February 09, 2013
Published on tags: Superleague

 

League stalwart Ollie Woods gives an in-depth look at each of the teams ahead of the start of the new Superleague season.
The 2012 Superleague season was somewhat of an oxymoron. It was on one hand the closest season yet due to the sheer amount of driving talent on the grid. However, one team ran away with both championships thanks to their combined speed and talent at developing the car. 2013 promises to be even better than 2012 with new rules and the introduction of wet weather; will Midnight dominate again or will there be new champions crowned?

In this article we'll examine the contenders for 2013 and have a go at predicting their chances for the new season.


Midnight Motorsport - #1 Lukas Euler, #2 Alex Cooper, Jamez Shepherd

Midnight delivered a massive blow to everyone else's 2012 hopes when they turned up at Melbourne and dominated the meeting. Okay, Nick Rowland may only have finished 5th in the race, but the writing was on the wall. The team took six 1-2 finishes on their way to the championship, scoring more than double the points of any other team.

This domination has left them in a seriously good position for 2013. For a start, their points haul meant they were able to secure the best personnel in bidding without having to spend more than the minimum salary, not only giving them vital improvements in development time but also saving money to spend on those developments. The team also has their own works engine deal and three customer teams, meaning more input into crucial engine development. In addition, the team worked so hard to develop their car early on in 2012 that they will have saved up points to spend on having a well-developed car ready for Melbourne.

The package is completed by a formidable driver lineup. Lukas Euler won an incredible nine races last season and remains the man to beat. Alex Cooper finished runner up in the Supercup and may well have dominated in any other season; he already has a win to his name in Superleague and may well have many more by the end of the season. Both drivers are young and have got potential to be even more dominant. The team has a great test driver too in Jamez Shepherd: the man from Australia finished no lower than fifth all season for Hawkeye and his ability to analyse strategy and car physics will mean that Midnight once again have the ultimate car setup. Quite frankly, it's hard to see past them for both championships again in 2013.


Green Stripes Racing - #3 David Gaspers, #4 Christoph Lichtenstein, Matt Clipp

The team from Muehlen in Germany surprised everybody when they finished second in the Constructors Championship last season. Their first three races suggested that the team were destined to roam around the back of the grid, with three retirements in two races and a double no-show in Abu Dhabi. Their season then started in earnest in Hungary as Dave Carr-Smith, the team's test driver, scored a second place finish and promptly took over as the team's lead driver.

Carr-Smith's influence was clearly apparent in the team's development progress and the way the car was set up - Dave being a part of Midnight Motorsport may also have been a factor. His defection to Nordsjoen is clearly a massive loss to the team and it will be interesting to see how much of his knowledge has been retained by team manager Christoph Lichtenstein. The team will no doubt have pushed their development cycle as far as possible in 2012 to hold on to second place, meaning upgrades will be tough early on. However, the development power of the Potentia engine should help them along the way.

The driver lineup is mixed. David Gaspers is well known as a quick driver, delivering consistently in Formula Challenge, spending hours testing and scoring points in his one race for Woods last year. His temperament is sure to be tested as the season goes on; will he be willing to continue if the car is not as developed as those around him? Christoph Lichtenstein is also a proven racer, having won the 2010 Supercup, but can be wildly inconsistent; he scored points on one occasion last year in the Superleague but retired a few times as well. Matt Clipp, their test driver, also had a tough season and has headed back to Formula Challenge to hone his skills; his Superleague experience will still be invaluable as the season goes on.

Green Stripes have the potential to do well, but a repeat of their 2012 success will be a miracle. Expect to see them in the mid table.


Hawkeye Racing - #5 Bart de Vos, #6 Lewis Redshaw, Ric Scott

Hawkeye returned to the league after a good ten years away and impressed everyone to finish third in the Constructors Championship. It was perhaps a season of two halves for the team, with de Vos and Redshaw finishing no higher than ninth up to and including the Turkish Grand Prix, with seven retirements between them. At this point de Vos left the team due to consistent technical problems and Jamez Shepherd took over, netting a second place finish in his very first race. From there team morale shot up with both drivers regularly finishing in the points - in Jamez's case, he never left the top five.

