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Formula 5000 (orF5000) was anopen wheel, single seater auto-racing formula that ran in different series in various regions around the world from 1968 to 1982. It was originally intended as a low-cost series aimed at open-wheel racing cars that no longer fit into any particular formula. The '5000' denomination comes from the maximum 5.0 litre engine capacity allowed in the cars, although many cars ran with smaller engines. Manufacturers includedMcLaren,Eagle,March,Lola,Lotus,Elfin,Matich andChevron.
In its declining years in North America Formula 5000 was re-booted as theCan-Am series with cars being modified into closed wheel, but still single-seatsports car category.
Formula 5000 was introduced in 1968 as a class within SCCAFormula A races, a series where single seaters from different origins were allowed to compete, but which rapidly came to be dominated by the cars equipped with production-based American V8s. The engines used were generally 5 litre, fuel injectedChevrolet engines with about 500 horsepower (370 kW) at 8000 rpm, although other makes were also used.[1] The concept was inspired by the success of theCan-Am Series, which featured unlimited formulasports cars fitted with very powerful engines derived from AmericanV8s; the idea was to replicate the concept usingopen wheel racing cars. F5000 enjoyed popularity in the early 1970s in the U.S. and featured drivers such asMario Andretti,Al Unser,Bobby Unser,James Hunt,Jody Scheckter,Brian Redman,David Hobbs,Tony Adamowicz,Sam Posey,Ian Ashley,John Cannon andEppie Wietzes.
Increasing costs and Lola domination meant the formula quickly lost its appeal after 1975. Older cars continued to be used in the SCCA national races, but the most competitive teams reconverted their cars with sports car bodyworks, in the resurrectedCan-Am championship, starting in 1977. The formula worked initially, with a number of European drivers crossing the Atlantic to attend the SCCA-run championship, but whenIMSA introduced the new GTP prototype regulations for theIMSA GT Championship in 1981, the old F5000 were now clumsy and slow compared to the new cars.[citation needed]
In the UK, the arrival of theCosworth DFV engine meant that many teams could now afford to build their own chassis around a good engine/transmission package, soCooper, Lotus andBrabham stopped the production of customerFormula 1 cars. Unfortunately, smaller privateer teams and drivers that entered Britain's non-championship F1 events were left behind, and theRAC quickly adopted the American F5000 regulations.
A European championship was first run in 1969 as the Guards Formula 5000 Championship.[2] This was renamed to Guards European Formula 5000 Championship in 1970, to Rothmans European Formula 5000 Championship in 1971 and then to ShellSport European Formula 5000 Championship in 1975.[2]
Unlike the American series, the European championship didn't attract many star names from Formula 1 and sports cars, and was dominated by drivers that were usually seen inFormula 2 or at the back of F1's World Championship grids.Peter Gethin managed to launch his F1 career thanks to his F5000 championship titles. While it was based in the United Kingdom, the series managed to spread across Europe, with races held at many international circuits, includingMonza (Italy),Hockenheim (Germany) andZandvoort (Netherlands), and attracted a significant number of continental drivers.
The weak pound (a result of the energy crisis) and the increasing cost of importing Chevrolet V8 engines caused some concern and engine regulations for European F5000 were revised to permit engines other than the 5.0 litre pushrod V8s - the DOHCCosworth GA V6 (based on a unit used in Group 2Capris was permitted to race at a capacity of 3500cc. March 75A and Chevron B30 cars were successful with the V6, the March in particular being little more than a 751Formula One car with minor modifications for the new engine.
However, the same problem that befell US F5000 happened in Europe, and in 1976 the European F5000 Championship evolved into the Shellsport Group 8 Championship. This was a British-based series forFormula 1,Formula 2, Formula 5000 andFormula Atlantic cars,[3] forming the basis of what would become theAurora F1 Championship in 1978. The F1 Championship was open to Formula 1 and Formula 2 cars only, with Formula 5000 cars no longer eligible.
Older F5000 cars continued to be used in the British Sprint Championship and were common inFormula Libre races well into the 1980s.
In Australia and New Zealand, the Tasman Formula, defining cars eligible for the annualTasman Series, was extended in 1970 to include Formula 5000 cars as well as the existing 2.5 litre cars.[4] The Tasman Series ran during the Formula One off season in the European winter, and in the 1960s it had attracted the attention of the greatest names in Grand Prix racing, from localsJack Brabham,Denny Hulme,Bruce McLaren andChris Amon, to foreigners likeGraham Hill,Jim Clark,Jackie Stewart,Phil Hill,Piers Courage andJochen Rindt.
However, by the 1970s Formula One had become more commercial and the Grand Prix stars no longer took part. The Tasman Series had become a competitive Australian/New Zealand local championship leaving the field to be dominated by the cream of "Down Under" drivers such asFrank Matich,Frank Gardner,Kevin Bartlett,Vern Schuppan,Graeme McRae,Graeme Lawrence,Warwick Brown,Johnnie Walker,John McCormack,Alan Jones,John Goss,Larry Perkins,John Bowe andGarrie Cooper racing against European and American drivers such asDavid Hobbs,Teddy Pilette,Mike Hailwood,Sam Posey,Richard Attwood andPeter Gethin. The four Australian Formula 5000 Tasman races continued (separate from the New Zealand races) as theRothmans International Series from 1976 until 1979.
Formula 5000 was also the main component ofAustralian Formula 1 from 1971 to 1981 and this formula was the primary category contesting theAustralian Drivers' Championship during those years and theAustralian Grand Prix until 1980. Although still called Australian Formula 1 until 1983, F5000 was replaced byFormula Pacific andFormula Mondial after 1981.
While European cars such as the variousLolas,McLarens andChevrons were popular, locally made cars fromMatich (Matich A50, A51, A52 and A53),Elfin (Elfin MR5, MR6, MR8 and the MR9, the only F5000 ever designed and built from the ground up withground effects) andMcRae were also successful. The most popular engine used was the 5.0 L (4,958 cc)Chevrolet V8, with the Australian madeRepco Holden (4.9 L (4,940 cc)), based on the 5.0 L (5,044 cc)Holden V8 engine also popular and successful. Repco also modified the 4.4 L (4,414 cc)Leyland P76V8 engine into a 4.9 L (4,931 cc) V8 developing around 470 bhp (350 kW; 477 PS) at its peak in 1977.
Formula 5000 remains a popular historic category in Australia and New Zealand with the Tasman Revival Series running races in both countries.
TheS5000 Australian Drivers' Championship is marketed as a modern interpretation of Formula 5000, featuring a modern European-built open wheeler chassis fitted with a large-capacity V8 engine.[5]
TheSouth African Formula One Championship was opened to Formula 5000 cars in 1968, with these racing against Formula One and Formula Two cars until the series switched toFormula Atlantic from 1976 onwards.[6]
The category was revived in the late 2000s in New Zealand as an amateur historic racing category. In 2009/2010, a five round race series was held, the final round as a support race for the2010 Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne, Australia.[7]
The annual Wine Country Classic, a historic automobile racing event held atInfineon Raceway inSonoma, California, had a tribute to Formula 5000 in 2008.[8] At that time, the Wine Country Classic was a sister event to the popularMonterey Historic Automobile Races held atMazda Raceway Laguna Seca inMonterey, California.
In 2014, the Rolex Monterey Reunion featured Formula 5000 cars as a featured race to conclude the weekend and the 2015 get together included Formula 5000 cars as well.[9]
1971 SCCA Formula A Champion was Dave Heinz of Tampa, Florida in a Lola 142/Traco Chevy. The SCCA Runoffs were run at Road Atlanta that year.
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