2009 Formula Le Mans Cup season
Encyclopedia
The 2009 Formula Le Mans Cup season was the inaugural, and ultimately only, season of the Formula Le Mans Cup
, a support series for the Le Mans Series
and the 24 Hours of Le Mans
. All competitors utilized the Oreca FLM09 spec prototype. The season featured ten races held over six events from 10 May to 20 September 2009. Nico Verdonck
claimed the title ahead of Gavin Cronje
, despite the drivers sharing a car all season. Verdonck benefitted from points awarded for pole positions and fastest laps, giving him a four-point advantage of Cronje. Their team, DAMS
, also won the teams championship.
featured three 60 minute races in succession with a winner determined only at the end of the third race.
or by setting the fastest lap of the race. An championship was also awarded to the best amateur driver over the season.
Formula Le Mans Cup
The Le Mans Prototype Challenge is a spec racing formula created by the Automobile Club de l'Ouest , organisers of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, and sports car constructor Oreca...
, a support series for the Le Mans Series
Le Mans Series
The Le Mans Series is a European sports car racing endurance series based around the 24 Hours of Le Mans race and run by the Automobile Club de l'Ouest . The series was originally named the Le Mans Endurance Series, but changed its name prior to the 2006 season...
and the 24 Hours of Le Mans
24 Hours of Le Mans
The 24 Hours of Le Mans is the world's oldest sports car race in endurance racing, held annually since near the town of Le Mans, France. Commonly known as the Grand Prix of Endurance and Efficiency, race teams have to balance speed against the cars' ability to run for 24 hours without sustaining...
. All competitors utilized the Oreca FLM09 spec prototype. The season featured ten races held over six events from 10 May to 20 September 2009. Nico Verdonck
Nico Verdonck
Nicolas Verdonck is a Belgian racing driver.-Formula Renault:Verdonck competed in Formula Renault 1600 in 2003, his first year in single seaters. His race engineer was Tim Wright.-Formula 3000:...
claimed the title ahead of Gavin Cronje
Gavin Cronje
Gavin Cronje is a South African racing driver. He has competed in such series as Euroseries 3000 and the Formula Renault 3.5 Series. He won the inaugural Formula Volkswagen South Africa Championship in 2008 with Morgado Racing. He was runner-up in the 2009 Formula Le Mans Cup season to DAMS...
, despite the drivers sharing a car all season. Verdonck benefitted from points awarded for pole positions and fastest laps, giving him a four-point advantage of Cronje. Their team, DAMS
DAMS
Driot-Arnoux Motorsport is a racing team from France, involved in many areas of motorsports. DAMS was founded in 1988 by Jean-Paul Driot and former Formula One driver René Arnoux. It is headquartered near Le Mans, only 2 km from the Bugatti Circuit.- History :The year after its foundation,...
, also won the teams championship.
Race calendar and results
The Formula Le Mans Cup schedule consisted of several types of events. Four events, held in support for the Le Mans Series, featured two races of 60 minutes each. A fifth event at the 24 Hours of Le Mans utilized only a single 60 minute race. The final event of the season at Magny-CoursCircuit de Nevers Magny-Cours
Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours is a motor racing circuit located in central France, near the towns of Magny-Cours and Nevers, some 250 km from Paris...
featured three 60 minute races in succession with a winner determined only at the end of the third race.
| Round | Circuit | Date | Winning Drivers | Winning Team |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Circuit de Spa-FrancorchampsCircuit de Spa-Francorchamps The Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps is the venue of the Formula One Belgian Grand Prix and the Spa 24 Hours endurance race. It is also home to the all Volkswagen club event, 25 Hours of Spa, run by the Uniroyal Fun Cup. It is one of the most challenging race tracks in the world, mainly due to its... |
May 9 | Nico Verdonck Nico Verdonck Nicolas Verdonck is a Belgian racing driver.-Formula Renault:Verdonck competed in Formula Renault 1600 in 2003, his first year in single seaters. His race engineer was Tim Wright.-Formula 3000:...  Gavin CronjeGavin Cronje Gavin Cronje is a South African racing driver. He has competed in such series as Euroseries 3000 and the Formula Renault 3.5 Series. He won the inaugural Formula Volkswagen South Africa Championship in 2008 with Morgado Racing. He was runner-up in the 2009 Formula Le Mans Cup season to DAMS... |
 DAMSDAMS Driot-Arnoux Motorsport is a racing team from France, involved in many areas of motorsports. DAMS was founded in 1988 by Jean-Paul Driot and former Formula One driver René Arnoux. It is headquartered near Le Mans, only 2 km from the Bugatti Circuit.- History :The year after its foundation,... |
