Current Champion Reece Hendl-Cox
New Zealand Formula First Championship
CategoryOpen Wheel Racing
Country New Zealand
Inaugural season1967
Drivers22 (2019)
ConstructorsVolkswagen
Engine suppliersVW 1200 (80 hp approx.)
Tyre suppliersMaxxis MA-P3
Drivers' championNew Zealand Chris Symon [1]
Official website

The Formula Vee concept was brought to New Zealand by Barry Munro. Munro was an Officer in the New Zealand Army and built the first Formula Vee in the country. The chassis design for the Munro Vee began in 1966, with the first mock-up being completed in November of that year. The car was then finished in March of the following year (1967). At that time, all racing cars were required to be registered, and the Munro Vee was registered for the first time on February 10, 1967. It was built with affordability in mind and limited technology available to him. Munro made the nose cone by using a wool coat shaped over metal ribs and set with a resin. During the 1967 season, Munro entered the car in its first race at Levin in March and raced the car as much as he could, entering it in any class he could to build the profile of the car and start creating interest for others to join him in making a Formula Vee. Digby Taylor was the next to build a Formula Vee and it didn't take long before the first all Formula Vee race was ready to take place.

Formula Vee has proven itself as a winning formula for driver development and great racing over its 50 years in New Zealand. From producing Formula 1 and IndyCar drivers and touring car champions. The New Zealand Formula First Championship included many big names through the championship over the years, most notably Scott Dixon, Brendon Hartley, Liam Lawson, Shane van Gisbergen, Mitch Evans and Richie Stanaway.

History

On November 25, 1967, around six cars lined up at Levin for the first ever Formula Vee race in New Zealand. Barry Munro, George Hetterscheid, Roy King, Digby Taylor, John Macey, Ivan Berry, Brian Yates, and Phil Deer made up the grid for the first race at Bay Park. The class quickly made it to the top events, including the 'Rothmans National' meeting at Pukekohe.

50 Years later, the class is still in existence, although still sticking with the core Formula Vee concept such as using the 1,200 cc (73 cu in) VW engine. The cars developed over the years while still maintaining their affordability and 'simplistic' nature allowing almost anyone to successfully run a car. Another change in the class was its renaming at the start of the 1998–99 season to 'Formula First' to reflect its part in the motorsport pathway.

Formula First TV

Originally, Formula First TV was known as NZ Formula First on their YouTube channel with Jordie Peters, both interviewing, filming and editing race footage. The first episode premiered on YouTube on 24 October 2015. Just over one and a half years later the first ever episode of Formula First TV premiered on 6 May, 2017 on YouTube with presenters Jonathan Morton and Sheridan Bonner. Both presenters are still currently employed in these roles, as well as other one-off presenters such as Callum Crawley and Conrad Clark.[2]

Success stories

The New Zealand Formula First Championship has a history of producing champions. The class has proven it is the first step in forging a successful motor racing career, allowing competitors to learn the essentials of racing. It is hard to look back at Kiwi drivers who have gone on to win championships at home and abroad and find one that didn't start with Formula First. Scott Dixon became NZ's first 'junior driver', entering the championship at 12 years of age and winning the National Championship in his rookie season. Formula One driver, WEC Champion and Le Mans 24 hour winner Brendon Hartley was another driver who started their racing with Formula First in their early teens. Open wheeler Mitch Evans is another of those success stories the class has seen over the years. The SpeedSport Scholarship, originally a partnership between Grant McDonald's SpeedSport magazine and Dennis Martin's Sabre Motorsport team has seen many of NZ's recent stars kick-start their careers in Formula First. The majority of the scholarships recipients have gone on to win championships and have produced some of the most recognisable names in Motorsport including 2016 Supercars champ Shane van Gisbergen, 3x NZGP winner and SuperGT champ Nick Cassidy as well as GP2 race winner and ADAC Formula 3 champ Richie Stanaway along with Formula One rookie Liam Lawson.

Current drivers' championship[3]

