The 2012 Formula Challenge season is the very first GPVWC Formula Challenge season. UltraNet Networks became the title sponsor of the competition in February 2012.
Teams and drivers
The following teams competed in the 2012 season.
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2012 GPVWC FC spotters guide
Formula Challenge Team
|
Base
|
Constructor
|
Chassis
|
Tyre
|
No.†
|
Race Drivers
|
Rounds
|
Reserve Driver(s)
|
Nijo Racing
|
Nantwich, England
|
Nijo
|
FC-012
|
M
|
3
|
Jon MacLean
|
1-14
|
|
Lee Morris
|
21-22
|
Dimitri Demeulemeester
|
27-28
|
4
|
Chris Williamson
|
15-16, 19-28
|
Wicked Fox Racing
|
Kessel, Belgium
|
Wicked Fox
|
FC-012
|
M
|
5
|
Bart De Vos
|
3-4, 7, 16
|
|
Nigel McNamara
|
15
|
Andy Oakley
|
17-18
|
Jamez Shepherd
|
19-22
|
Andreas Wauters
|
23-24, 27-28
|
6
|
Mairo Lille
|
1-2
|
Jason Muscat
|
3-6, 15-16
|
Nigel McNamara
|
7-8, 11
|
Kenney Lybeer
|
19-20
|
Simon Melhuish
|
23-24
|
Alistair Brown
|
25-26
|
Conor Keane
|
27-28
|
Water Blue Racing
|
Athens, Greece
|
WBR
|
FC-012
|
M
|
7
|
Dale Stones
|
1-10, 13-20
|
|
8
|
Simon Crain
|
1-12, 16
|
Arctic GP
|
Helsinki, Finland
|
Arctic
|
FC-012
|
M
|
10
|
Nico Schweinzer
|
5-6
|
|
UKSOM
|
England
|
UKSOM
|
FC-012
|
M
|
9
|
Robin van Brenk
|
13-20
|
|
10
|
Arron Maspero
|
13-18
|
United Racers Motorsports
|
USA
|
URM
|
FC-012
|
M
|
11
|
Djemel Boukerche
|
3-10
|
|
Keith Storrie
|
14-16, 19-20, 23
|
12
|
Keith Storrie
|
3-4
|
Marek Skrajnowski
|
5-28
|
FA Racing
|
Lahti, Finland
|
FA Racing
|
FC-012
|
M
|
14
|
Gasper Mozek
|
1-4
|
|
Teemu Toikka
|
7-8, 15-16, 21-22
|
Nick Newcombe
|
11-12
|
Riku Sarpila
|
13-14, 17, 19-20, 25-28
|
15
|
Miguel Macedo
|
1-2, 7-10
|
Teemu Toikka
|
3-6
|
Scott Bennett
|
17-24
|
Brian Crowley
|
27-28
|
Velocity Racing
|
Oxford, England
|
Velocity
|
FC-012
|
M
|
16
|
Myles Dixon
|
1, 3-6, 9-10, 12-20
|
|
Wopke Hoekstra
|
21-25
|
17
|
Wopke Hoekstra
|
1-4, 7-8
|
Josh Webster
|
5-6
|
James Ross
|
11-12, 15-26
|
Constant Racing
|
St.Helens, England
|
Constant
|
FC-012
|
M
|
18
|
Nikos Evangelidakis
|
1-2, 9-10
|
|
19
|
William Ponissi
|
3-4
|
Pinnacle Motorsports
|
England
|
Pinnacle
|
FC-012
|
M
|
18
|
Nick Phillips
|
11-18
|
|
19
|
Philip Cullen
|
11-12
|
Craig Johnston
|
13-16
|
Red 5 Racing
|
Aberdare, Wales
|
Red 5
|
FC-012
|
M
|
20
|
Lee Massey
|
1-16
|
|
21
|
Gavin Thomas
|
1, 4-6
|
Chris Grey
|
7-18
|
Streetfighter Racing Systems
|
Sydney, Australia
|
Streetfighter
|
FC-012
|
M
|
22
|
Paul Parkinson
|
7-12
|
|
Myles Dixon
|
23-28
|
23
|
Geoff Meade
|
7-19, 23
|
Midnight Motorsport
|
Manchester, England
|
Midnight
|
FC-012
|
M
|
24
|
Lee Davidson
|
1-6
|
|
25
|
Jack Mace
|
1-2, 7-8
|
Jamez Shepherd
|
5-6
|
LogiX e.V.
|
Germany
|
LogiX e.V.
