Variety is the spice of life for Superleague Formula

Superleague grid at Zolder

This year’s thrilling Superleague Formula by Sonangol is living up to all expectations according to Competitions Director, Robin Webb. As the six-round football-themed race series reaches its halfway point at Donington Park in the UK on 1/2 August, four different clubs – Liverpool, AC Milan, Tottenham Hotspur and Al-Ain – have scored victories in the opening four races of the season.

The unpredictability of the racing is just one of the championship’s many attractions according to Webb. “Last year no fewer than eight clubs won races and, if anything, it’s looking even more competitive in 2009," reports a delighted Webb. “The variety of winners is very appealing to all involved but that’s what we set out to create. The cars are technically identical and therefore very closely matched and the reverse grid that we use for the second race tends to mix things up giving others a chance of victory. The best drivers, though, still come out on top as they have to score as many points as they can often in two very different races: one which they start from the front, the other from the back."

The reverse grid format is another of Superleague Formula’s great successes providing fans with plenty of excitement as the faster cars from race one attempt to battle their way back to the front.

“We purposely designed the aerodynamics to allow the cars to run close together and thus allow for plenty of overtaking. What’s more each driver has a special ‘push-to-pass’ button giving him an additional 50bhp for 15 seconds. This can be employed up to eight times during each race."

With the glorious sounding Superleague V12 engines already producing more than 750bhp, the ‘push-to-pass’ mode gives drivers in excess of 800bhp. “Fans at Donington are certainly in for some fast furious action – more so as local favorites Liverpool and Spurs are among this year’s front-runners and Rangers has also looked capable of winning. It’s going to be another great weekend," concludes Webb.

Sunday’s non-stop on-track entertainment includes two Superleague Formula highlights plus a five lap Super Final which sees the top three finishers from both races shoot it out to decide the overall ‘Weekend Winner’ plus the destination of the €100,000 top prize. There’s a full support race program, too, including the FIA Historic Formula One Championship, MSA British Super Kart Championship as well as the very best of sportscar and saloon car contests – a high-octane feast of entertainment is guaranteed.

Adding to local interest, Birmingham’s Scott Mansell replaces Duncan Tappy in the Galatasaray entry while Zolder winner Esteban Guerrieri moves from Al-Ain to Sevilla who returns to the series as from this fourth round.