It is perhaps a recurring theme this season that top teams have to adjust to life without their talisman from 2012 - particularly Midnight drivers past and present! Hawkeye find themselves in this position too. The strategic knowhow that Shepherd brings to the table will definitely be missed, but the team?s success from 2012 will no doubt have boosted their coffers and their development abilities will be right up there. In addition, the team have Potentia engines - let's face it, a deal with Midnight was never in doubt if the price was right - and the added development and expertise should be invaluable. If they go in the right direction they will undoubtedly be looking good for Melbourne.

The team's lineup this year is the same as it was when 2012 started. Bart de Vos is certainly no slouch - indeed, he was the 2011 Supercup champion - but he endured a disappointing 2012 season riddled with retirements and disappearances. A string of fifth place finishes at the end of the season suggests that 2013 could be a great year for him if his technical problems subside; you would certainly expect him to regularly be in the top ten, maybe even pushing the top five regularly if the car is right. The same goes with Lewis Redshaw who spent a lot of his year in the lower end of the top ten. His consistent point scoring finishes were punctuated with a few retirements which he certainly will aim to avoid this year. Team manager Ric Scott takes test duties and will be solid if called upon mid-season.

If both drivers remain consistent there is no reason why Hawkeye cannot be pushing the top five in the Constructors Championship this season, but third place with a grid like this may be pushing it. Then again, we said that last year until Jamez turned up, didn't we?


Red Archer VRT - #7 David Jundt, #8 Jason Muscat, Jordan Weekes

The 2011 champions slipped slightly in 2012, still managing a respectable fourth place finish but nowhere near the expected level at the start of the season. The team snapped up a former world champion for peanuts but was rocked when he left after just seven races, presumably preferring to keep his legacy intact. The team never really found consistency in that second driver seat as Ojay Clark retired towards the end of the season to concentrate on studies.

The team's attempts at maximising their 2012 position have led to a slightly lower than expected start to 2013. The team's development will be hampered by a willingness to continue spending on R&D until close to the end of the season - the team are well known for their expertise in development so this may be less of a factor than we think, but signs are worrying when teams like Midnight have so much to play with, especially after losing their chief designer to Hawkeye. The team's budget may well also be depleted after spending so much on development, and the team's 2013 drivers will not be as cheap as Tanskanen was in 2012.

Red Archer can at least call on two team veterans to take the cars out on track. David Jundt frustrated many critics throughout the 2012 season by not taking advantage of the well-developed car given to him. It was felt that if he worked harder he could easily be pushing the top five regularly; as it turned out, he still consistently scored points and finished ninth in the championship. It will be more difficult for him in 2013 to remain in the top ten but there is clearly natural ability there as shown by his exploits in 2011. Jason Muscat had an invisible 2012 season, starting just two Superleague races and scoring no points. He scored a few times in Supercup but had various technical problems hindering him. There is no doubt that Jason can be on a par with Jundt, or even better; it is merely a question of whether technical issues hold him back again. Jordan Weekes is proven to be useful round the track too, though his hardline stance on traction control will have made him few friends in the paddock.

Expect to see Red Archer in the mid table unless lack of funds or development proves fatal. Fourth place is manageable if the team work hard, but it'll be more difficult without the points that Tanskanen totted up early on in 2012.


Nordsjoen Racing - #9 Dave Carr-Smith, #10 Lee Morris, Pavel Loknovski

Well, well, well. Two years without a Constructors title - In days of old that would've been unthinkable for the team with more nationalities than a West Croydon bus station. The team was beset by issues with personnel, beginning when Joe Consiglio retired five races into the season. His much-feted replacement Jarl Teien lasted just four races, leaving Bart de Vos to return to the Superleague. Pavel Loknovski didn't have much luck either, finding himself without all of his car's bodywork in most races, especially the famous flying incident at Singapore.

Needless to say, Nordsjoen are not a team who are used to being this far down the pit lane, nor are they a team who will tolerate being there for too long. The opportunity given to them by the administration to produce their own engines will no doubt help them on their way back up the grid: two customers, both with their own racing pedigree, is a good start. The one big question is whether 2012 development has hampered their early 2013 prospects. Their team principal, William Ponissi, has more experience than half of the grid put together and will no doubt be making the right decisions to counter this.