|
FC-012
|
M
|
24
|
Benjamin Zerche
|
13-20, 23-24
|
|
Sebastian Rother
|
21-22
|
25
|
David Gaspers
|
13-20, 23-28
|
Tiger Express Motorsports
|
Swindon, England
|
TEM
|
FC-012
|
M
|
26
|
Janne Väänänen
|
1-4, 7-16, 21-22, 25-28
|
|
Tom Parker
|
5
|
David Jundt
|
17-20
|
27
|
Lims Chebbi
|
3-12
|
David Jundt
|
15-16
|
Daniel Mckernan
|
17-22
|
Tuomas Koriala
|
27-28
|
Hatchell-Pennine Motorsport
|
Denton, England
|
Hatchell-Pennine
|
FC-012
|
M
|
28
|
Ihab Abbas
|
All
|
|
29
|
James Charman
|
1-4
|
Racing Team Schroten
|
Zandvoort, Netherlands
|
RTS
|
FC-012
|
M
|
30
|
Alistair Brown
|
1-4
|
|
Roy Schroten
|
5-8, 11-12, 19-20
|
Ron Squire
|
21, 23-28
|
31
|
Roy Schroten
|
1-2, 23-24, 27-28
|
Marcus Sundstrom
|
3-12, 21-22, 25-26
|
Lee Morris
|
19-20
|
Hene
|
Bennekom, Netherlands
|
Hene
|
FC-012
|
M
|
32
|
Jarl Teien
|
1-5, 7-10
|
|
Roy Schroten
|
21-22, 25-26
|
33
|
Mike Schroten
|
4, 6, 8, 19-20, 24
|
Torrent Motorsports
|
Ohio, United States
|
Torrent
|
FC-012
|
M
|
34
|
Jim Parisis
|
1-24
|
|
Borna Spoljaric
|
25-26
|
35
|
Ari Nieminen
|
1-10, 17-18, 21-22, 25-28
|
Giorgos Manousakis
|
11-16
|
Borna Spoljaric
|
23-24
|
Synergetic Motorsports
|
Belfast, Northern Ireland
|
Synergetic
|
FC-012
|
M
|
36
|
Eurico Marques
|
3
|
|
Daniel Lovett
|
7-10
|
37
|
Andrew Morgan
|
3-4
|
Wesley Morris
|
5-25
|
Woods Racing
|
Croydon, England
|
Woods
|
FC-012
|
M
|
38
|
Ollie Woods
|
3-4
|
|
Ryan Walker
|
7-8
|
39
|
Scotty Moore
|
1-5, 7-8
|
Optimum Motorsport
|
Stourbridge, England
|
Optimum
|
FC-012
|
M
|
38
|
Bradley Vanian
|
23-28
|
|
39
|
Alejandro Fernandez
|
23-28
|
Innervision
|
Tartu, Estonia
|
Innervision
|
FC-012
|
M
|
40
|
Alex Rolls
|
1-4, 7-10, 13-14, 17-18, 25-28
|
|
Pavel Loknovski
|
6, 11-12, 15-16
|
Ben Warren
|
19-24
|
41
|
Gary Allen
|
1-5, 7-8
|
Martin Schumacher
|
17-20
|
Pavel Loknovski
|
23-24
|
Chris Parr
|
25-28
|
Storm Racing Team
|
Cluj, Romania
|
Storm
|
FC-012
|
M
|
42
|
Emanuel Gaczella
|
1-12
|
|
43
|
Adrian McNaughton
|
1-12, 14-18
|
New Entries
The inaugural Formula Challenge season brought about a mix of established names and new team entries to the league. A number of Superleague and Supercup teams saw an opportunity for fielding junior teams to groom their future talents, while some community members took their first step on the managerial ladder. They were joined by teams with no previous GPVWC history such as Torrent Motorsports, Storm Racing and United Racers.
Team Changes
- Halcyon Racing was granted a slot in the series but chose to free up to slot after promotion to the Supercup before the start of the season. Their slot was taken by United Racers after the British event.
- Constant Racing was replaced by Pinnacle Motorsports after the Malaysian event. Constant only appeared at three race events, each time fielding only a single car.
- Arctic GP was replaced by UKSOM after the Japanese event. Arctic fielded a single car only once in the first six race events.
- Midnight Motorsports Formula Challenge entry was replaced by LogiX e.V. after the Japanese event, depsite fielding cars in the first four race events.
- Woods Racing were removed due to inactivity and replaced by Optimum Motorsport from the Mondello round onwards.
