Formula Atlantic
The Formula Atlantic is a motorsport racing class.
The history of the Formula Atlantic began in 1965 as a formula B of the SCCA ( Sports Car Club of America ). With vehicles whose engines were allowed no more than 1.6 liters, these races were held until 1968 under the auspices of the SCCA. From 1969 to 1972, the Formula Atlantic was an independent racing series and had from 1973 different promoters. 1971 races were run with Formula Atlantic race car in the UK for the first time. This resulted in 1972 British racing series, which were organized according to the applicable regulations of the formula. In the UK, the Formula Atlantic could not establish permanently, because she always was under the pressure of the formula 3. In 1983, the last British Formula Atlantic Championship was held.
In the U.S. and Canada, the series also went through an eventful history. So it was from a 1985 East and West Coast Championship, the series of the East Coast, also known as the Pacific series, made the leap to Oceania and is now deployed in Australia and New Zealand.
For manufacturers, the Formula Atlantic was a popular field of activity. The technical regulations were closely related to the Formula 3 and Formula 2. The Formula Atlantic intervened and it was with little effort possible to equalize racing cars. In the beginning, companies such as Brabham, Lotus, March and Chevron, who rebuilt their chassis, Ralt and Reynard were added later. For several years, the American race car producer Swift Engineering supplies unit chassis. The engines come from Mazda.
The series moved into the 1970s and 1980s, a wealth of European host drivers to North America. Drivers like Derek Bell, James Hunt, Riccardo Patrese, Didier Pironi, Keke Rosberg and many others went to the Formula Atlantic at the start. Some well-known pilots were able to win the North American Championship. 1974 and 1975 won William Brack, 1976, 1977 and 1978, Gilles Villeneuve, 1981 and 1982 his brother Jacques. In 1983 the title to Michael Andretti and the last champion in 2009 was the American John Edwards.
From 1976 to 1986, the South African Formula Atlantic Championship was held in South Africa, which was followed by a separate regulation in individual aspects.