What are the races? A guide to the five main types of motorsport. Racing cars: classes, types, brands What are racing cars

The successor to Formula 3000 (which in turn was an effective replacement for Formula 2).

Series of races such as Formula 3 and GP2 are described as ancillary series, ranking below Formula 1 in the single-seat car racing rankings. There are two main forms of racing formulas: an open formula, which allows chassis and/or engine choices, and a controlled or specification formula, which relies on a single supplier for chassis and engines. Formula 3 is an example of an open formula, while Formula BMW is a controlled formula. There are some exceptions, such as Formula Ford, where an open chassis formula is used, but engine use is limited to one supplier.

Major auto racing series

Formula 1

In 1946, during the revival of Grand Prix competition after the end of World War II, the FIA ​​was responsible for defining the standardized rules for Formula One. The first race to run under the early Formula One regulations was the non-championship Grand Prix at Turin in September 1946. The first official world championship for racing drivers was held in 1947, and in 1950 the first Formula One World Championship was introduced.

Formula 2

The Formula 2 regulation was first defined in 1947 as a form of class B racing, lower than Formula 1. It had the status of the European Championship, was replaced by Formula 3000 in 1985, but in 2009 it was returned in the form of the FIA ​​\u200b\u200bFormula 2.

Formula 3

The FIA ​​was developed as the third most powerful class after Formula 1 and Formula 2. Formula 3 championships are held in various countries, there is no single world championship. As a rule, young riders compete in the championships, claiming to move to higher classes.

Formula 3000

Class of cars with open wheels that existed in 1985-2009. In the FIA ​​hierarchy, the series occupied a place between Formula 1 and Formula 3. The category got its name for the engine displacement, which was 3000 cm3.

Formula 5000

A racing formula used by various racing series in various countries around the world from 1968 to 1982. Originally originated as an attempt to combine series with low costs, whose machines did not fit into any known formula. The number "5000" indicates the maximum engine size in cubic centimeters.

indycar

The most status series on machines with open wheels in North America. The Championship was created in 1994 as a cheaper and all American alternative to the CART series.

Formula Holden

Australia's fastest open-wheel racing series. The championship was held from 1989 to 2007 (due to a lack of applications, the 2008 championship is not held). Pilots compete in outdated Formula 3000 cars.

Champ Car

Champ Car is an American open-wheel car championship that has been held since 1979. Successor to the USAC Championship.

recent history

The categories of formulas sanctioned by the FIA ​​and below Formula 1 have gone through two important stages of evolution in their history. The first occurred in 1985 when Formula 3000 was introduced as the modern replacement for Formula 2. Formula 3000 retained an open chassis approach, but used a single engine type, the 3.0 made by Cosworth. Later, the use of the Lola chassis with engines developed by Judd from supplier Zytek was approved. The second stage of evolution came in 2005 when the Formula 3000 was replaced by the GP2 series. At the same time, only one chassis from Dallara and a 4.0 engine from Renault were allowed.

Racing outside of Europe

Japan

The prestigious Japanese formula racing championship is Formula Nippon, which is equivalent to GP2 and its predecessors. It started in 1973 using Formula 2 rules and from 1987 to 1996 using Formula 3000 rules. Since 1996, Formula Nippon has been using chassis and engines built to its own set of rules. Until 2009, it was allowed to use the Lola chassis and engines from manufacturers Honda and Toyota, and since 2009 the only manufacturer of the chassis is the American company Swift Engineering.

East Asia

The racing culture in East Asia is relatively young, but in its short history has included such championships as Formula BMW, the Formula 3 series and the Asian GP2 series (until 2012). Formula BMW was first introduced in 2003 by Motorsport Asia Limited management and replaced the earlier Asian Formula 2000 championship. Having existed until 2008, the Asian Formula BMW was transformed into Formula BMW Pacific. Since 2008, cars built for European Formula Renault have been used in Formula Asia and the Asian GP2 series. Since 2012, it has been decided to merge GP2 Asia with the main GP2 championship.

Notes

As soon as the production of cars became massive, the manufacturers faced the question of whose car is better. There was only one way to find out - to arrange a race. Very soon, the founders abandoned the use of ordinary cars in speed competitions and began to create single-seat racing cars special for this.

Pioneers of racing can now only be seen in the museum, with wealthy collectors, but in the photo. Racing cars became more and more over time, their speed increased, and interest in them increased. Today, motor racing is one of the most legendary sports on the entire globe.

Racing cars are the fastest cars created according to the latest technologies. By the way, these innovations are then applied in the production of conventional "iron horses". The weight of racing cars should be small, the shape should be streamlined. Therefore, the body of these cars is made from ultra-light raw materials used in space technology. Aerodynamic shapes allow you to minimize the resistance of air masses and develop the highest possible speeds.