2012 Calendar
Round
|
Race Title
|
Grand Prix
|
Circuit
|
Conditions
|
Mod
|
Date
|
Time
|
Track time
|
GMT
|
1
|
Challenge British Grand Prix
|
British GP
|
Brands Hatch Circuit, Kent
|
Sunny
|
rFactor v1255
|
29th February
|
???
|
19:00
|
2
|
Challenge Dutch Grand Prix
|
Dutch GP
|
TT Circuit Assen, Drenthe
|
Sunny
|
rFactor v1255
|
14th March
|
???
|
19:00
|
3
|
Challenge Italian Grand Prix
|
Italian GP
|
Autodromo Vallelunga Piero Taruffi, Rome
|
Sunny
|
rFactor v1255
|
28th March
|
???
|
19:00
|
4
|
Challenge Slovenian Grand Prix
|
Slovenian GP
|
Motodrom Petrolija, Lendava
|
Sunny
|
rFactor v1255
|
25th April
|
???
|
19:00
|
5
|
Challenge Malaysian Grand Prix
|
Malaysian GP
|
Johor Circuit, Pasir Gudang
|
Sunny
|
rFactor v1255
|
9th May
|
???
|
19:00
|
6
|
Challenge Japanese Grand Prix
|
Japanese GP
|
Sportsland SUGO, Murata
|
Sunny
|
rFactor v1255
|
23rd May
|
???
|
19:00
|
7
|
Challenge Australian Grand Prix
|
Australian GP
|
Hidden Valley Raceway, Darwin
|
Sunny
|
rFactor v1255
|
20th June
|
???
|
19:00
|
8
|
Challenge Brazilian Grand Prix
|
Brazilian GP
|
Autodromo Internacional de Curitiba, Pinhais
|
Sunny
|
rFactor v1255
|
4th July
|
???
|
19:00
|
9
|
Challenge Mexican Grand Prix
|
Mexican GP
|
Parque Fundidora, Monterrey
|
Sunny
|
rFactor v1255
|
18th July
|
???
|
19:00
|
10
|
Challenge United States Grand Prix
|
United States GP
|
Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, Lexington
|
Sunny
|
rFactor v1255
|
1st August
|
???
|
19:00
|
11
|
Challenge South African Grand Prix
|
South African GP
|
Kyalami Grand Prix Circuit, Midrand
|
Sunny
|
rFactor v1255
|
29th August
|
???
|
19:00
|
12
|
Challenge Irish Grand Prix
|
Irish GP
|
Mondello Park, Caragh
|
Sunny
|
rFactor v1255
|
12th September
|
???
|
19:00
|
13
|
Challenge French Grand Prix
|
French GP
|
Circuit de Charade, Clermont-Ferrand
|
Sunny
|
rFactor v1255
|
26th September
|
???
|
19:00
|
14
|
Challenge Spanish Grand Prix
|
Spanish GP
|
Circuito de Navarra, Los Arcos
|
Sunny
|
rFactor v1255
|
24th October
|
???
|
19:00
|
15
|
Challenge Singapore Grand Prix
|
Singapore GP
|
Marina Bay Street Circuit, Singapore
|
Sunny
|
rFactor v1255
|
7th November
|
???
|
19:00
|
Calendar changes
- The first calendar for the Formula Challenge amounted to 15 race meetings. Each race meeting consisted of a feature race and a sprint race, bringing the total number of races to 30.
- Unlike the Supercup, which mirrored the Superleague calendar, the Formula Challenge followed its own individual calendar. The tracks were chosen to suit the low-powered nature of the Formula BMW car.
- The calendar featured a number of former GPVWC venues, such as Kyalami, Mondello Park and Charade. Brands Hatch and Mid Ohio previously featured in the Masters Series.
- The season finale was originally slated to place on the streets of Porto. However this was changed after potential frame-rate issues were found during testing. It was replaced with the Marina Bay Street Circuit in Sinagpore.
- The Challenge Singapore Grand Prix will be the only circuit that features from the Superleague calendar. It means that the series finale of the Formula Challenge will finish at the same circuit as other GPVWC series.
Results and standings
Grands Prix
Scoring system
Points are awarded to the top 15 classified finishers.
Position
|
1st
|
2nd
|
3rd
|
4th
|
5th
|
6th
|
7th
|
8th
|
9th
|
10th
|
11th
|
12th
|
13th
|
14th
|
15th
|
Points
|
25
|
22
|
20
|
18
|
16
|
14
|
12
|
10
|
8
|
6
|
5
|
4
|
3
|
2
|
1
|
Drivers standings
|
Key
Colour |
Result
|
Gold |
Winner
|
Silver |
2nd place
|
Bronze |
3rd place
|
Green |
Points finish
|
Blue
|
Non-points finish
|
Non-classified finish (NC)
|
Purple |
Did not finish (Ret)
|
Red
|
Did not qualify (DNQ)
|
Did not pre-qualify (DNPQ)
|
Black |
Disqualified (DSQ)
|
White
|
Did not start (DNS)
|
Race cancelled (C)
|
Light blue
|
Practiced only (PO)
|
Blank
|
Did not participate (-)
|
Excluded (EX)
|
Withdrew entry before the event (WD)
|
Bold - Pole
Italics - Fastest lap
|
† Drivers did not finish the Grand Prix, but were classified as they completed over 75% of the race distance.
‡
Constructors standings
† Cars did not finish the Grand Prix, but were classified as they completed over 75% of the race distance.