Campos Grand Prix

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Campos Grand Prix , until 2007 Campos Racing , is a Spanish motorsport team that currently drives in Spanish Formula 3 . The founder of the team is the former Formula 1 racing driver Adrián Campos . From 2005 to 2008 the team was active in the GP2 series . In the 2008 season, the team drove in the GP2 series under the name Barwa International Campos Team . After Adrián Campos retired from the GP2 team at the end of 2008, it was taken over by Alejandro Agag for the 2009 GP2 series and renamed Barwa Addax . An involvement in Formula 1 was planned for the 2010 season. Campos got a permanent starting place in June 2009, but the development of the team stalled early due to financial problems. The Spanish industrialist José Ramón Carabante has been the owner of this team since the beginning of 2010, who runs it together with Colin Kolles and which he is launching under the name Hispania Racing F1 Team 2010.

World Series by Nissan

In 1998, Adrián Campos founded the team under the name Adrián Campos Motorsport to promote young drivers. In 2005 the team was renamed Campos Racing, since 2007 it has been called the Campos Grand Prix. From 1998 to 2003 the team competed in the Euro Open by Nissan . In the very first year of this series, the team with its driver Marc Gené decided both the driver and team standings for themselves. The second driver, Antonio García , finished fifth in the drivers' standings. The following year, alongside García, the future Formula 1 world champion Fernando Alonso drove for Campos. Alonso won six races and the title of the Euro Open by Nissan. The team defended its title in the team standings, Garcia was again fifth.

Also in 2000 came Antonio García, the winner of the series from Team Campos, renamed Open Telefónica by Nissan . For the third time in a row, the team championship was also won. The second driver, Patrice Gay , finished fifth. In 2001 the team started with three vehicles. After García was promoted to Formula 3000 , the cockpits were given to young drivers: Rafael Sarandeses , Mateo Bobbi and Borja García . This season it was only enough for third place in the team classification.

In 2002 Antonio García came back to the team. Next to him, Polo Villaamil started in the series renamed World Series by Nissan . The team finished fifth overall. Garciá also took this place in the drivers' standings, while Villaamil came in tenth. In 2003 the team competed in the World Series by Nissan, initially with Marc Gené and Santiago Porteiro . Gené won the race at Zolder , but switched to Williams-BMW as a test driver in the middle of the season . He was replaced by Jose Aicart and later Antonio García, who could not build on his successes. The team therefore only occupies eighth place in the team ranking.

Formula 3

After a bad year in the World Series, the team decided to only compete in Spanish Formula 3 in 2004 . Campos Grand Prix is ​​still involved in this racing series today. In 2005 and 2007 the team was runner-up in the team standings , and in 2006, Roldán Rodríguez was runner-up in the driver’s standings. In 2007 Campos driver Nicolas Prost came third in the drivers' championship. In 2008 he finally achieved a double success with a victory in the overall standings and Germán Sánchez won the drivers' championship . With the Swiss Natacha Gachnang , the third place finisher in the 2008 season also belonged to the Campos team.

GP2 series

In 2005, a new racing series was started with the GP2 series as the successor to the discontinued Formula 3000 , which is located above the World Series and is designed as a direct junior series for Formula 1. The team decided to take part in this racing series and was renamed Campos Racing. In the 2005 season Campos competed with drivers Juan Cruz Álvarez and Sergio Hernández , but was only twelfth and last in the team standings.

For the 2006 season , the team was hoping for a significant increase with Adrián Vallés as the new driver. Vallés was runner-up in Formula Renault 3.5 in 2005. The second cockpit was given to Félix Porteiro , who was fifth in the 2005 World Series. Both drivers disappointed, however, the best place was a podium for Vallés at the race in Valencia . At the end of the season, the team finished twelfth.

Only the 2007 season brought the hoped-for success in the GP2 series. With the Formula 1 driver Giorgio Pantano and Vitali Petrow , the team, renamed Campos Grand Prix, celebrated three victories, including a double victory in the race in Valencia and three further podium places. In the overall standings, Campos took third place.

In 2008 Campos Grand Prix started with Petrow and the young British driver Ben Hanley in the GP2 series. Shortly before the fourth race weekend at Magny-Cours , however, Hanley was replaced by the Brazilian Lucas di Grassi . He was able to fully meet the expectations placed in him with three wins and three second places, so that despite the late start to the season, a third place in the drivers' standings jumped out. Together with the achievements of Petrow, who achieved one victory and two podium positions, it was enough for first place in the team classification.

In the GP2 Asia series , the team finished third overall in the first season in 2008 . In the 2008/2009 season , Campos is represented by Witali Petrow and Sergio Pérez .

formula 1

In May 2009, Campos Grand Prix registered for Formula 1 for the 2010 season , for which the FIA also received an acceptance on June 12, 2009. In October 2009 Campos joined the Formula 1 team association FOTA . The Italian designer Dallara , who had already produced racing cars for the Formula 1 team BMS Scuderia Italia from 1988 to 1992, was commissioned to develop the chassis . The British manufacturer Cosworth was planned as the engine supplier .

After money problems arose in early 2010, Jose Ramon Carabante took over the team in mid-February and thus ensured its continued existence for 2010. Colin Kolles became the new team boss. The team entered the 2010 Formula 1 season under the name Hispania Racing F1 Team . Bruno Senna and Karun Chandhok were signed as drivers .

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ "Di Grassi replaces Hanley at Campos" (Motorsport-Total.com on June 9, 2008)
  2. ↑ “Campos's team lodges F1 entry” (autosport.com on May 22, 2009)
  3. ^ "Campos apparently also in the FOTA" (Motorsport-Total.com on October 28, 2009)
  4. ↑ "Campos with budget concerns: first test date is set" (Motorsport-Total.com on July 24, 2009)
  5. ↑ "Campos confirms rescue" (Motorsport-Magazin.com on February 19, 2010)
  6. ↑ "Campos saved: Kolles new team boss!" (Motorsport-Total.com on February 19, 2010)
  7. ↑ Campos becomes Hispania: Message from Motorsport total from March 3, 2010