2005 FORMULA A -WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP - BRAGA (PORTUGAL) –23RD/24TH/25TH OF SEPTEMBER

BIREL DRIVERS HOLD SWAY

AFTER HAVING CONQUERED THE MOST PRESTIGIOUS TITLES IN THE 125 CLASS, THE BIREL COLOURS HAVE PLAYED THE MAIN ROLE ALSO IN THE 100 CLASS. AMONG THE TOP DRIVERS WERE LANCASTER (WORLD VICE-CHAMPION), LITCHIFIELD AND CHRISTODOULOU.

The Braga track in Portugal hosted the most important event of the season in the 100 class: the Formula A World Championship. For the past three years, this title has been awarded through a single race, therefore forcing teams and drivers to do their best without any possibility of mistakes. These conditions require, in addition to great competitiveness, also a good deal of luck. In terms of competitiveness, the Birel colours have proved themselves on top, even if the absolute victory was missed by a hair’s breadth. Young Jon Lancaster went incredibly close, reaching the second place and ending his first season in Formula A with the prestigious title of World Vice-Champion after having already conquered the 3rd place in the European Championship. But this championship could also have been Christodoulou’s one: the driver ran superb qualifiers, won three heats out of four and was stopped only by a mechanical failure in the Final. The same holds true for excellent Litchfield, who was leading the race head to head with Oliver Oakes when an engine failure stopped him. The driver of the Gillard team was therefore left alone in command of the race and could easily administer the advantage he had gained over Lancaster in the early stages of the race. Oakes was thus crowned World Champion ahead of the Englishman of Birel Motorsport and Forè. The fourth placing went to Bianchi after his comeback from the back rows, whereas Cesetti was kept away from the top positions by a problem with the carburettor.

THE QUALIFIERS | THE HEATS | THE PRE-FINAL | THE FINAL