Formula 5000

Formula 5000 (or F5000) was an open wheel, single seater auto-racing formula that ran in different series in various regions around the world from 1968 to 1982. It was originally intended as a low-cost series aimed at open-wheel racing cars that no longer fit into any particular formula. The '5000' denomination comes from the maximum 5.0 litre engine capacity allowed in the cars, although many cars ran with smaller engines. Manufacturers included McLaren, Eagle, March, Lola, Lotus, Elfin, Matich and Chevron.

In its declining years in North America Formula 5000 was modified into a closed wheel, but still single-seat sports car racing category.

F5000 around the world

North America

Formula 5000 was introduced in 1968 as a class within SCCA Formula A races, a series where single seaters from different origins were allowed to compete, but which rapidly came to be dominated by the cars equipped with production-based American V8s. The engines used were generally 5 litre, fuel injected

In the UK, the arrival of the Cosworth DFV engine meant that many teams could now afford to build their own chassis around a good engine/transmission package, so Cooper, Lotus and Brabham stopped the production of customer Formula 1 cars. Unfortunately, smaller privateer teams and drivers that entered Britain's non-championship F1 events were left behind, and the RAC quickly adopted the American F5000 regulations.

A European championship was first run in 1969 as the Guards Formula 5000 Championship.^[2] This was renamed to Guards European Formula 5000 Championship in 1970, to Rothmans European Formula 5000 Championship in 1971 and then to ShellSport European Formula 5000 Championship in 1975.^[2]

Unlike the American series, the European championship didn't attract many star names from Formula 1 and sports cars, and was dominated by drivers that were usually seen in

The weak pound (a result of the energy crisis) and the increasing cost of importing Chevrolet V8 engines caused some concern and engine regulations for European F5000 were revised to permit engines other than the 5.0 litre pushrod V8s - the DOHC Cosworth GA V6 (based on a unit used in Group 2 Capris was permitted to race at a capacity of 3500cc. March 75A and Chevron B30 cars were successful with the V6, the March in particular being little more than a 751 Formula One car with minor modifications for the new engine.

However, the same problem that befell US F5000 happened in Europe, and in 1976 the European F5000 Championship evolved into the Shellsport Group 8 Championship. This was a British-based series for

Older F5000 cars continued to be used in the British Sprint Championship and were common in Formula Libre races well into the 1980s.

Australia and New Zealand

In Australia and New Zealand, the Tasman Formula, defining cars eligible for the annual Tasman Series, was extended in 1970 to include Formula 5000 cars as well as the existing 2.5 litre cars.^[4] The Tasman Series ran during the Formula One off season in the European winter, and in the 1960s it had attracted the attention of the greatest names in Grand Prix racing, from locals Jack Brabham, Denny Hulme, Bruce McLaren and Chris Amon, to foreigners like Graham Hill, Jim Clark, Jackie Stewart, Phil Hill, Piers Courage and Jochen Rindt.

However, by the 1970s Formula One had become more commercial and the Grand Prix stars no longer took part. The Tasman Series had become a competitive Australian/New Zealand local championship leaving the field to be dominated by the cream of "Down Under" drivers such as

Formula 5000 was also the main component of Australian Formula 1 from 1971 to 1981 and this formula was the primary category contesting the Australian Drivers' Championship during those years and the Australian Grand Prix until 1980. Although still called Australian Formula 1 until 1983, F5000 was replaced by Formula Pacific and Formula Mondial after 1981.

While European cars such as the various

The S5000 Australian Drivers' Championship is marketed as a modern interpretation of Formula 5000, featuring a modern European-built open wheeler chassis fitted with a large-capacity V8 engine.^[5]

South Africa

The South African Formula One Championship was opened to Formula 5000 cars in 1968, with these racing against Formula One and Formula Two cars until the series switched to Formula Atlantic from 1976 onwards.^[6]

Revival as historic racing category

The category was revived in the late 2000s in New Zealand as an amateur historic racing category. In 2009/2010, a five round race series was held, the final round as a support race for the 2010 Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne, Australia.^[7]

