FIA Sportscar preview: New name, new hope

The eight-race championship enjoyed a significant upgrade in its status last Autumn when it was announced that the former SportsRacing World Cup would be given the FIA name. Series boss John Mangoletsi believes the series will continue to allow new and old cars to compete on an even keel.

"Sealing the FIA title confirms that next year the championship will go from strength to strength with new teams and constructors joining us just as they have every season since our inception in 1997." said Mangoletsi.

Those new cars, like the Dome S101 and the Reynard 01Q, will battle it out with more familiar entries from Ferrari, Riley & Scott, Lola, Courage and Ascari. This will also be the case in SR2 with new constructors like AJEC, and new teams such as British Formula 3 frontrunners Rowan Racing joining the championship.

So far, pre-season testing suggests that the Ascari A410 will be the car to beat as it has flown in the hands of new signing Ben Collins and his highly rated team mate, Werner Lupberger. The team have re-structured over the winter and taken on the highly-respected Ian Dawson as team manager.

"We know the speed of the car and now we must ensure that we have the staying power as well," said Dawson. "Ben and Werner are going to be really closely matched on pace and what is more they work so well together."

Ferrari has won the series for the past three years and there is every indication that the Prancing Horse will challenge for another title. The most intriguing entry is the GLV Brums entered car that will race with a Judd V10 in the back of the classic 333SP design.

The Monaco based outfit is taking a leaf out of American based Doran Racing's book by mating the two independently successful components in to what they hope is a competitive proposition. Giovanni Lavaggi has been joined by Britain's Christian Vann.

Championship regulars BMS Scuderia Italia will enter two more Ferraris and the Brescia-based team are developing their own modifications on the Dallara built chassis. The former F1 team will welcome back one of its old boys, 2000 champion Christian Pescatori, for six races this year.

There will be three of the familiar Riley & Scotts with R&M and Conrero hoping to bring their Italian-American alliance more victories. R&M will run their regular chassis for the first three rounds before blooding their own R&M creation in the summer. The car, which is based on the Riley & Scott design, will use the same Judd V10 and team boss Fabio Montani has kept his impressive driver line up of Mauro Baldi and Gary Formato.

Conrero will have a two pronged attack that will see team returnee Alex Caffi re-acquaint himself with 1998 team mate and fellow ex F1 peddler Andrea Chiesa. This pair will race the ex Solution F R&S with a V8 Roush powerplant. A second car will be entered for Beppe Gabbiani and 1999 SR2 champion Angelo Lancelottti.

Courage is back with sportscar legend Henri Pescarolo's slick team using the Peugeot engine that propelled them to fourth overall in last years Le Mans 24 Hours. Henri has assembled a strong driving line up that includes former Sauber F1 racer 'Jules' Boullion and rising Formula 3000 star Sebastian Bourdais.

Moving up to SR1 for 2001 is the Redman Bright team with its Reynard 01Q-Judd. Last years SR2 champions have retained Mark Smithson and Peter Owen for this attack, but with only a couple of days testing at Monza behind it, the team is playing itself in gently.

The undoubted jewel in the championship's crown is the Monza 1000kms that has been revived in to its original format after 3 years as two 500kms sprints. The race that takes place just two weeks after Barcelona looks set to attract a bumper grid that will include an invitational class for GT and GTS cars.

After that, the championship heads to the magnificent Spa Francorchamps and then on to Brno, Magny Cours, Donington, Nurburgring and Kyalami.