Superleague Formula: A New Exciting Brand of Racing - 5 VIDEOS

BARCELONA - May 14, 2010: Superleague Formula is the fusion of the two of the world’s most popular sports – capturing the passion of football with the thrill and excitement of motor racing.

The new concept kicked off in August 2008 with a field of V12-powered 750 horsepower single seater racecars bearing the colours of the world’s leading football teams.

Traditional rivals on the pitch will do battle at some of the world’s greatest racetracks. This is more than just a race, Superleague Formula will provide a spectacular entertainment package for all the family at each event.

Race format
Adding to Superleague Formula’s appeal is its unique Qualifying format, with a fully reversed grid in the second race and the Super Final. Not only are we offering spectacular racing but the biggest prize fund in European motorsport, with the league Champions set to pocket a hefty €1 million. On top of that runners up will receive a cool €500,000 with third place taking home €250,000.

Technically identical cars and engines representing the 18 competing football clubs will see the popular Super Final race, introduced in 2009, again in 2010, where 6 clubs will do a five lap dash for cash at the end of race two on Sundays. Drivers will do battle for a weekend purse of €100,000 in prize money going to the winner of each weekend round. Unlike in 2009 however, prize money will be awarded to all half-dozen finalists meaning that for the first time, fourth to sixth stand to win a share of €55,000, with second and third receiving €75,000 and €50,000 respectively, as they did in ‘09. It’s therefore possible for one driver to amass a staggering €2.2 million should they win all 12 Super Finals throughout the season. Points are awarded on a scale from first to last. Each club accumulates points and the Superleague Formula Champions will be the club with most points at the end of the twelve round season.

The five videos below will give you a great introduction to Superleague Formula, with a look back at last season.

Superleague Formula by Sonangol rolls into Assen for round two

Superleague Formula by Sonangol heads into something of the unknown at TT Circuit Assen on May 15/16 where championship leaders Tottenham Hotspur and driver Craig Dolby will be out to extend their lead at the top of the standings.

Better known as the cathedral of motorcycling, the 2.830 mile circuit located in north eastern Holland should prove a real challenge for the championship’s V12-powered 750bhp single seaters thanks to it being specifically designed with motorbikes in mind.

One man to keep an eye on will undoubtedly be Sebastien Bourdais. The Olympique Lyonnais driver was on fine form at Silverstone last time out, winning the second race after a pit stop drama cost him a potential podium in the first. What is more, the Frenchman still holds the outright lap record for Assen, claiming pole position with a time of 1m18.756s when the Champ Car World Series visited in 2007.

Home fans too will have something to shout about with no less than three Dutch drivers and one Eredivisie club – PSV Eindhoven – in the mix. Indeed, AC Milan’s Yelmer Buurman and Olympiacos’ Chris van der Drift both enjoyed strong outings at Silverstone, the latter wrapping up podiums in both race’s two and three, as well as accepting a cheque for €50,000 for his Super Final exploits.

Former F1-driver Robert Doornbos meanwhile will be hoping for improved luck on home soil with Corinthians after enduring a difficult return to the championship in Britain. Indian Narain Karthikeyan is another who will be eager to put a disappointing opening round weekend behind him when he again takes the wheel for PSV.

Chris van der Drift, Olympiacos: “The first race at Silverstone was a real test for us, but we still managed to finish second in race two and third in the Super Final. At Silverstone, everybody was not completely prepared, so nobody really knows where they stand yet. In any case we are not far from the front, so a top six finish should be possible in Assen.”

Yelmer Buurman, AC Milan: “It was a very long time ago when I last raced at Assen, in 2004 when I was still driving in Formula Renault. It was a really great track then but has changed a lot since, so I will have to get used to it once again. We need to wait and see how we all compare to each other of course, but I really hope to score a podium. However, this is a really competitive grid and it will definitely not be easy!”

Robert Doornbos, Corinthians: “I drove in a Champ Car race at Assen in 2007 and it’s a really cool circuit. The track is very fast and you notice because of the slopes in the corners that it’s a motorcycle track. I am looking forward to the Superleague Formula Grand Prix Assen race and hope we will be able to make it one big party.”

Catch the action of every practice and qualifying session, as well as the three races from Assen live on the Superleague Formula website. Alternatively, UK viewers can watch race one live at 9.45am on ESPN with race two and the Super Final replayed in full at 4.30pm the same afternoon, Sunday May 16.