It's fair to say that Ponissi has pulled an absolute masterstroke in signing two of the fastest drivers ever seen in the Superleague. Dave Carr-Smith is seen by many as the man to beat, having wiped the floor with all comers in the Masters and Winter GT leagues while taking five Superleague wins; if Green Stripes hadn't been hindered by their newcomer status and slightly compromised engine, we may have seen a different story for the Drivers' Championship in 2012. His signature was hotly contested by pretty much every team on the grid and if the car delivers we may see him challenge.

Lee Morris is also one of the quickest drivers in the league, having performed miracles in underpowered Draig cars over the last two years. He will undoubtedly be in the top five. The only problem with Lee is the tendency to explode if he underperforms; his hunger to win and self-belief is so great that only victory will do. If William Ponissi can keep Morris calm, he deserves every accolade coming to him (including the Nobel Peace Prize!); if not, we may see fireworks similar to Hamilton & Alonso in 2007. Pavel Loknovski completes the lineup, and his experience will prove vital as the team come up against the Midnight stable and their analytical skills.

Nordsjoen have the experience and drivers to aim for the top three in the Constructors Championship at the very least. Whether they can challenge Midnight is up to how well the drivers work together, how well the team works with its engine customers, and how well the development race begins for the team.


Nijo Racing - #11 Ruud Heesterbeek, #12 Tom van der Voort, Martin O'Connor

2012 was a real turning point for the fluorescent green team. Dutch driver Ruud Hesterbeek was signed after impressing in the 2011 Masters series and rocketed his way to equal fifth in the standings, carrying the team to seventh overall after finishing bottom the previous year. Various drivers had a go in the other car, most notably Ben Warren who took his maiden Superleague point.

Despite so many positives in 2012 it seems that team owner Chris Williamson struggled to attract any interest from drivers until the last minute. The team turned up in Valencia for the first test with Williamson himself driving, costing the team money in emergency contract fees. Despite this the team's prospects look better than they did this time last year. The team has taken Trinity engines - Tom Parker and Ben Warren are both former Nijo drivers and their friendship with Chris Williamson will no doubt aid correspondence. The team has also signed their 2012 technical director who led the team to such good results last year.

The real strength for Nijo lies in their driver lineup. It's fair to say that Ruud Heesterbeek carried the team in 2012, scoring all but one of the team's points and even managing a podium finish in Singapore. His signature was almost as hotly contested as Dave Carr-Smith's but he remains at Nijo - expect more of the same from Ruud despite an even fiercer grid. Little is known about the team's second driver, Tom van der Voort, but early indications suggest that he will also be fast. Martin O'Connor will be the team's reserve driver, having completed a year in Supercup. He scored points in a tough field so expect him to be aiming for the lower points if he's called upon.

Nijo will be hoping for a more stable season than 2012 in terms of drivers used. Ruud and Tom have the potential to spring a few surprises this year and the team should expect to move even further up the grid.


Kernow Sport - #14 Steve Verloy, #15 Mark Johnston, Scott Bennett

One of the new teams on the block last season, Kernow Sport impressed everyone on their way to eighth in the championship. Much of the team's success was down to Simon Cattell who was never short of a good finish (or a strongly-worded comment), finishing in the points on all but six occasions. Team boss, league veteran and all-round good guy Mark Wicks didn't fare so well after his move from long-term partners in crime Woods Racing, finishing in the points three times - a long way from the runner-up status he enjoyed in 2009.

The Cornwall-based team has been given the high status of becoming a constructor for 2013 and the Krevder engines have attracted two big teams, Red Archer and Phoenix. The team's links with Phoenix - both of their drivers once drove alongside Mark Wicks at Woods Racing, and Mark races GTs for Phoenix - should mean that collaboration is easy, and the experience of Jundt and Muscat at Red Archer will be useful too. The personnel bidding process was a mixed bag, with the team gaining a well-known mechanic but losing their commercial manager. Hopefully Wicks' experience of the development process will help them.

Mark Wicks shocked everyone by announcing that he wouldn't be driving in the Superleague in 2013, bringing a run of eight seasons to a close. His place in the first Kernow car is taken by Steve Verloy from Belgium. This is Steve's first year in the Superleague and if testing data is anything to go by he looks quite handy: my sources tell me that if he gels with the car he could be near the top. Mark Johnston drives the second car - again, a complete unknown to the GPVWC. Scott Bennett takes over as test driver after a disappointing season for ST Racing; his setup knowledge will be invaluable and he will be useful if called upon to race as long as he doesn't make the silly mistakes that blighted his 2012 run.