The most famous brands of racing cars are Ferrari (Italy), Ford (Italy), Porsche (Germany), Lotus (Great Britain) and others.

Competitions vary, and cars are divided into four main types: for high-speed competitions on short straight tracks - dragsters, sports types, stock and open wheels.

The most popular racing cars with open wheels are Formula 1 and Grand Prix. Designed according to samples close to those established by the International Automobile Federation, Formula 1 cars weighing about 600 kg are based on a monocoque chassis and autonomous suspension. The place for the rider is located in the center, where he should be in a prone position. Immediately behind it is a 4- or 6-cylinder engine with up to 1200 Horse power capable of speeds up to 360 kilometers per hour. The fight for the championship is contested exclusively on highways. Whereas the larger, heavier race cars of the Championship class, the Indies compete on oval-shaped tracks ranging from 1.6 kilometers in length. Their top speed can reach 368 kilometers per hour.

American models of the Sprint class weighing about 730 kg with a serial Chevrolet 550 engine are the most dangerous for racing due to their straight and high seating position, but these competitions are the most spectacular. Competitions are held on asphalt or cinder tracks with a length of up to 1.6 kilometers.

Racing small cars with 4-cylinder engines are like miniature Sprint cars. Three-quarter racers are even smaller.

Production cars, in contrast to the Formula 1 class, are consumer cars modified for racing, which are also popular and are held in many countries around the world. This converted "Iron Horse" of the "Grand National" class in the National Association of stock car racing is the best today.

And which one do you prefer?

There are many great racing cars in the world. From time to time, a car appears that inspires the world of sports for many years to come. The glory of the exploits of these cars and the racers who drove them remains for centuries. Films are made about them, I write novels, they betray historical facts by word of mouth. In the long history of motorsports, there have never been race cars that were innovative, excellent, beautiful or iconic.

Formula 1, DTM, Rally - each of the different types had their own iconic cars, ingenious inventions of engineering thought have no boundaries. We present to the readers of the site 10 cars, which, as we assume, are the most legendary in the world of racing. Rating them, we consider useless, it is impossible to compare them, since their value is directly related to different disciplines of motorsport.

Let's leave everything as it is, just state the facts and present the Top 10 most legendary of all time in alphabetical order.

Audi Sport Quattro S1 E2

In the early 1980s, Audi largely dominated rally racing with its various versions of Quattro racing cars, despite the fact that the A1, A2 and Sport Quattro were formidable cars for their rivals, the crowning achievement of Audi's rally efforts was the Sport Quattro S1 E2.

Powered by a 2.1 liter turbocharged five-cylinder engine producing 470 hp, the S1 E2 was a true overgrown monster of the legendary Group B rally that managed to elevate the art of rallying to a new level. As if this were not enough, the madmen from "rocked" their ward to 600 hp. Probably a sign from above was the Group B ban, which did not allow this rally heavyweight to enter the competition.

Auto Union Type C/D Hill Climb and Type C Streamliner


In the mid-30s of the XX century, Auto Union (which included) led successful program Grand Prix, which included Type A, B, C and D racing cars. The mid-central engine layout made these cars unusual for that time. Cars Type A, B and C came with a 16-cylinder engine, Type D was distinguished by a more modest 12-cylinder block.

Of the total number of unusual Auto Union, two special Auto Union Type cars stand out. First of all, it was a completely faired model. Built around the Type C, the Streamliner was over-designed to get the most out of the 560 hp Type C engine. on public roads), the Streamliner reached 400 km/h, and that was in 1937!

The following year, the same crazy engineers decided to build a racing Type D with a Type C engine for hill-climbing racing. To make sure all the gigantic power went to the pavement, the car was equipped with a set of twin tires that were installed on each side at the rear of the car.

Chaparral 2J


In the wild world of Can-Am racing, Chaparral has redefined the standard approach to getting the upper hand on all competitors. On previous models of the company's racing cars, massive aerodynamic wings were used for this, in the future, the engineers decided to have fun to the fullest. Chaparral came up with an ingenious way to get optimal downforce, regardless of the speed at which his new 2J car was moving. He "stuck" to the canvas with the help of vacuum.

Two fans were installed at the rear of the car, powered by the snowmobile's engine, and sucked in air from under the bottom of the car. The skirts on the sides of the car were constantly located one inch from the ground thanks to the special design of the suspension. The 2J had really good downforce. It outperformed many of its competitors in this, but the 2J was horribly unreliable and was subsequently banned from racing for one year.

Ford GT40


The history of racing is constantly evolving, and at every stage of development, we can see our superheroes among the cars. Some we will never forget, probably never. One of them became. The supercar was conceived after an unsuccessful attempt by Ford to acquire Ferrari. The GT40 was built to knock Ferrari out of their own game of endurance racing. By 1966, the goal was achieved, with the GT40 finishing 1st, 2nd and 3rd in the legendary 24 Hours of Le Mans. GT40 will win over the next three years.

