Formula Abarth, the new
series aimed squarely at young drivers making their
first step onto the single-seater racing "ladder" will
be expanding into China this year, taking the Scorpion
brand's concept and Fiat Powertrain (FPT) – which
supplies the engines – into a whole new territory.
Formula Abarth started off with a very well subscribed
Italian series, Formula ACI CSAI Abarth, where
youngsters can compete from the age of 16 onwards once
they have passed an ACI/CSAI racing licence course,
which is now being joined by a pan-European
championship.
Now that already successful package is being expanded
into China. To be known as Formula Pilota China
it will leverage the single-seater cars supplied by
Tatuus and the engines and technology of FPT and Abarth
as well as the Scorpion's "spirit" of building a
successful platform for youngsters to further develop
their single-seater careers.
Formula Pilota
China will consist of six events this year, each
with a double header format making up twelve points
scoring rounds, and it will visit the circuits of
Shanghai, home of the Chinese F1 Grand Prix, Ordos and
Zhuhai in China as well as another F1 track in the shape
of Sepang in Malaysia. Formula Pilota China will
aim to not only provide a cost effective series
concerning developing driver talents, but also in terms
of marketing. The organisers are currently working on
some final touches on securing important deals that will
push the most talented of the young "pilota" onto higher
platforms while important links with the European motor
sports will be announced soon.
The series' plans
bring a new concept to the Asian motorsport by offering
a "state of art" formula racing car at an affordable
price. Despite not achieving the brake horse power of a
Formula 3 car or its aerodynamic sophistication level,
the Italian Formula ACI CSAI Abarth Championship has
already taught young drivers a lot in terms of setting a
car up and in preparing them for the leap to higher
categories armed with a stronger technical background.
Teams have also been able to study and devise the most
effective solutions by using their own initiative. On
the aerodynamics side down-forces are quite close to
those of a Formula 3 machine while every car has 10/12
gear ratios, meaning drivers have to experiment with
several solutions without limiting themselves to the
choice of long-medium-short ratios that is normally
employed in these entry level formulae. Raffaele
Giammaria, the "instructor" for the Italian Formula ACI
CSAI Abarth says: "The single seater is very good from a
technical viewpoint since it is based on the Formula
Renault 2.0 single seater, with technical evolutions
that in the last years distinguished the Tatuus. From a
driving viewpoint is very similar to a Formula 3 [car].
The engine is fairly difficult to use, since it is
derived from the 500 Abarth and has 180 HP. Being a
turbo engine it has a sharp supply from 4,500 rpm on.
All these aspects make the Formula Abarth a tough car to
be driven but certainly very safe and preparatory for
drivers coming from kart that are at their debut on
single seaters."
The organisers have
reported that many teams and drivers have already shown
interest and a minimum of 16 cars will be on the grid
for the inaugural race which is set to kick off on June
26 at the Sepang International Circuit (MSS). That race
will be followed by a second trip to a grand prix
circuit as the series moves on to the Shanghai
International Circuit (Ferrari Festival) on July 24.
Then it will be back to Shanghai on August 21 for a
second round at that track before the season reaches a
pitch with two events in September, at the Ordos
International Circuit (CTCC) on September 4 and then at
the Zhuhai International Circuit (Pan Delta Super Racing
Festival) on September 18. The inaugural Formula
Pilota China will conclude on November 06 with a
round at Guangdong International Circuit (CTCC).
