Formula 2000

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Formula 2000 World Championship Series, or nowadays rather mentioned as Boat GP came to existence in 2002, when the current UIM-contracted Promoter, Jose Luis del Palacio signed the agreement with the world governing body of the sport to promote and develop the F2 category throughout the forthcoming years and racing-seasons worldwide. The Promoter, Jose Luis del Palacio, 44 years of age, a graduate of media studies in the University of Madrid and married with a son and a daughter came to promote Formula 2000 and began to develope his ideas for the project. A successful television production company that he runs was already involved in motorsports. Nothing if not inventive, del Palacio has brought many new ieas to the sport, including Match Racing which he pioneered in Valencia and his commitment was obvious.

Previous to 2002, the formerly known F2 category was raced with S-2000 engines within a 3-round European Championship, occasionally concluded with a World Cup titled event at the end of the racing year. 2002, the first season of Formula 2000 continued using the same powerheads, but the second season of 2003 brought the conversion to SST-120 technical guidelines. The basic philosophy is still racing of factory-made, non-tuned powerheads of 2000 cc with carburetor (as the name itself tells; SST - Super Stock, 120 c.i.d. - cubic inch dimension, eligible to 2000 cubic cm).

The first season of the new Formula category consisted of 5 rounds raced in Hungary, France, Italy, Great Britain and Qatar with the remarkable number of 39 drivers participating. The very first event under the new flag was hosted by the Hungarian city of Dunaújváros in May. A new group of drivers arrived with the non-forgettable fact of writing new lines into the book of powerboating with a new era starting. Soon appearing favourite of the Grand Prix's, Norwegian Christian Sanne came out with an incredible performance by winning 4 out of the 5 rounds in 2002, unfortunately barell-rolled at the final in Qatar, but secured his podium top luckily before the accident and took the first ever Formula 2000 World Championship. The Match Race crown was achieved by another scandinavian, Sven Jansson of Sweden.

The second season, 2003, represented 35 drivers taking part in another 5 rounds of the series representing 13 different countries (Sweden, France, Germany, Norway, Hungary, Latvia, United States of America, Mexico, Italy, Portugal, Spain, Great Britain, San Marino) and participating with 12 unique boat-brands (Molgaard, Burgess, Bomba, ASV, KRB, TMP, Abbate, Clerici, Jelf, Seebold, Moore and DAC).

UIM-Formula 2000 World Championship title was spectacularly achieved by Jonas Andersson of Sweden (31, Molgaard) who has set a frenetic performance by winning only 1 point ahead of Corsin (71, DAC). Andersson - during his rookie season in the World Championship Series - had 2 podium tops, a 2nd, a 3rd and a 5th position, even risking his World title at the last race by damaging a turnbuoy, but luckily could save his dominance at the end. Definitely the most disappointed driver of the field, Corsin came as 2nd in the Championship with only 1 point down to the Swede and starting the year by winning the Hungarian and French rounds both, that was followed by a 3rd place at Euromasters race, a 4th finish in Como and another 3rd place in Croatia. The final round brought a 2nd best finish for English driver Marc Rolls (22, Bomba), who arrived to Formula 2000 as F3 World Champion of 2002 and managed to climb up to the podium as 3rd best driver in 2003 dash with 47 points.

The third full season of Boat GP World Championship with 7 races in the Calendar was launched in 2004 at the beginning of a promising new season. Prior to the launch of the third season, the entry of international teams from 10 different countries also meant a major supply of new boats, 8 out of the starting 23 at the first round were freshly coming out of the factories.

First stage to visit was previous year's final venue, Croatia once again at the coastal Adriatic city of Zadar. An ideal place for Swede Andersson as defending World Champion at the beginning of a promising new season and with the ultimate task to keep himself reigning. The chase for the Croatian Trophy provided magnificent actions, fights as Italian Brigada as pole man was forced to enter into hard battles with Price of Qatar Team, Rolls and Andersson in order to keep himself on the lead that he could manage till only 4 laps before the end of the race when Andersson took over in a spectacular maneuver and occupied the top of the podium.

For the second round, the World Championship re-visited St. Nicolas de Redon at the western region of France. Brigada, the young Italian talent once again convinced his fellow competitors and the spectators assembled on the lakeside that in the 2004 season he would strive for the World crown as he took the cheqered flag and collected a valuable 20 points. Match Races finished with the victory of Jay Price; while Speed Record's highest result was also reached by Brigada speeding up to 175.3 km/h driving his DAC cat.

Idroscalo in Milan, Italy welcomed the third stop returning to a habitual 2-pin course of the artificial water stadium. The field kept on growing to an impressive 27 contenders, newcomer drivers Gennady Tuchkovs (7, Clerici) from Latvia, Béla Cserni (82, Burgess) from Hungary and Arif Al Zafeen (15, DAC) representing the United Arab Emirates accompanied for the rest of the Championship.