Kernow are a real unknown for the 2013 season. If Verloy and Johnston turn out to be reliable and fast, they should at least equal their final 2012 position.


Woods Racing - #16 Tom Parker, #17 Teemu Toikka, Ben Warren

2012 was a testing year for the Woods team. Fresh from the loss of veteran Mark Wicks, the team began the season well as his replacement Tom Parker finished sixth in Melbourne. Hope soon turned to despair as retirements galore hurt the team before points finishes towards the end of the season ensured the season wasn't a complete embarrassment. The team also had a nightmare with their second test driver spot; Dan Rusu was a massive risk and once again disappeared early on in the season, only to be replaced by David Gaspers who had designs on moving to a team with a quicker car. 2012 required consistency from both cars, or at least one 'alien' driver; Woods couldn't manage either of those. The fall from grace after amazing seasons in 2009 and 2010 was spectacular - would the team bounce back?

The team's package is promising. A halt in development after the British Grand Prix - the point at which the team cut their losses for 2012 - means that the 2013 car will be furnished with upgrades near the start of the season; the team just have to pick the right ones! A works engine deal with the team's own Trinity engines is promising too, and while the lack of points scored in 2012 meant that personnel bidding was tough, the team managed to keep their workforce for another year, securing vital extra skills. The team's coffers look rather good as well thanks to cheap drivers and the money saved from ceasing development so early into the 2012 season.

After it was clear that 2013 would be another season without an 'alien' on board the team went down the route of building as solid a team as possible, especially after the departures of Kieran Ryan and Boyd Bryson. Tom Parker had a breakthrough season in 2012, shaking off the corner cutting moniker and maturing in the process. The tendency to be frustrated when the going gets tough remains but is less than it was after the Chinese Grand Prix last year. A top five finish or two surely beckons; some even think a podium is possible if the situation is right.

He is joined by Teemu Toikka, a young Finnish driver previously known for his ability to scythe through walls but now respected after great finishes in the Masters Series and the Race of Champions. Team principal Ollie Woods will no doubt be hoping that Toikka follows the same path as Parker did in 2012; Toikka should expect to consistently be in the points with the new scoring scheme but top ten finishes and more are possible. Ben Warren has been hired as test driver, having come away with a solitary point in 2012 - his experience of the Superleague will prove invaluable, as will his speed when an opportunity to race comes along. All three drivers (as well as others in Woods' feeder teams) are friends off the track and spend a lot of time joking with each other - the co-operation will help immensely if the drivers can focus properly.

Realistically, this will not be a quick return to the glory days of the turn of the decade. A top five finish would be a massive achievement, but for the team anything above the 2012 season will be welcome. The team have to work hard this year to develop themselves for challenging in subsequent years if the famous Woods driver consistency can be found once again.


Constant Racing - #18 Mark Stanton, #19 David Stanton, Dale Stones

Constant by name, constant by nature. Always there in the background to the main fight, Constant Racing has gone through the past few seasons without much drama and consistent lineups aplenty. 2012 saw David Stanton rejoin his brother Mark at the team and while the brothers were able to score eleven points between them they were outclassed by most of the grid. Much of this was down to technical issues and an underperforming engine, but at the same time the car was well developed throughout the season. In my mind the brothers were much improved in speed over previous years but the improved standard of the grid made it much harder to score points.

The team's opening prospects for 2013 are mixed. A successful bid for Midnight's Potentia engines leaves the team in a very good position; working together with the top three teams of 2012 will no doubt help them, and Midnight's success in attracting three customers means that they will earn more much-needed engine development points. On the other hand, the team had one of the most developed cars last season which may leave them down on development points as the season begins.

The race driver lineup remains, well, constant. The Stanton brothers, Mark and David, are both known for being fair and consistent drivers. They do, however, lack a bit of pace compared to the glut of top level drivers hired by other teams. The level of ability on the grid for 2013 is even greater than that of last year, and they may struggle - however, as other drivers have often proved, reliability and consistency (and a level head) may well help them exceed expectations.

