Spirit Racing

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Spirit Racing
Base
Constructors'
Championships
0
Drivers'
Championships
0
Race victories0 (best finish: 7th, 1983 Dutch Grand Prix)
Podiums0
Points0
Pole positions0 (best grid position: 13th, 1983 German Grand Prix)
Fastest laps0
Final entry1985 San Marino Grand Prix

Spirit Racing was a racing car constructor and racing team from the United Kingdom. Founded in 1981, it participated in the

1988 F3000 season before finally folding at the end of that year. In 26 F1 races (including the non-championship 1983 Race of Champions), its best finish was seventh at the 1983 Dutch Grand Prix
.

Formula Two

Thierry Boutsen's F2 Spirit 201

Spirit Racing was founded in August 1981 by ex-

Marlboro and capable drivers in Stefan Johansson and Thierry Boutsen, the car was an immediate success, taking pole position in eight of the 13 rounds of the championship, while Boutsen won three times and challenged for the title before losing out in the final round to the March of Corrado Fabi
.

Formula One

Before the F2 championship was over, Honda had built prototypes for a turbocharged Formula One engine. After a dummy unit was sent to Spirit, the team modified one of its 201 chassis to meet F1 regulations, and began a testing programme with the new engine in November 1982 at Silverstone, with plans to join the F1 World Championship midway through the 1983 season. Honda were anxious to keep a low profile – much as they had been when they had first entered F1 two decades earlier – and so the team avoided testing at the same time as other F1 teams, while also taking its programme to Willow Springs and Riverside in California.[2] Then, when the decision was made to enter one car into the World Championship, Johansson was chosen as the driver – he was seen as a faded talent having made a disappointing F1 debut for Shadow in 1980, whereas Boutsen was seen as a star of the future.

After a further test at

fuel pump
.

The team then continued in the championship until the penultimate race of the season, the European Grand Prix at Brands Hatch. Johansson tended to qualify ahead of most of the naturally-aspirated cars, and finished seventh at Zandvoort, but mechanical problems continued to blight the car. In the meantime, the team was building its first purpose-designed F1 car, the 101, but at the same time, Honda were showing concern at the lack of progress and were being courted by Williams, who offered a record of success. Following a disastrous weekend for Spirit at Monza, where the 101 was presented but not driven and Johansson suffered another early retirement, the Japanese company decided to supply its engines to Williams only, and Spirit thus missed the final race of the season at Kyalami.[2]

201C
.

Spirit decided to continue in 1984 with

Indycars after finding the machine uncompetitive and Ballabio was refused a Super Licence. Instead Mauro Baldi found funds and was nominated as the team's sole driver, Johansson being released as he could not find the funding to continue. The 101 was a neat but underpowered car and Baldi struggled to move away from the rear of the grid. Jean-Louis Schlesser had planned to take over from the third race before the threat of litigation from RAM (still owed money by the Frenchman) saw Baldi stay until Huub Rothengatter
took over. When the Dutchman's money ran out Baldi found enough funds to complete the season. The team's best result was 8th place, scored by Baldi on three occasions and Rothengatter once.

The 101 chassis (having been progressively upgraded throughout 1984) was updated again for 1985 and Baldi continued to drive. Allen Berg had arranged a deal to take over the seat later in the season. Money was even tighter, however, and after three rounds Wickham decided to take up an offer from Toleman to buy out the team's tyre contract and folded the F1 outfit. Wickham initially promised to be back with a new car in 1986 but that never happened.

Formula 3000

Spirit briefly resurfaced in Formula 3000 in 1988, running Bertrand Gachot, Steve Kempton and Paolo Barilla with some success, but co-founder Wickham left the outfit midway through the season and the team folded at the end of the year.

Formula Two results

(key) (results in bold indicate pole position)

Year Chassis Engine Tyres Driver(s) 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13
1982 Spirit 201 Honda V6 B SIL HOC THR NUR MUG
VAL
PAU SPA HOC DON MAN PER MIS
Thierry Boutsen 12 2 3 1 4 6 2 1 Ret 9 4 1 6
Stefan Johansson Ret Ret 14 6 3 4 7 Ret 4 11 Ret 11 7

Complete Formula One results

(key)

Year Chassis Engine Tyres Drivers 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 Points WCC
1983
Spirit 201C
Honda RA163E
V6t
G BRA USW FRA SMR MON BEL DET CAN GBR GER AUT NED ITA EUR RSA 0 NC
Stefan Johansson Ret Ret 12 7 Ret 14
1984 Spirit 101
L4t
P BRA RSA BEL SMR FRA MON CAN DET DAL GBR GER AUT NED ITA EUR POR 0 NC
Mauro Baldi Ret 8 Ret 8 Ret DNQ 8 15
Huub Rothengatter NC Ret NC 9 NC Ret 8
Spirit 101C Ford Cosworth DFV
V8
DNQ
1985 Spirit 101D
L4t
P BRA POR SMR MON CAN DET FRA GBR GER AUT NED ITA BEL EUR RSA AUS 0 NC
Mauro Baldi Ret Ret Ret

References

  1. ^ "Constructors: Spirit Racing". Grandprix.com. Retrieved 18 June 2016.
  2. ^ a b Watkins, Gary (July 2005). "Independent Spirit". Motor Sport. London. Retrieved 18 June 2016.