Pos. Driver MAN PUK HMP MAN MAN HMP TAU TAU Points
1 New Zealand Reece Hendl-Cox 4 4 3 3 4 1 1 1 1 1 2 1 3 2 16 1 1 1 1 1 2 1 1 1 1613
2 New Zealand Chris Symon 1 1 1 1 3 Ret 2 2 2 6 7 5 5 5 1 2 2 2 3 6 11 4 2 2 1394
3 New Zealand Billy Frazer 3 2 4 13 7 2 5 3 5 3 1 4 2 4 4 6 3 4 7 2 4 2 3 3 1347
4 New Zealand Liam Foster 2 3 2 5 15 5 4 5 4 4 3 3 4 3 9 3 DSQ 3 2 3 3 3 Ret 4 1212
5 New Zealand Amy Smith 7 5 7 4 5 4 3 6 6 7 5 7 7 8 8 4 4 5 10 9 9 6 5 6 1100
6 New Zealand Ronan Murphy 6 7 6 7 8 11 8 7= 8 8 6 6 8 8 7 5 5 6 6 7 6 9 9 8 999.5
7 New Zealand Thomas Boniface 5 Ret Ret 10 1 3 6 4 3 5 9 8 7 7 2 Ret Ret 11 5 4 5 5 4 5 985
8 New Zealand Ron Carter 10 6 11 6 6 13 10 10 9 9 8 10 9 9 6 7 8 8 9 10 10 7 6 10 893
9 New Zealand Nathan Sudiono 12 9 8 15 13 8 11 12 14 15 10 12 14 12 10 9 12 10 8 11 7 8 8 9 740
10 New Zealand Brody McConkey DNP DNP DNP 2 2 Ret DNP DNP DNP 2 4 2 1 1 3 DNP DNP DNP 4 5 1 DNP DNP DNP 710
11 New Zealand Bob Dillow DNP DNP DNP 9 11 7 9 9 10 DNP DNP DNP 10 13 14 8 7 7 11 12 12 16 11 11 585
12 New Zealand Kyan Davie 11 12 9 Ret 10 6 Ret 14 13 11 14 DNS DNS 10 5 Ret 6 9 Ret 8 8 DNP DNP DNP 513
13 New Zealand Rob Baker 17 16 15 Ret 18 16 13 15 15 17 16 17 15 15 17 12 11 13 19 18 20 17 16 17 462
14 New Zealand Flynn Mullany 18 Ret 16 Ret DNS DNS 12 11 11 13 Ret 15 13 14 12 10 9 Ret 15 Ret 17 13 13 16 433
15 New Zealand Louis Redshaw 16 10 14 Ret 12 10 DNP DNP DNP 12 12 9 11 11 13 DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP 10 7 14 417
16 New Zealand Dave Scammell 13 15 12 8 14 12 Ret 13 12 DNP DNP DNP 12 Ret 11 DNP DNP DNP 13 14 18 DNP DNP DNP 345
17 New Zealand Liam Nicholson DNP DNP DNP 11 15 15 DNP DNP DNP 16 15 Ret DNP DNP DNP 11 10 12 17 15 16 15 14 15 329
18 New Zealand Taylor Hurst 8 14 5 14 DNS DNS 7 7= 7 Ret Ret 14 DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP 284.5
19 New Zealand Andrew Tierney 14 13 13 12 16 14 DNP DNP DNP 16 13 16 DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP 14 Ret Ret DNP DNP DNP 238
20 New Zealand Darren Henderson 15 11 10 DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP 14 Ret 13 Ret Ret 15 DNP DNP DNP 16 13 13 DNP DNP DNP 229
21 New Zealand Graig Greenwood DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP 10 11 DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP 12 Ret 14 14 15 12 219
22 New Zealand Travis Day 9 8 17 DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP 12 12 7 191
23 New Zealand Ian Foster DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP 11 10 13 89
24 New Zealand Barry Holden DNP DNP DNP Ret 9 9 DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP 72
25 New Zealand Shaun Logan DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP 16 16 15 DNP DNP DNP 60
26 New Zealand Jarad Nicholson DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP 18 17 19 DNP DNP DNP 54
Pos. Driver MAN PUK HMP MAN MAN HMP TAU TAU Points
ColourResult
GoldWinner
SilverSecond place
BronzeThird place
GreenPoints finish
BlueNon-points finish
Non-classified finish (NC)
PurpleRetired (Ret)
RedDid not qualify (DNQ)
Did not pre-qualify (DNPQ)
BlackDisqualified (DSQ)
WhiteDid not start (DNS)
Withdrew (WD)
Race cancelled (C)
Blank Did not practice (DNP)
Did not arrive (DNA)
Excluded (EX)

Bold – Pole
Italics – Fastest Lap

Rookie

Past champions

Season Champion
2021-22 Liam Foster
2020-21 Chris Symon
2019-20 Reece Hendl-Cox
2018-19 Reece Hendl-Cox
2017–18 Callum Crawley
2016–17 Bramwell King
2015–16 Michael Shepherd
2014–15 Michael Shepherd
2013–14 Rowan Shepherd
2012–13 Rowan Shepherd
2011–12 Matt Higham
2010–11 Michael Shepherd
2009–10 Michael Shepherd
2008–09 Ian Foster
2007–08 Cliff Field
2006–07 Selby Allison
2005–06 Michael Shepherd
2004–05 Mark Russ
2003–04 Leo Francis
2002–03 Paul Butler
2001–02 Michael Shepherd
2000–01 Michael Shepherd
1999–2000 David Payne
1998–99 N Luxford
1997–98 Mike Rohloff
1996–97 Craig Greenwood
1995–96 Dennis Martin
1994–95 Robert Lester MNZM
1993–94 Scott Dixon
1992–93 Dom Kalasih
1991–92 Dennis Martin
1990–91 Chris Maxwell
1989–90 Tim Natusch
1988–89 Ross Symon
1987–88 Ross Symon
1986–87 Ross Symon
1985–86 Ross Symon
1984–85 Robert Lester MNZM
1983–84 Roger Coles
1982–83 Roger Coles
1981–82 Chris Abbott
1980–81 Roger Coles
1979–80 Steve Cameron
1978–79 Robert Lester MNZM
1977–79 Mick Scott
1976–77 Donald Halliday
1975–76 Ian Hodge
1974–75 Norm Lankshear
1967–74 Was not a national championship

Records

Most Titles
Rank Driver Titles
1 Michael Shepherd 7
2 Ross Symon 4 Consecutive
3= Robert Lester MNZM 3
3= R Coles 3
4= Rowan Shepherd 2
4= Dennis Martin 2
5= Reece Hendl-Cox 1
5= Callum Crawley 1
5= Bramwell King 1
5= Matt Higham 1
5= Ian Foster 1
5= Cliff Field 1
5= Selby Allison 1
5= Mark Russ 1
5= Leo Francis 1
5= Paul Butler 1
5= David Payne 1
5= N Luxford 1
5= Mike Rohloff 1
5= Craig Greenwood 1
5= Dom Kalasih 1
5= Scott Dixon 1
5= Chris Maxwell 1
5= Tim Natusch 1
5= Mike King 1
5= Donald Halliday 1
5= Ian Hodge 1
5= Norm Lankshear 1

References

  1. "Reece Hendl-Cox seals NZ Formula First Championship". 15 April 2019.
  2. "Formula First TV".
  3. "Points".
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