Dale Stones, the team's test driver, had an unspectacular year as Red Archer reserve driver; his qualifying pace in one of the best cars on the grid was good but he retired in both races that he qualified for. He is definitely reliable, however - not even a string of retirements and non-scoring finishes could put him off in Formula Challenge.

Expect Constant to be nearer the tail-end of the grid than the top-end, but expect them to spring some surprises too.


ST Racing - #20 Myles Dixon, #21 Mark Fuller, Morten Wernersen

The team from Hampshire had a nightmare season in 2012. Things were looking up when team principal Mark Fuller announced Tom Eley alongside himself - the young Englishman had impressed everyone in the Masters Series in 2011 and was expected to do well in the Superleague. An eighth place finish on debut only added fuel to these high expectations. However, things were not to be. Two retirements and two no-shows later and Eley had left the team. His car proved to be a problem for the rest of the season - Geoff Meade was signed and left in a cloud of anger, and Scott Bennett suffered incident after incident as he tried desperately to get away from the back of the grid. Mark Fuller had an impressive string of race finishes but was unable to score points - Eley's success in Melbourne was to be the team's only points finish all season.

Despite a carefully planned budget of finances and development the team developed their car late into the season, a decision that leaves them shortchanged for 2013 given the lack of a permanent test driver in 2012. This will definitely make life difficult for the team - don't expect points finishes early on unless something miraculous happens. The team has taken Trinity engines, with Mark Fuller reprising his working relationship with Woods Racing; time will tell if this was a good decision but the fact that Woods and ST's facilities are within a few miles of each other should prove helpful.

The team has contrasted youth with experience for their 2013 lineup but have already run into problems Myles Dixon has previously driven in both lower levels of the career ladder, coming away with two points from the Supercup and ninety in Formula Challenge, including a podium. His consistency towards the end of 2012 will be much needed. Mark Fuller has been a part of the GPVWC since 2006 and knows everything there is to know about development - he will be hoping for a far better season than 2012 but will have to work very hard to score points regularly.

The situation with the team's reserve driver has, frankly, been a farce. Simon Crain was originally contracted to the team but pulled out just before the first test in Valencia. The team then used three extra drivers for the first two tests before putting out an advert for a full-time reserve. The money spent on these emergency drivers will not be insignificant, but at least the team now have someone reliable in Morten Wernersen.

ST Racing will have their work cut out if they are to make any significant progress up the grid in 2013 - a year's experience for Myles will, however, be very useful for future seasons.


Phoenix F1 - #22 Kieran Ryan, #23 Boyd Bryson, Andy Graydon

Out from the ashes, etc etc. Phoenix return after a number of years away, having not been seen in the GPVWC paddock since 2005. Since then, the team has been omnipresent in other racing leagues, most notably in GT racing. The team was always ranked highly in the few seasons they completed and were highly regarded within the league - Andy Graydon, the team principal, was the league manager from 2003.

The team starts again with the same budget as other newcomers Torrent and Halcyon, a cool fifty million pounds. This may put them at a slight disadvantage over successful teams but they certainly won't be in bad shape. Somewhat unsurprisingly the team has gone with Krevder engines - the teamwork between Phoenix and their friends at Kernow will prove to be useful, as will the experience and known pace of Red Archer. The team has plenty of experience in R&D which will no doubt help them as the season goes on - the lack of accrued development points from 2012 will prove to be an issue in the early races.

An experienced and familiar lineup completes the team. Kieran Ryan raced for Phoenix back in 2005 when they last appeared, and has 'come home' to figure in their 2013 campaign. Kieran is known to be fast and has shown flashes of brilliance in the rFactor era, but had a clumsy campaign for Woods Racing last season with a disqualification, a grid penalty and five retirements. He did begin to score points towards the end of the season which bodes well for 2013 as he looks to prove that he can mix it with the best drivers in the league once again; he must, however, get rid of the silly mistakes.

Boyd Bryson follows Kieran from Woods to Phoenix in order to make the step up from Supercup to Superleague. He too has previous form for Phoenix, having raced for them for a while in GTs elsewhere. Boyd has a bit of work to do to be as fast in open wheelers as he is in GTs but he had a solid 2012 season, finishing in the points eight times with two fifth placed finishes before the end of the year. In his one Superleague appearance he finished thirteenth - if he makes good progress a top ten should be possible once the Phoenix car is more developed. Team manager Andy Graydon acts as reserve driver - it will be interesting to see if he can repeat his GT form (and indeed his form of 2002!) if called upon.

