| category        = [[Open wheel car|Single seaters]]
| country/region  = [[International]]
| inaugural2      = 2005
| folded          = 2006
<!-- | drivers        = ?
| teams          = ?
| engines        = ?
| tyres          = ?
| champion driver = ?
| constructor    = ?  -->
| website        = [http://www.gpmasters.com gpmasters.com]
}}'''Grand Prix Masters''' was a one-make [[motor racing]] series featuring retired [[Formula One]] drivers. The inaugural (and sole 2005) event, at the [[Kyalami]] circuit in South Africa, took place on 11-13 November, but the series folded after a 2 race season in 2006.
   
   
== Driver statistics ==
== Driver statistics ==

Revision as of 13:35, 20 October 2008

Grand Prix Masters was a one-make motor racing series featuring retired Formula One drivers. The inaugural (and sole 2005) event, at the Kyalami circuit in South Africa, took place on 11-13 November, but the series folded after a 2 race season in 2006.

Driver statistics

Driver Age in 2005/2006 GP starts GPM starts GPM wins Podiums
Template:Country flagicon Nigel Mansell 54 187 3 2 2
Template:Country flagicon Emerson Fittipaldi 61 149 3 0 1
Template:Country flagicon Riccardo Patrese 53 256 3 0 1
Template:Country flagicon Andrea de Cesaris 48 214 3 0 0
Template:Country flagicon Derek Warwick 53 147 3 0 0
Template:Country flagicon Hans Joachim Stuck 57 93 3 0 0
Template:Country flagicon Christian Danner 49 47 3 0 2
Template:Country flagicon Eddie Cheever 49 143 3 1 1
Template:Country flagicon Jan Lammers 51 41 3 0 0
Template:Country flagicon Eliseo Salazar 53 37 3 0 0
Template:Country flagicon Patrick Tambay 58 123 3 0 0
Template:Country flagicon René Arnoux 59 165 3 0 0
Template:Country flagicon Stefan Johansson 51 103 3 0 0
Template:Country flagicon Eric van de Poele 46 29 2 0 2
Template:Country flagicon Pierluigi Martini 46 124 2 0 0
Template:Country flagicon Alex Caffi 43 75 1 0 0
Template:Country flagicon Jacques Laffite 64 180 1 0 0
Template:Country flagicon Alan Jones 61 117 0 0 0

Car

All participants race identical open wheel cars, which are based on 2000 Reynard 2KI Champ Car. The chassis were built by English constructor Delta Motorsport <ref>Delta Motorsport - About Delta</ref>, and were powered by naturally aspirated 80-degree 3.5-litre V8 engines produced by Nicholson McLaren. The engines were based on the Cosworth XB engines previously used in IndyCar racing, and according to the series organisers produced more than 650bhp at 10,400 rpm with over 320 lb·ft (434 N·m) torque at 7,800 rpm.

In 2007 cars were to have been powered by a Mecachrome 90-degree V8 4.0 litre. It developed 600 bhp (450 kW) and revved to in excess of 9500 rpm. <ref>Mecachrome powers the Masters</ref>

Gearbox operation is fully manual, and controlled by a contemporary paddle shift arrangement.

Grand Prix Masters promoters boasted that the 650 kg cars reach 200 mph (300 km/h). Claiming that the combination of stable aerodynamics and considerably simpler technology (than in use in modern Formula One) better demonstrate driver skill and promoted overtaking. Electronic 'drivers aids' (such as traction control, power steering and ABS) were absent, and brakes were made of steel rather than carbon (as in many contemporary single seater race cars) to increase braking distances.

Concept

Grand Prix Masters was modeled on the lucrative seniors tours of golf and tennis. In order to compete, drivers must:

  • Have retired from all forms of open wheel racing
  • Have competed in F1 for two complete seasons
  • Have passed a medical examination
  • Be more than 45 years on the 1st of January for the season to follow, and have retired from F1 for two complete seasons.
    • 2006 GPM announced the entry age limit for new drivers had been reduced from 45 to 40.

Controversy

There have been questions surrounding the fitness of the former Formula One stars who will race in the series. Participant Christian Danner questioned the ability of 1980 World Champion Alan Jones and former GP winner Patrick Tambay in particular, given the rapid expansion of these drivers' waistlines since retiring from racing. Jones hit back claiming the only time Danner had seen a Grand Prix podium was when he passed it on the way to the lavatory. Jones' lack of fitness at the first GP Masters event might suggest Danner's assessment had some merit. <ref>You Can Go Home Again - AutoWeek Magazine</ref>

On track

The Grand Prix Masters car first ran in late-September 2005 in the hands of Delta Motorsport Operations Director Simon Dowson. He reported a successful shakedown, despite appearing to sit very high in the car, his helmet appearing to sit level with the top of the roll-over hoop.

In mid-October 2005 Nigel Mansell and René Arnoux tested the car at the Pembrey Circuit in South Wales.

26 October 2005 saw the first multi-car test for Grand Prix Masters with de Cesaris, Mansell, Johansson, Warwick, Caffi, Stuck, Tambay and Danner running at the Silverstone circuit in England.<ref>Template:Youtube</ref>

De Cesaris was fastest, Danner slowest while Tambay crashed.

2005: First race

The first event took place at Kyalami in South Africa on 13 November, 2005. Nigel Mansell took pole then won after battling hard with Emerson Fittipaldi. Riccardo Patrese was third. Andrea de Cesaris finished fourth after a storming drive, where he pushed past Derek Warwick. Stefan Johansson spun out early on. Jacques Laffite retired with damaged right-front suspension after colliding with René Arnoux. As predicted, Alan Jones proved a disappointment. In practice he was up to ten seconds off the pace of Mansell, before pulling out of the race –- ostensibly due to neck injury. He was replaced by Eliseo Salazar.

