News

‘Superleague Formula by Sonangol’ all set for blast off in France

25/06/2009

The former home of the French Grand Prix not only will witness the start of what promises to be an even more dramatic second season for the ground breaking Superleague Formula series – that combines the gusto and exhilaration of premier league motor sport with the passion and obsession of football – but also will witness several significant evolutions for the dynamic championship.

Major new developments for 2009 include the arrival of three new soccer clubs, a thrilling new race format, the introduction of upgraded and more powerful V12 engines, the addition of three famous new venues, even more top class drivers as well as the advent of a new title sponsor following confirmation that Angolan-based multinational oil giant Sonangol has entered into an important two-year partnership with Superleague Formula.

As well as the three Superleage Formula headline races (see Super Final below), this weekend’s busy track schedule includes rounds of both the Euroseries 3000 and popular MitJets championships.

However, as always, there is far more to a Superleague Formula event than on-track action. Adding an extra fun dimension to each race weekend, meetings include a programme of off-track entertainment with festival activities for all ages to add extra value to the admission ticket. At Magny-Cours fans can enjoy a wide range of amusing entertainments including: stunt moto displays, slot car racing, minikarts, Playstation contests and many more.

An ‘open-to-all’ philosophy also allows fans to get access to the paddock, to the rear of the pit garages and to meet their football and racing heroes. Adding to the excitement, in the final build up to the opening weekend at Magny-Cours there will be a spectacular demonstration featuring the Olympique Lyonnais, Liverpool and AS Roma cars on the streets of the local city of Nevers. This dazzling street show is being organised by Superleague Formula, Magny Cours and the city hall.

Three new clubs:

The majority of those internationally renowned soccer clubs contesting the inaugural Superleague Formula are back for more action in 2009. This time, though, European champions such as AC Milan and Liverpool FC are joined on the 18-car grid by three ambitious rookies: FC Midtjylland, Olympique Lyonnais, and Sporting Clube de Portugal. Olympique Lyonnais is the series’ first French club and sure to be the ‘fans favourite’ this weekend at Magny-Cours.

New Super Final climax:

Magny-Cours will witness the introduction of an exciting new race format. As in 2008, race day will feature two 45-minutes showdowns, the second with a reverse starting grid taken from the finishing results of the first. However the action-packed schedule will now reach its thrilling climax with a third race for the top three finishers from the first two races. This special six-car ‘shoot-out’ will decide the overall ‘Weekend Winner’. Extra championship points will not be on offer but the final results will determine the distribution of each event’s €333,000 prize fund.

More powerful V12 engines:

Specially designed and manufactured exclusively for the series by Menard Competition Technologies in Oxfordshire, England, the advanced 4.2-litre V12 is fitted to all the single-seater racers that represent many of the world’s top football clubs on the vibrant Superleague Formula grid. Since its introduction in 2008, the high-tech 750+ horsepower engine has received widespread acclaim for both its power and reliability as well as for delivering stirring sounds, which have added greatly to the football-inspired fervor in the grandstands. Now, with a year’s racing experience successfully completed, MCT has introduced several significant upgrades aimed at increasing both power and durability. Notable new developments include an improved water system plus revisions to the oil system to reduce oil surge in high g-force corners.

Three new venues:

Three of the most successful venues from the inaugural Superleague Formula calendar have been retained on the 2009 six-round schedule: Donington Park (GB); Zolder (BEL) and Estoril (POR). The trio of new circuits also boast considerable Formula 1 pedigree: Magny-Cours was home to the French Grand Prix until this year; Monza still hosts the Italian Grand Prix while Jarama has staged many Spanish Grands Prix.

Top class driver line-up:

This year’s ‘Superleague Formula by Sonangol’ grid will feature some of the world’s top racing drivers as well as some of the sport’s brightest young prospects. The most significant new addition is, perhaps, former Grand Prix driver and reigning GP2 Series champion Giorgio Pantano. The 30-year-old Italian has signed to race for his favourite team AC Milan. Other former F1 drivers include Antonio Pizzonia (Corinthians) and Enrique Bernoldi (Flamengo).

Title sponsorship from Sonangol:

Superleague Formula enters a significant new era after concluding a major two-year partnership with oil giant Sonangol and will be renamed ‘Superleague Formula by Sonangol’. Sonangol is a global company responsible for petroleum and natural gas production in Angola. The state-owned company was formed following Angola’s independence from Portugal in 1976 with a mandate to manage the country’s substantial oil and natural gas reserves. Prioritizing the management of hydrocarbons, environmental protection and industrial safety, Sonangol has created a diversified business that is centered around oil. With headquarters in Luanda, Sonangol is proud to be the only company with representations in the whole country. Overseas the company has offices in Congo; China; USA; England and Singapore. More than 30 subsidiaries and joint venture companies are now part of Sonangol Group.