A lot of Phoenix's 2013 hopes rely on a decent upgrade path and their drivers performing at their full capacity. If they fulfil their potential you can expect midfield finishes with the odd surprise; if not, expect dejected looks in the garage.


Halcyon Racing Team - #24 Philip Cullen, #25 Adam Rouse, Georgios Davakos

After an impressive debut season in the 2012 Supercup, Halycon have made the big step to the top tier of the GPVWC Career Ladder. The team picked up 118 points in the Supercup to tie for third place with Malta Force; team driver Philip Cullen also picked up third in the Drivers' championship, though various drivers took the other seat. The team also made their tin top debut in the 2012 Masters Series, dominating the Constructors' championship largely thanks to Dave Carr-Smith's winning streak.

The team is run by league veteran and administrator Adam Rouse, who has been part of the GPVWC since 2005. He should have plenty of experience in the ways of the league and the development of the car despite relatively little Superleague management experience. The team will suffer a bit with the lack of development points accrued from last season but expect them to hit the ground running. A Martex engine deal completes the package - this was a given considering Rouse's history with Nordsjoen, so expect the two to work well together.

A very experienced driver lineup contrasts the relatively new team. Philip Cullen has also been around the league since 2005, though his results were far different in cars such as the 2005 Woods Racing 'shitbrick'. His tin top pace was never doubted, but his open wheel reputation is now cemented after finishing third in the Supercup last year. His knowledge will be invaluable. Adam Rouse has hired himself as the second driver for the team. He also has a great reputation, winning the first online Superleague race in 2009 and finishing just behind Cullen in the Supercup last year. It was a somewhat reluctant decision to put himself in the second car but any previous doubts about his ability to last a season were put to bed last year. The two race drivers are good friends and will no doubt push each other hard. Georgios Davakos is the team's reserve driver after attempts to get Centurion Racing into the Superleague failed; he failed to start his one Superleague race last year and had various issues throughout his Supercup season but he did manage a fifth place. His heart is there and hopefully he will have more luck if called upon this season.

Halcyon can expect to find themselves fairly high up the championship table once development begins to fall into place. The experience and pace of the drivers will set the team up for success as long as Rouse doesn't lose motivation.


Torrent Motorsports - #26 Petter Kaasa, #27 Jim Parisis, Simon Melhuish

Quite possibly the only 'professional' team on the 2013 grid, Torrent are also the only team to boast two 2012 champions within their ranks. The team from America (via Plymouth) dominated both the Supercup and Formula Challenge last year, though Petter Kaasa's margin of victory over Alex Cooper ended up as only five points. Torrent's victory in Formula Challenge was much more dominant, scoring almost double the points of the team ranked below them thanks to a seemingly never-ending list of fast drivers.

The team enters the Superleague with a low starting budget and no R&D from the previous season. However, decent personnel have been signed and the team ended up with extra income from decent sponsors too. Torrent's financial methods so far have either been genius or seriously misguided - time will tell whether they have saved or lost money through their bidding process. At least they have chosen their engines well, going with the Martex engines from perennial achievers Nordsjoen.

The driver lineup is where the team stops being the new kid on the block and becomes a serious threat. Petter Kaasa is extremely quick, extremely experienced and extremely knowledgeable. His no-stop strategies wowed the crowds throughout 2012 and had the team's Supercup rivals scratching their heads. Jim Parisis is also no slouch, taking four wins last season, though his finishing positions tailed off towards the end of the season. He was quick when he made the step up to Supercup and you can expect him to be quick again in Superleague. Simon Melhuish is quick too, though not quite in the same 'alien' division as his race drivers, and he will no doubt be backed by the wealth of open wheel and GT/touring car drivers that the team has available.

It's clear that once the car has been developed a bit the team will be up at the sharp end of the grid - it's difficult to expect anything else from such a strong lineup. The only thing that will scupper their chances is the management aspect of the GPVWC - the team has limited experience in this and it remains to be seen if their ideas will work.


With the added attraction of the RFE's dynamic plug-in, a Superleague field that has never been stronger, we should be treated to what could be the greatest the Superleague season to date. Join us on February 28th as it all kicks off around the streets of Albert Park in Melbourne.