2005 result

Rank Driver Team Time Gap
1 Template:Country flagicon Nigel Mansell Team Altech 50:55.154
2 Template:Country flagicon Emerson Fittipaldi Team LG 50:55.562 + 0.408
3 Template:Country flagicon Riccardo Patrese Team Goldpfeil 51:15.816 + 20.662
4 Template:Country flagicon Andrea de Cesaris Team Unipart 51:16.854 + 21.700
5 Template:Country flagicon Derek Warwick Team Lixxus 51:17.007 + 21.853
6 Template:Country flagicon Hans Joachim Stuck Team Phantom 51:18.355 + 23.201
7 Template:Country flagicon Christian Danner Team Unipart 51:19.272 + 24.118
8 Template:Country flagicon Eddie Cheever Team Altech 51:27.359 + 32.205
9 Template:Country flagicon Jan Lammers Team LG 51:27.932 + 32.778
10 Template:Country flagicon Eliseo Salazar Team Altech 51:38.573 + 43.419
11 Template:Country flagicon Patrick Tambay Team Lixxus 52:06.738 + 1'11.584
12 Template:Country flagicon René Arnoux Team Golden Palace 52:07.890 + 1'12.736
13 Template:Country flagicon Jacques Laffite Team GMF 43:44.471 17 laps (DNF)
14 Template:Country flagicon Stefan Johansson Team Phantom 3:33.040 28 laps (DNF)

2006 calendar

In January 2006 GP Masters announced it would hold events in the following venues:

The race scheduled for Monza was cancelled due to noise limits.<ref>http://www.gpmasters.com/news_050506.htm</ref>

2006 results

April 29 2006, Losail, Qatar

Rank Driver Team Time Gap
1 Template:Country flagicon Nigel Mansell Team Altech 52:06.000
2 Template:Country flagicon Christian Danner Team LUK 52:06.562 + 0.562
3 Template:Country flagicon Eric van de Poele Team Golden People 52:07.174 + 1.174
4 Template:Country flagicon Eddie Cheever Team Altech 52:09.016 + 3.016
5 Template:Country flagicon Derek Warwick Team Lixxus 52:09.420 + 3.420
6 Template:Country flagicon Pierluigi Martini Team Global 52:11.710 + 5.710
7 Template:Country flagicon Jan Lammers Team LG 52:13.044 + 7.044
8 Template:Country flagicon Stefan Johansson Team Altech 52:14.339 + 8.339
9 Template:Country flagicon René Arnoux Team Golden People 52:15.068 + 9.068
10 Template:Country flagicon Riccardo Patrese Team INA 52:15.423 + 9.423
11 Template:Country flagicon Patrick Tambay Team Lixxus 52:21.506 + 15.506
12 Template:Country flagicon Emerson Fittipaldi Team LG 52:35.788 + 29.788
13 Template:Country flagicon Andrea de Cesaris Team INA 33:29.621 8 laps
14 Template:Country flagicon Eliseo Salazar Team Phantom 52:22.127 11 laps
15 Template:Country flagicon Hans Joachim Stuck Team Phantom 9:28.882 19 laps


August 13 2006, Silverstone, England

Rank Driver Team Time Gap
1 Template:Country flagicon Eddie Cheever Team GPM 1:01:06.625
2 Template:Country flagicon Eric van de Poele Team Golden Palace 1:01:25.302 + 16.677
3 Template:Country flagicon Christian Danner Team LUK 1:01:45.180 + 36.555
4 Template:Country flagicon Hans Joachim Stuck Team Phantom 1:02:02.139 + 53.514
5 Template:Country flagicon Alex Caffi Team Altech 1:02:11.648 + 1:03.623
6 Template:Country flagicon Riccardo Patrese Team INA 1:02:15.492 + 1:06.867
7 Template:Country flagicon Pierluigi Martini Team Motorola 1:02:54.980 + 1:46.355
8 Template:Country flagicon Emerson Fittipaldi Team Altech 1:01:13.217 + 1 Lap
9 Template:Country flagicon René Arnoux Team Golden People 1:01:55.250 + 2 Laps
10 Template:Country flagicon Andrea de Cesaris Team INA 1:01:34.298 + 2 Laps
11 Template:Country flagicon Patrick Tambay Team Lixxus 1:01:49.162 + 3 Laps
12 Template:Country flagicon Stefan Johansson Team Virgin Radio/BP 55:22.246 + 4 Laps
13 Template:Country flagicon Jan Lammers Team LG 34:44.025 13 laps
14 Template:Country flagicon Eliseo Salazar Team Phantom 19:30.140 20 laps
15 Template:Country flagicon Derek Warwick Team Lixxus 5:39.035 26 laps
16 Template:Country flagicon Nigel Mansell Team Altech 31:44.608 26 Laps

2007 calendar

Bankruptcy

On September 18th 2007, Delta Motorsport, supplier of the GP Masters chassis, announced they were filing a petition with the British High Court to have the GP Masters Operating company placed in liquidation<ref>autosport.com - GP Masters News: Winding up order served on GPM</ref> due to non-payment of invoices. Following a hearing on the 28th of November, 2007, the Grand Prix Masters series was officially wound up<ref>autosport.com - GP Masters News: Masters series officially wound up</ref>.

GP Masters should not be confused with the Masters Series, owned by Ron Maiden, which runs various historic race series and operates successfully

In the first quarter of 2008 Delta Motorsport stated that they intend to re-launch the series under the name F1 Masters using the original car that they manufactured for the GP Masters series. [1]

References

<references />

External links