Photo by Jakob Ebrey Photography
2010 Protyre Formula Renault BARC Champions Hillspeed have welcomed today’s announcement concerning the creation of the ‘Renault GP Cup’, which enables the Formula Renault BARC drivers and teams’ the chance to compete in the final three events of the 2012 Certina Formula Renault 2.0 UK Championship.
Established by Protyre Formula Renault BARC organisers and the British Automobile Racing Club, the new ‘Renault GP Cup’ goes some way to replacing the proposed ‘Formula Renault Junior’ category, which was aimed at bolstering the grid sizes for the British Touring Car Championship supporting Formula Renault UK.
The ‘Renault GP Cup’ is a separate, standalone series, away from the main Protyre Formula Renault BARC Championship and the Renault GP Cup will allow those racers who have registered for the BARC Campaign to take advantage of the added option of competing in the final three Formula Renault UK events of the 2012 campaign, at Silverstone, Rockingham and Brands Hatch.
It is hoped that the introduction of the Renault GP Cup, for drivers in the Tatuus FR2.0 cars, will bolster the grid numbers by ten to twelve cars.
The first event for the Renault GP Cup will be the Cooper Tires British Formula 3 International Series meeting on the Silverstone Grand Prix circuit over the 8/9 September, before moving to Rockingham on the 22/23 September and Brands Hatch Grand Prix circuit over the 20/21 October. The Rockingham and Brands Hatch weekends are in support to the British Touring Car Championship.
“The planned introduction of the Junior class in Formula Renault UK was an ideal opportunity to provide drivers with a halfway point between BARC Renault and the full UK championship”, said Hillspeed principal Richard Ollerenshaw, “Unfortunately, the current climate means the desire just isn’t there to do that – the economics don’t support it.
“What has been put forward now with the Renault GP Cup has the benefits of the Junior class but in a programme the BARC drivers can be offered at an acceptable budget level. We definitely welcome this as a good step forward and support it wholeheartedly.”
He added: “The BARC championship has gone from strength to strength in recent years, it’s a fantastic place to make the transition from karts to cars and can also be an ideal place to race for drivers who already have some car experience. I’m sure the organisers and teams will look at how strong the Renault GP Cup proves to be this year with a view to developing it further in 2013.”
Ahead of the season opener at Snetterton, Norfolk over the 7/8 April, the Derbyshire based team is keen to hear from drivers who are interested in competing in the main Protyre Formula Renault BARC Championship and the Renault GP Cup.
For more details of the packages offered by Hillspeed, please contact Richard Ollerenshaw on 01433 650400 or by email to info@hillspeed.co.uk