The annual Wine Country Classic, a historic automobile racing event held at

In 2014, the Rolex Monterey Reunion featured Formula 5000 cars as a featured race to conclude the weekend and the 2015 get together included Formula 5000 cars as well.[9]

List of F5000 Champions

US Formula A/F5000 (1967–1976) Single-seat Can-Am (1977–1986)			European F5000 Championship [10]			Tasman Series (F5000 years) Rothmans International Series (1976-1979)			Australian Drivers' Championship - CAMS Gold Star (F5000 years)			New Zealand Gold Star (F5000 years)[11]			South African Gold Star (F5000 years)			Canadian Formula A
Year	Driver	Car	Year	Driver [10]	Car	Year	Driver	Car	Year	Driver	Car	Year	Driver	Car	Year	Driver	Car	Year	Driver	Car
1967	Gus Hutchison	Lotus 41[a]
1968	Lou Sell	Eagle Mk4													1968	Jackie Pretorius	Lola T140
1969	Tony Adamowicz	Eagle Mk5	1969[b]	Peter Gethin	M10A										1969	John McNicol	T142	1969	Eppie Wietzes	T142
1970	John Cannon	M10B	1970	Peter Gethin	M10B	1970	Graeme Lawrence	246T[c]				1969/70	Graham McRae	M10A	1970	Bob Olthoff	M10A	1970	Eppie Wietzes	M10B
1971	David Hobbs	M10B	1971	Frank Gardner	T192 Lola T300	1971	Graham McRae	M10B	1971	Max Stewart	Mildren[d]	1970/71	Graeme Lawrence	BT29[e]	1971	Paddy Driver	M10B
1972	Graham McRae	GM1	1972	Gijs van Lennep	Surtees TS11 McLaren M18	1972	Graham McRae	LT27	1972	Frank Matich	Matich A50	1971/72	David Oxton	Begg FM4	1972	Eddie Keizan	Surtees TS5
1973	Jody Scheckter	T101 Lola T330	1973	Teddy Pilette	Chevron B24	1973	Graham McRae	GM1	1973	John McCormack	Elfin MR5	1972/73	David Oxton	Begg FM5	1973	Paddy Driver	M10B
1974	Brian Redman	Lola T332	1974	Bob Evans	Lola T332	1974	Peter Gethin	Chevron B24	1974	Max Stewart	Lola T330	1973/74	David Oxton	Begg FM5
1975	Brian Redman	Lola T332 Lola T400	1975	Teddy Pilette	Lola T400	1975	Warwick Brown	Lola T332	1975	John McCormack	MR6	1974/75	Graeme Lawrence	Lola T332
1976	Brian Redman	Lola T332C				1976	Vern Schuppan	Lola T332	1976	John Leffler	Lola T400	1975/76	Ken Smith	Lola T332
1977	Patrick Tambay	Lola T333CS				1977	Warwick Brown	Lola T430	1977	John McCormack	McLaren M23	1976/77	Dave McMillan	Ralt RT1[f]
1978	Alan Jones	Lola T333CS				1978	Warwick Brown	Lola T333CS	1978	Graham McRae	GM3
1979	Jacky Ickx	Lola T333CS				1979	Larry Perkins	Elfin MR8	1979	Johnnie Walker	Lola T332
1980	Patrick Tambay	Lola T530							1980	Alfredo Costanzo	Lola T430
1981	Geoff Brabham	Lola T530 VDS 001							1981	Alfredo Costanzo	McLaren M26
1982	Al Unser Jr.	GR3
1983	Jacques Villeneuve	GR3
1984	Michael Roe	VDS 002 VDS 004
1985	Rick Miaskiewicz	GR3
1986	Horst Kroll	Frissbee KR3

Notes

1971 SCCA Formula A Champion was Dave Heinz of Tampa, Florida in a Lola 142/Traco Chevy. The SCCA Runoffs were run at Road Atlanta that year.

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Formula 5000.

• OldRacingCars.com F5000 cars histories and race results
• NZ Formula 5000 Association website - runs a historic racing series for original F5000 cars.
• Formula 5000 history f5000aust.com
• Formula Thunder 5000 youtube.com