| 2 | May 10 | Nico Verdonck Nico Verdonck Nicolas Verdonck is a Belgian racing driver.-Formula Renault:Verdonck competed in Formula Renault 1600 in 2003, his first year in single seaters. His race engineer was Tim Wright.-Formula 3000:... Gavin CronjeGavin Cronje Gavin Cronje is a South African racing driver. He has competed in such series as Euroseries 3000 and the Formula Renault 3.5 Series. He won the inaugural Formula Volkswagen South Africa Championship in 2008 with Morgado Racing. He was runner-up in the 2009 Formula Le Mans Cup season to DAMS... |
DAMS DAMS Driot-Arnoux Motorsport is a racing team from France, involved in many areas of motorsports. DAMS was founded in 1988 by Jean-Paul Driot and former Formula One driver René Arnoux. It is headquartered near Le Mans, only 2 km from the Bugatti Circuit.- History :The year after its foundation,... |
|
| 3 | Circuit de la Sarthe Circuit de la Sarthe The Circuit des 24 Heures, also known as Circuit de la Sarthe, located near Le Mans, France, is a semi-permanent race course most famous as the venue for the 24 Hours of Le Mans auto race. The track uses local roads that remain open to the public most of the year... |
June 13 | Nico Verdonck Nico Verdonck Nicolas Verdonck is a Belgian racing driver.-Formula Renault:Verdonck competed in Formula Renault 1600 in 2003, his first year in single seaters. His race engineer was Tim Wright.-Formula 3000:... Gavin CronjeGavin Cronje Gavin Cronje is a South African racing driver. He has competed in such series as Euroseries 3000 and the Formula Renault 3.5 Series. He won the inaugural Formula Volkswagen South Africa Championship in 2008 with Morgado Racing. He was runner-up in the 2009 Formula Le Mans Cup season to DAMS... |
DAMS DAMS Driot-Arnoux Motorsport is a racing team from France, involved in many areas of motorsports. DAMS was founded in 1988 by Jean-Paul Driot and former Formula One driver René Arnoux. It is headquartered near Le Mans, only 2 km from the Bugatti Circuit.- History :The year after its foundation,... |
| 4 |  Autódromo Internacional do AlgarveAutódromo Internacional do Algarve The Autódromo Internacional do Algarve commonly referred to as Portimao Circuit is a race circuit located in Portimão, Portugal. With a total cost of €195 million , the project includes a karting track, technology park, five-star hotel, sports complex and apartments.Construction was finished in... |
July 31 | David Zollinger Damien Toulemonde |
Applewood-LD Autosport |
| 5 | August 1 | Nico Verdonck Nico Verdonck Nicolas Verdonck is a Belgian racing driver.-Formula Renault:Verdonck competed in Formula Renault 1600 in 2003, his first year in single seaters. His race engineer was Tim Wright.-Formula 3000:... Gavin CronjeGavin Cronje Gavin Cronje is a South African racing driver. He has competed in such series as Euroseries 3000 and the Formula Renault 3.5 Series. He won the inaugural Formula Volkswagen South Africa Championship in 2008 with Morgado Racing. He was runner-up in the 2009 Formula Le Mans Cup season to DAMS... |
DAMS DAMS Driot-Arnoux Motorsport is a racing team from France, involved in many areas of motorsports. DAMS was founded in 1988 by Jean-Paul Driot and former Formula One driver René Arnoux. It is headquartered near Le Mans, only 2 km from the Bugatti Circuit.- History :The year after its foundation,... |
|
| 6 |  NürburgringNürburgring The Nürburgring is a motorsport complex around the village of Nürburg, Germany. It features a modern Grand Prix race track built in 1984, and a much longer old North loop track which was built in the 1920s around the village and medieval castle of Nürburg in the Eifel mountains. It is located about... |
August 22 | Nico Verdonck Nico Verdonck Nicolas Verdonck is a Belgian racing driver.-Formula Renault:Verdonck competed in Formula Renault 1600 in 2003, his first year in single seaters. His race engineer was Tim Wright.-Formula 3000:... Gavin CronjeGavin Cronje Gavin Cronje is a South African racing driver. He has competed in such series as Euroseries 3000 and the Formula Renault 3.5 Series. He won the inaugural Formula Volkswagen South Africa Championship in 2008 with Morgado Racing. He was runner-up in the 2009 Formula Le Mans Cup season to DAMS... |
DAMS DAMS Driot-Arnoux Motorsport is a racing team from France, involved in many areas of motorsports. DAMS was founded in 1988 by Jean-Paul Driot and former Formula One driver René Arnoux. It is headquartered near Le Mans, only 2 km from the Bugatti Circuit.- History :The year after its foundation,... |
| 7 | August 23 | Nico Verdonck Nico Verdonck Nicolas Verdonck is a Belgian racing driver.-Formula Renault:Verdonck competed in Formula Renault 1600 in 2003, his first year in single seaters. His race engineer was Tim Wright.-Formula 3000:... Gavin CronjeGavin Cronje Gavin Cronje is a South African racing driver. He has competed in such series as Euroseries 3000 and the Formula Renault 3.5 Series. He won the inaugural Formula Volkswagen South Africa Championship in 2008 with Morgado Racing. He was runner-up in the 2009 Formula Le Mans Cup season to DAMS... |
