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Kieran Ryan

Superleague Career
Nationality	Irish
Active Years	10
Team(s)	Woods Racing
Grand Prix	129
Championships	0
Wins	3
Podium finishes	30
Pole positions	5
Fastest laps	7
First Grand Prix	2002 Malaysian Grand Prix
First Win	2004 Italian Grand Prix
Last Win	2010 Bahrain Grand Prix
Last Grand Prix	2011 Singapore Grand Prix

Kieran Ryan is a driver in the GPVWC, currently racing for Woods Racing. Ryan currently holds the record for the highest number of races in the GPVWC/F1VWC which stands at a remarkable 129 after the Singapore GP 2011. He has raced consistently since 2002 and has finished second in the driver's championship 3 times (2002, 2005, 2006).

Early years

GPVWC Superleague

2002: Mapes-VO

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2003: KRB, EIRE

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2004: Simsoa, Phoenix F1, MMRT, MMC Racing, SCUM

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2005: Phoenix F1

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2006-2007: FinOz Racing

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2009: Daniel Ortega Racing, Platform Michelangelo

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2010-2011: Woods Racing

The 2009 season was regarding as a building year for Ryan, having adapted himself with RFactor. During the winter of 2010, Ryan began discussions with Woods Racing for a full time race drive in 2010. After some quick meetings, he quickly signed on with a one year contract to drive alongside another league vetern Mark Wicks. Together the two formed the most experienced line-up the grid had to offer.

Australia began with a bang, as a spinning Vandenbroek caught Ryan out, and Ryan had to pit for repairs eaarly on. A quick change to a 3 stop strategy ensured Ryan remained competative and fought back to take 6th at the flag. Round 2 in China, Ryan pushed very hard to secure a second row starting place, just behind Morris and Canapino. The race started well, having out dragged Lee Morris' CSG down the backstraight before a CTD pushed the Irishman back to 7th. Havin fought back through the field, Ryan was approaching Folcher's Red Archer when he got a too close for confort, and after a brif tag, Ryan was forced to pit for a new front wing. The pitstop dropped him down to 6th, however the new rubber presented an opportunity to steal the fastest laps in the closing laps. Suzuka, Japan is known as Ryans favourite track on the calander, but one he's also most unlucky at. Not to dissapoint history, Ryan began rolling before the lights went off, and in an effort to prevent a jump start, he got off the grid slowly and found himself engulfed in a mid field scrap. Before he got to the end of the first lap, he was out. Ryan backed off when he saw a spinning Folcher ahead, only to be collected by Babij's ART on one side, and Bennett on the other. He was beached on the kerb just after the underpass.

Round 4 proved just as fruitful. After a slightly sluggish start from 4th, Ryan found himself passed by both Rowland on one side, and Mullins on the other. Ryan braked late, but clipped the side of Mullins, and found himself thrown into the air and needing repairs once again. However luck disserted him, and before the end of lap one again, he was out, courtsey of Gavin Thomas, who didn't see Ryan's slowing Woods in time. The GPVWC circus moved to Hungary for round 5, but to the Pannoniaring, and not traditional Hungaroring. Both Woods, at this stage had improved the car, and were challenging the CSGs of Morris and Rowland. A 3 stop strategy for Ryan kept him in the mix, but being stuck behind both Morris and Rowland for portions of the race, ruined any hope of making a decent podium, and confined Ryan to 5th at the chequered flag. Monaco, in the south of France, was eagerly awaited by Ryan. Having had a pole here in 2004, much was expected by him. Qualifying proved tough, with only one clear uninpinged lap completed, he lined up 7th, behind team mate Wicks. The race proved almost faultless, with one knock to the barrier, requiring a front wing, the only blemish on the weekend, earned Ryan another 5th place finish.

Ryan's unlucky streek with the Silverstone track, in Northhampireshire, continued again at round 7. Despite having a good race, and running 4th, things came undone when he span Morris off the track, and dropping to 6th; the Irishman collided with an unseen spinning Smith, while lapping the englishman. Despite his best efforts damage was sustained, and several stops later, his 10th place was pipped by Lichtenstein. Portugal was next, and proved the season's most 'fun race' for Ryan. An initial 2 stop strategy was altered to 3 stop as Ryan suffered tyre wear issues. Consequently, Ryan found himself defending harshly from a recovering Consiglio. After a few laps the world champion got through and Ryan pitted, only to re-emerge behind Rowland and Consiglio. Ryan pushed hard, and pulled off two spectualar overtaking maneuvres on them both. A 3rd stop pushed down to classify 5th.

Round 9 in Bahrain, Ryan qualified 2nd and started well behind Tanskanen. However, after just a few laps, the champion to be uncharacteristically span off at turn 1 and Ryan inherited the lead. Ryan held on out there for the rest of the race to win, despite a final push from Tanskanen. This was Ryan's first win in almost 2 years, and his first podium of the year! Round 10 in Turkey in Istanbul, produced a second podium in a row for the Irishman. Having initially taken 2nd off team mate Wicks, it was clear Mark was faster, and in an attempt to get a back to back win for Woods, Ryan deferred to his team mate, and let him through to chase the leading Tanskanen. However, Ryan was suffering from high tire wear, and switched to a 3 stop strategy and spent the remainder of the race holding off Folcher's Red Archer for 3rd. Canada proved unlucky for many drivers, due to it's harsh and often malicious nature to both engines and brakes. Ryan lined up again ahead of Wicks in 4th, and stayed out of trouble to run 4th solidly early on. After Canapino's accident, Ryan inherited 3rd and remained there until the closing stages of the race, before he began suffering rear brake failure. He did his best to control it, until a critical mistake exiting turns 3 & 4 sent him into the barrier. He was classified 9th, depire retiring due to the 75% racing rule.

Round 12 at Mexico is a popular race for Ryan and he lined up 4th behind Wicks. A quick start ensured Ryan remained close enough to Wicks to slipstream him down the straight early on to take 3rd. Ryan conserved his tires as much as he could, and closed up on a faltering Nordsjeon of Adam Rouse, and passed the Englishman to take 2nd. Ryan spent the rest of the racve holding off team mate Wicks to finish 2nd, less then a second clear of Wicks. Brazil was next on the calender, a race eagerily awaited by Ryan. After an eary incident between team mates Tanskanen and Consiglio, Ryan slipped into 2nd early on, and chased down Tanskanen. The Finn however, always seemed to have something in resevere to keep Ryan at bay. Despite an early threat posed by Perkins, Ryan kept his head and finished less then 7 seconds behind the flying Finn. The trip to South America was rounded off by Argentina, where a third consecative 2nd place looked ominous until Ryan fell fowl of a back marker Wagner. Ryan misunderstood where Wagner would let him through, and spun off. This meant a late pitstop to change a front wing, and a drop to 4th place at the chequered flag.

The Spanish GP statistically is one of Ryan's best tracks, however, it remains the track he detests most due it's enduring long left and right handcorners, and lack of overtaking opportunities. At the start, Ryan steals 2nd again from Wicks, and this forms a leading pack of Tanskanen-Ryan-Wicks-Rouse. This group of cars eventually comes undone after pitstops, when Ryan spins out of 2nd. After recovering from a 2nd spin, Ryan spins in the pitlane and faces backwards! He eventually revereses backwards down the pitlane before recovering to finish 5th by the chequered flag.

Ryan heads David Jundt in South Africa.

Complete GPVWC Superleague results

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position, races in italics indicate fastest lap)

^† Driver did not finish the Grand Prix, but was classified as they completed over 75% of the race distance.

^‡ Driver raced for more than one team that season. The constructor displayed is the team in which most races were driven.