British Formula One Series
The Aurora AFX Formula 1 series, also known as British Formula 1 Championship, was a single-seater racing series, which was extended from 1978 to 1982 with vehicles of racing Formula 1.
The series
The race series got its name from the British Aurora Company, which was active as a main sponsor of the series from 1978 to 1980. Emerged the championship is out of the Group 8 Shell Sport Championship, which was extended to 1977 with Formula 5000 race car. From 1978 Formula 1 cars were used. For the most part these were scrapped vehicles from the Formula 1 World Championship, as the McLaren M23, the Ensign N180, the Williams FW07 or Lyncar 006 that were acquired by the Aurora team. Only March built a special racer just for this race series - the March 781
The series attracted a lot of drivers; Start the fields were large, in 1978 a total of 38 pilots were trying to qualify for the respective race. In 1980, there was the only win by a woman in a Formula 1 race; Desiré Wilson won on April 7, the championship round at Brands Hatch. Special attention was the 15-times world motorcycle champion Giacomo Agostini, who with his team and a Williams FW06 participated in 1979 and 1980 a total of 22 races in the series.
Most events were held on racetracks in the UK; Exceptions were only the race in Nogaro, Monza, Zolder and Zandvoort. First overall winner in 1978 was Tony trimmer on a McLaren M23. The last title of this series took in 1982 Jim Crawford.