DAMS DAMS Driot-Arnoux Motorsport is a racing team from France, involved in many areas of motorsports. DAMS was founded in 1988 by Jean-Paul Driot and former Formula One driver René Arnoux. It is headquartered near Le Mans, only 2 km from the Bugatti Circuit.- History :The year after its foundation,... |
|
| 8 |  Silverstone CircuitSilverstone Circuit Silverstone Circuit is an English motor racing circuit next to the Northamptonshire villages of Silverstone and Whittlebury. The circuit straddles the Northamptonshire and Buckinghamshire border, with the current main circuit entry on the Buckinghamshire side... |
September 11 | Nico Verdonck Nico Verdonck Nicolas Verdonck is a Belgian racing driver.-Formula Renault:Verdonck competed in Formula Renault 1600 in 2003, his first year in single seaters. His race engineer was Tim Wright.-Formula 3000:... Gavin CronjeGavin Cronje Gavin Cronje is a South African racing driver. He has competed in such series as Euroseries 3000 and the Formula Renault 3.5 Series. He won the inaugural Formula Volkswagen South Africa Championship in 2008 with Morgado Racing. He was runner-up in the 2009 Formula Le Mans Cup season to DAMS... |
DAMS DAMS Driot-Arnoux Motorsport is a racing team from France, involved in many areas of motorsports. DAMS was founded in 1988 by Jean-Paul Driot and former Formula One driver René Arnoux. It is headquartered near Le Mans, only 2 km from the Bugatti Circuit.- History :The year after its foundation,... |
| 9 | September 13 |  Mathias Beche Valle MäkeläValle Mäkelä Valle Mäkelä is a Finnish motor racing driver.-Career:Mäkelä began his kart racing career at the age of five. In 2000 he became Finnish Champion in the ICA-J class.... |
Hope Polevision Racing |
|
| 10 | Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours is a motor racing circuit located in central France, near the towns of Magny-Cours and Nevers, some 250 km from Paris... |
September 20 | Mathias Beche Valle Mäkelä Valle Mäkelä Valle Mäkelä is a Finnish motor racing driver.-Career:Mäkelä began his kart racing career at the age of five. In 2000 he became Finnish Champion in the ICA-J class.... |
Hope Polevision Racing |
Championship standings
Points are awarded to the top ten finishers in the order 20-15-12-10-8-6-4-3-2-1.Drivers' standings
An additional bonus point was available for individual drivers at each race; these could be earned by winning pole positionPole position
The term "pole position", as used in motorsports, comes from the horse racing term where the number one starter starts on the inside next to the inside pole. The term made its way, along with several other customs, to auto racing. In circuit motorsports, a driver has pole position when he or she...
or by setting the fastest lap of the race. An championship was also awarded to the best amateur driver over the season.
EWLINE
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| Rookie | |||||||||||||
| Bold | Pole position Pole position The term "pole position", as used in motorsports, comes from the horse racing term where the number one starter starts on the inside next to the inside pole. The term made its way, along with several other customs, to auto racing. In circuit motorsports, a driver has pole position when he or she... |
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| (Brackets) | Fastest Lap | ||||||||||||
Teams' standings
| Pos | Team | Rd 1 | Rd 2 | Rd 3 | Rd 4 | Rd 5 | Rd 6 | Rd 7 | Rd 8 | Rd 9 | Rd 10 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | DAMS DAMS Driot-Arnoux Motorsport is a racing team from France, involved in many areas of motorsports. DAMS was founded in 1988 by Jean-Paul Driot and former Formula One driver René Arnoux. It is headquartered near Le Mans, only 2 km from the Bugatti Circuit.- History :The year after its foundation,... |
26 | 26 | 30 | 14 | 28 | 24 | 28 | 26 | 23 | 12 | 237 |
| 2 | Hope Polevision Racing |
20 | 23 | 27 | 14 | 21 | 23 | 15 | 18 | 26 | 21 | 208 |
| 3 | Boutsen Energy Racing Thierry Boutsen Thierry Marc Boutsen is a former racing driver who raced for the Arrows, Benetton, Williams, Ligier and Jordan teams in Formula One.-Career:thumb|left|Boutsen driving for [[Arrows]] at the [[1984 Dallas Grand Prix]].... |
25 | 6 | 8 | 23 | 12 | 22 | 10 | 18 | 15 | 19 | 158 |
| 4 | Applewood-LD Autosport |
2 | 12 | 3 | 26 | 16 | 8 | 19 | 12 | 10 | 19 | 127 |
| 5 | Ibañez Racing Service |
0 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 6 | 29 |
| 6 | Exagon Engineering Exagon Engineering Exagon Engineering is a French auto racing team which is based in Magny-Cours. The team was founded by director Luc Marchetti, and is managed by former racer Cathy Muller who is the older sister of successful touring car driver Yvan Muller... |
3 | 10 | 1 | 14 | |||||||
| 7 | Graff Racing Graff Racing Graff Racing is an auto racing team based in France.... |
8 | 8 | |||||||||
| 8 |  Escuela Española de Pilotos |
0 | 3 | 3 |