Four different versions of the GT40 were made: Mark I, II, III and IV. The Mark I used Ford's 4.9-liter V8, while the Mark II, III, and IV had the larger 7.0-liter V8. To this day appearance The GT40 is one of the most recognizable in motorsport history.

Lancia Stratos HF


In the 1970s, Lancia partnered with Bertone to create a new rally car. To get maximum traction to the rear wheels, Lancia came up with an exotic mid-engined layout. At the center of the Stratos HF was a 2.4-liter V6 borrowed from a Ferrari Dino.

More like than a rally car, the Stratos HF proved to be very successful in rally racing. He won the 1974, 1975 and 1976 World Rally Championships. While another Lancia enjoyed even more success in rallying a decade later, it didn't have the same visual impact that the Stratos HF was able to achieve.

Mazda 787B


Over the years, many cars have won Le Mans podiums and only a few have been able to do so more than once. So what makes the 787B so special? This is classic story loser turned winner. First of all, the 787B is the only Japanese car ever to win the 24 Hours of Le Mans. To this day, the much more powerful Japanese manufacturers such as Toyota, Nissan or Honda have failed to replicate this feat.

Secondly, the Mazda 787B is the only car to win at Le Mans. The four-rotor engine was not only an excellent instrument of victory, but sounded like a heavenly harp. The 787B was not the fastest car at Le Mans, but it won thanks to its reliability and excellent fuel economy, it was economical. Yes, it owed its victory to reliability and economy, power in racing cars is not the main thing.

McLaren MP4/4


In 1988, arguably the best racing duo in Formula 1 history was formed. This was the year that Iron Senna joined Alain Prost on the team. In the same year, Honda became McLaren's engine supplier, installing a 1.5-liter turbocharged engine in the new McLaren MP4/4.

To say McLaren dominated the 1988 season would be an understatement. Of the 16 races that year, McLaren took 15 pole positions and won 15 races! Senna, Prost and newcomer to McLaren, Gerhard Berger, will continue winning races over the next few years. But none of the Marlboro-coloured cars that will follow after the M4/4 will dominate the race so much.

Porsche 917


The Porsche 917 is an unusual car, because it has been successful in two. Originally designed for endurance racing, the 917 has entered many races such as the 24 Hours of Le Mans. The 917 cemented its success by winning the legendary race in 1970 and 1971, but 1972 gave the racing car an unpleasant surprise when the Le Mans rules changed, which automatically made the 917 obsolete.

Instead of relegating the car to the back of racing history, Porsche is turning its attention to the Can-Am racing series. By adding a turbocharger to its big V12, the 917 produced about 850 hp. and surprisingly won new championship 1972. In 1973, the engine was enlarged and now the 917 could "produce" 1500 hp. The car completely dominated the next season, but Can-Am's rule change in 1974 once again pointed to the Porsche 917's place in racing history.

But in the memory of the fans, he did not move to a landfill, on the contrary, he went to the Museum of Glory. Many consider the 1973 Porsche 917 to be the most powerful racing car ever built.

Suzuki Escudo Dirt Trail


The Pike Peak International Hill Climb competition is amazing. In Pike Peak racing there are essentially no hold-alls, competitors can compete against each other as they please. The competition allows drivers, engineers and manufacturers to push the limits of automotive engineering and technology. From 1992 to 2011, the mountain climb was dominated by Nobuhiro "Monster" Taima, who won the tournament nine times, including six in a row, from 2004 to 2011.

As an idea conceived in 1995. The car was named Suzuki Escudo Dirt Trail, the car became the owner of two turbocharged 2.5-liter V6 engines - one installed in the front, the other in the rear of the car. Total power - 981 hp Power went to all four wheels. , created all the downforce known to mankind, the Escudo was a monster made to control a monster. It may not be the fastest car ever to storm a hill, but it is simply one of the craziest stormtroopers.

The cementing foundation of the legacy was the inclusion of the Suzuki Escudo Dirt Trail in the Gran Turismo franchise.

Tyrrell P34


How to get more grip while racing? Very simple - add wheels. Along with the huge rear wheels, main hallmark Tyrrell P34 steel has four small front wheels. This strange at first glance move not only was able to reduce drag and increase the front contact patch, but also allowed to "acquire" additional braking power.

Prepared for the 1976 racing season, the six-wheeled mutant proved its racing competence with 10 podium finishes. He even won the Swedish Grand Prix that year with an impressive Tyrrell finish of 1st and 2nd. In 1977, the car took a dramatic backseat, and advances in aerodynamics made the six-wheel design redundant from the 1978 season.

Six wheels have become the hallmark of Tyrrell and made it one of the most recognizable cars in motorsport, however, they could not make it the most productive one.

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