Brigada again performed successfully again and won his home Grand Prix, the scores after 3 rounds found him on the lead with 52 points, and also won the Match Race trophy; Marc Rolls of Great Britain took the gold for setting 178 km/h in the Speed Record contest.

Riga, the capital of Latvia acted as the host of the 4th and Memorial round of the 2004 season tributing for the late Viktor Kunitch who passed away in a fatal racing accident in 2001. Latvian Water Motorsport Federation with his President Agris Kalnciems provided a warm welcome to the Boat GP participant teams and organizers for an unforgettable and continuous cooperation to establish the annual Grand Prix in Latvia. Disaster stroke in the 15th lap for Brigada by colliding with Norwegian Hakonsen (8, DAC) and needed to retire with a crash on his boat. The winning streak of the Italian was cut and the inevitable repairs on his boat seemed more than frustrating since the following 5th round was only 2 weeks away in Russia. The Latvian GP finished with the win of Andersson. The rest of the 2004 campaign was realized now to bring even more severe fights among the candidates of the World Title.

Another inaugural event moved the field to Russia for the final European round of the year. Dubna, hosting city and industrial centre of Moscow region with his superb aquatic stadium on Volga River was the appointed stage.

Englishman Owen Jelf will definitely always remember this weekend as his lucky one, when he managed to occupy pole position, win the Match Race and the Grand Prix of Russia as well. Speed Record contest also brought record high results with the highest speed ever set during the GPs, namely by Arif Al Zafeen of UAE, newcomer to the series at his 3rd start being measured at 183, 6 km/h.

Among the new venues in the Calendar, the 6th leg was held in Abu Dhabi at the UAE organized by the illustrious Abu Dhabi International Marine Sports Club. The GP saw the entry of 26 drivers with local Emirates Team comprised by Thani Al Qumzy (27, DAC) and Ahmed Al Hamli (28, DAC). Counting of points was essential for most of the teams and an intensive stress was felt as the end of the Championship was approaching and even the slightest mistake could have meant the loss either for Brigada or Andersson.

A yellow flag situation in the 8th lap resulted by the breakdown of Qatar Team's driver Mohamed Al Ali (20, DAC), ordered the drivers to maintain their racing positions that unfortunately was not followed by Brigada who was later sentenced one lap down however he never relinquished the lead over the field till the end of the race and was cheqered flagged. After discussing the situation, the Race Management awarded Owen Jelf as the winner of the Abu Dhabi Formula 2000 GP, Jonas Andersson became then 2nd best, Brigada finally was given the 6th place in the final race classification.

It could not have been planned better even; the ultimate question was still to be answered during the final round in Qatar just a week later in Doha. Qatar Marine Sports Federation proved its best skills to be the host of the season-closing event, however white tops on the course set the race back again for a while. Tactics and strategy became the keywords as the boats began their last battle.

Ivan Brigada showed a memorable performance after his disappointing weekend in Abu Dhabi and set his 4th win in the season out of the 7 races. Eventually, Brigada earned another 20 to his former 66 points making 86, Jonas Andersson with a 4th finish was awarded with 9 points to his previous 79 scoring 88 altogether and closing the 2004 point-hunt with a gap of 2 points ahead of Brigada. The UIM bronze medal was given to Owen Jelf collecting 79 points altogether.

The 2004 season had been a significant milestone in the history of Boat GP and worldwide powerboating; it began with only 23 competitors, rising to an impressive field of 38 participating drivers by the end of the year.

Taking a closer look on the category, 2005 is the 4th season in the promotion activity of Jose Luis del Palacio and his Catamaran Racing company. The previous 3 years have seen the reform of the old F2 class to an even more attractive and commercially re-based unique brand that became the Boat GP. Itself, Boat GP means a variety of new chances for the international drivers, teams and supporters of powerboating to learn the new ways and philosophy of sport promotion. Bringing up a healthy field of teams, the Boat GP drivers represent the widest group of powerboat pilots all around the globe, no matter where it is raced and how it was called, from 2005 onwards this group of excellent sportsmen and sportswomen will unite under the same flag, the Boat GP.

An exceptional contract with UIM, the world governing body of the sport granted the successful continuity to the Promoter for the next 20 years and also launched new platforms of National and International Boat GP events beside the ultimate challenge of the World Championship. The first test have been already completed, the early months of 2005 witnessed the prosperity of the Mid-East International Boat GP rounds taking place in Qatar and the UAE, the traditional 24 Hours of Rouen featured as many Boat GP drivers as never before by winning valuable podium places, the Nordic Challenge of the Scandinavian Boat GP umbrella closed its first event with loud success of the new title, and Italy have hosted its opening round with the inaugural Boat GP National race.

The class is living now its geographic growth, new agreements in the media coverage, fresh members among the organizing countries will mean an even more significant leap in the international presence. The Boat GP is again opening its doors to commercial and business purposes, to new marketing solutions so that the chequered flag will not only be dropped for the winner of the Grand Prix, but for all who join us in 2005!