The 2011 Superleague Formula season was the fourth and final season Superleague Formula championship. The series reverted to being known simply as "Superleague Formula", with 2009's two-year sponsorship deal with Sonangol also having expired.[1] The first race of the season was held on 5 June at Assen and was due to finish at a venue in New Zealand after 8 race weekends.
After three seasons in which the cars were run in club team colours, the 2011 season saw drivers competing in the colours of their nation,[2] with countries adorning team names as had been set out by Team China in 2010, thus beginning a severing of the strong links the series had attempted to make by linking each team entry with a football club. As many as eight of the announced fourteen entries no longer had links with football teams.
The season ended after just two of the scheduled rounds after a number of complications, which saw tracks not being ready in time for the series,[3] and disagreements with race organisers.[4]
Teams and drivers
All teams competed on Michelin tyres for the fourth season in a row.[5]
Superleague Formula announced its full 2011 calendar on May 2, which saw the championship embark on a "Nations Cup", with races on four different continents this season in 8 rounds. For the first time, races were scheduled to be held in Russia, Brazil (two races), the Middle East and New Zealand.[33] The Russian round, due to be held at the newly built Smolensk Ring, was later cancelled.[34] The Middle East round was later replaced by a round in South Korea and a second round in China was added to replace the Russian round.[citation needed] The two rounds in Brazil were cancelled after apparent issues with the track in Goiânia.[3] The series finale in New Zealand was later cancelled. The "Nations Cup" branding also had to be abandoned due to issues with naming rights which the series was still looking to resolve.[35]
With the announcement of the calendar, it was confirmed that each round was known as a 'Grand Prix'.[33]
The SF World Feed commentators at Zolder were Andrew Coley and Earl Bamber.
There was a two-day pre-season test session at Spain's Circuito Monteblanco on 9–10 December 2010.[37]
The Circuito de Navarra in Spain was due to host a two-day test on 30–31 August 2011.[38] However, the scheduled event was cancelled, without an explanatory announcement.[39]
NOTE – R2 starts
with reverse grid S = Super Final
Race 1 and 2 points
Position
1st
2nd
3rd
4th
5th
6th
7th
8th
9th
10th
11th
12th
13th
14th
15th
16th
17th
18th
19th
20th
21st
22nd
DNF
DNS
Points
50
45
40
36
32
29
26
23
20
18
16
14
12
10
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
0
0
Super Final points
Position
1st
2nd
3rd
4th
5th
6th
7th
8th
DNQ
DNS
Points
6
5
4
3
2
1
0
0
0
0
New for 2011 was the alteration that the top 8 points-scorers from the weekend would compete in the Super Final, in contrast to 2010 where only the top 6 would qualify.[2]
^"Big motor racing formula for NZ in 2012". Scoop. Scoop Media. 29 July 2011. Retrieved 13 October 2011. High-powered international race cars from the Superleague Formula are set for New Zealand, although their debut has been delayed a year.