Formula Junior
The formula was a junior racing category for single-seat, open cars. It was set up in 1957 as a racing series for young drivers in Italy.
With a small and lightweight single-seater, the offspring for larger tasks should be able to recommend - so the idea of the Italian racing driver and journalist Giovanni Conte Lurani. Lurani coined the first Formula Junior with regulations prevail. The technical regulations envisaged a wheelbase of at least two meters and a minimum weight of 400 kg. The maximum of 1100 cc, the engine had to come from a homologated touring car. In the early years the engine was allowed to be transferred for reasons of cost, only together with the brake system used in this touring car in the Formula Junior. Therefore, the participants started in the early years almost exclusively with inexpensive drum brake systems.
Only in 1961 turned to free the brake system, as the Formula Junior had become much faster in a short time. The first Formula Junior racing cars Stanguellini was equipped with a front engine. With the Lotus models 18 and 20 continued in Formula Junior, the mid-engine layout by. This left the lap times drop sharply.
The many national championships that have been carried out since 1959 around the globe, made the construction of Formula Junior racing cars for a number of companies into a lucrative business. Especially in Italy produced alongside Stanguellini small businesses as Wainer or Patriarca racing cars for Formula Junior. There were also vehicles of other - mostly British - companies like Gemini, Elva or Britannia and the vehicles of the great racing car companies such as Brabham, Lola or Cooper.
As of 1960 there were in Germany a Formula Junior Championship. Wolfgang Graf Berghe von Trips had bought a Stanguellini and initiates a race at the Nürburgring. Known Formula Junior pilots were Kurt Ahrens and Gerhard Mitter.
For season 1964, the engine capacity was limited to 1000 cc, and renamed the class in Formula 3. The name " Formula Junior " could also be used without a FIA regulations thereafter. For example, there was in the 1980s a Mexican Formula Junior. Today there are with the Lurani Trophy for Historic Formula Junior vehicles an official European Championship FIA Motorsport World Association.
After 1990
1991 attacked the ADAC the name back on and started the ADAC Formula Junior Championship. This was continued in 1998 as Formula ADAC. Began in 2000 under the name BMW ADAC Formula Junior Cup, a separate competition within the BMW Formula ADAC championship for 16 - to 18 - year-old. Timo Glock and Christian Klien are two of the drivers who were known from the series. Succession Series, Formula BMW and the ADAC Formula Masters.
With the Formula Cup Mallorca and the formula Europe 2007 more championships were held with these modern Formula Junior cars.