The Formula X Sport Series will become fact in Monza this weekend as the first two races will be run at the legendary Italian racetrack. Sixteen of the Van Diemen-built cars will take the start of the two rounds which are organised as support races of the Le Mans Endurance Series. At the next rounds at the Nürburgring (3 and 4 July), Silverstone (13 and 14 August) and Spa (11 and 12 September), the grids are expected to swell to 20 to 25 of the high-tech single-seaters with prototype bodywork.
"Taking into account that this is the first real race of a brand new championship, we shouldn't complain," the President of Formula X, Quirin Bovy, said. "Some of our suppliers were late, especially those making the bodyworks and the rear wings, which means we are limited to the sixteen cars that will the take the start at Monza. The good thing is that the drivers present will get an even more professional service from the Formula X team, with plenty of spare parts, just in case. The most important thing for any new championship is to get that first race under our belts. At the same time we are happy to support the rebirth of endurance racing in Europe thanks to the LMES."
Two 45-minute races are scheduled for this weekend. Both races will be runwithout pitstops and with just one driver driving. Round 1 will start on Saturday at 2.30pm, round 2 on Sunday at 10.00am. Before that all the drivers will get to grips with their cars during two free practice sessions and two qualifying sessions which will define the two starting grids.
"We are anxious to show the cars' potential," Eric van de Poele explains. Van de Poele will be present at Monza to let the drivers benefit from his racing experience in general and with this car in particular. "The cars are reliable, fast and rather easy to drive, which increases the "fun factor" for the drivers. Our team is well organised, with John Wickham as our team manager, Werner Schroeder as our engineer and Laurent Christel our chief mechanic."
The entry list boasts drivers from the four corners of the world, as well as with different backgrounds. Veteran drivers like ex-F1 and ex-CART driver, Fulvio Ballabio, will mix it with the likes of Vanina Ickx - the daughter of sportscar legend Jacky -, gentleman-drivers looking for some thrills and unforgettable experiences, as well young guns like the Japanese drivers entered by Team Goh.
2004 FORMULA X SPORT SERIES - ENTRY LIST MONZA
Nr - Driver - Nationality - Colour of car
1. Kasuyuki NISHIZAWA Japan white2 .Shinsuke YAMAZAKI Japan white3 .Gian Maria GABBIANI Italy yellow4. Fulvio BALLABIO Monaco green5. Julien GERBI France yellow6. Enea CASONI Italy white7. Dieter HUBERT Austria blue8. Marc BLATON Belgium white9. Manuele GATTO Italy orange10 Benjamin PORON France blue11 Marco PANZAVUOTA Italy red12 Vanina ICKX Belgium white14 Jean-Michel PAPPOLA France green15 Roger WALTERS Great Britain orange16 Franco VALLOBRA USA red17 Didier SOMMEREAU France whi
