Paul Meijer
Encyclopedia
Paul Ronald Johan Meijer (born March 27, 1985 in Utrecht
) is a Dutch
racing driver. He is a former Benelux Formula Renault champion.
He participated in national and international competitions.
In 2001 Paul participated in a Challenge organized by Avaya
Communications, with 7 candidates.
He won the Challenge and earned a season driving in the first Dutch Toyota Yaris Cup for free.
The ex Formula One racing driver Jan Lammers
took Paul into the Formula Ford
in 2002.
With Racing for Holland
Paul learned the essentials about driving a formula racing car and participated in the Benelux Formula Ford Championship.
During this education Paul also tested the DOME S101 sportcar at Magny Cours.
In 203, he won the Benelux Formula Renault
2.0 with AR Motorsport. He also debuted in the European Championship of this serie.
As Dutch Champion a test is offered him in the Formula Renault V6. Later that year he also tested with Fortec in a Formula 3 car at Silverstone.
The Italian team Vergani Racing invited Paul into the World Serie light by Nissan. In November that year he tested at the circuits of Albecete and Jarama and on both occasions he drove the fastest laps of the day. The team invited Paul for the final race weekend, where he finished third.
In 2004 Meijer entered the strong competition of the Eurocup Formula Renault 2.0. With his team AR Motorsport he became 6th in the Championship and finished 3 times second, 3 times fourth and 2 times fifth.
At the side he participated also in the Benelux Formula Renault 2.0 Championship and could only drive 7 out 12 races. He finished 6 times first and 1 time second.
In 2005 and 2006 Paul Meijer did not drive a racing car because sponsors could not be interested.
For 2007, AR Motorsport invited Paul to test their cars. After being absent on the tracks for almost 2,5 years Paul still is very fast and within ten minutes he has pole-position again in the training. Reason enough for teamchef Ronald Heiligers to interest Marius Ritskes (Antonov Transmissions) to invite Paul for the last three race weekends in the North European Championship of Formula Renault 2.0. (NEC) He won 2 out of six races and finished second in the other 4 races.
Ritskes also arranged a test in the Lamborghini Gallardo
in Spain with the team of Hans Reiter. After 40 laps the teams calls him in with applause.
In 2008 Meijer has been asked to drive for several teams as a guest driver. The Dutch team MP Motorsport has been offered a wildcard in the Eurocup Formule Renault 2.0. They invited Paul to be there driver. Paul had no experience with the team but accepted the offer. Within a very competitive field of 48 young race drivers he won the race on Sunday 4 th of May.
car suddenly did not show up during the Superleague Formula races in Zolder, Paul was asked to do the job through mediation of Tom Coronel
. This was his chance to show what he was capable of in the top league of autosport (750 hp). He never drove a car with this kind of power so it was quite a challenge
The question was popped on Thursday, on Friday the seat was made and on Saturday he got 2 times 30 minutes to train in the car. After that he started qualifying, which includes 2 semi finals shoot-outs and a final. Paul amazed the team and the organization to get the pole-position, leaving ex Formula One drivers with nothing. At a rainy track he finished third.
As a rookie driver he made quite a debut in this field. Al Ain selected Paul and offered him a seat for the last three weekends in Estoril, Vallelunga and Jerez.
In Estoril he won the second race.
Unfortunately the season ended to soon, caused by crash during the first practise in Vallelunga, where Paul broke his hand.
Utrecht (city)
Utrecht city and municipality is the capital and most populous city of the Dutch province of Utrecht. It is located in the eastern corner of the Randstad conurbation, and is the fourth largest city of the Netherlands with a population of 312,634 on 1 Jan 2011.Utrecht's ancient city centre features...
) is a Dutch
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
racing driver. He is a former Benelux Formula Renault champion.
Career
As many formula drivers, Paul started his career in karting at the age of 10.He participated in national and international competitions.
In 2001 Paul participated in a Challenge organized by Avaya
Avaya
Avaya Inc. is a privately held computer networking, information technology and telecommunications company that is a global provider of business communications systems. The international head quarters is in Basking Ridge, New Jersey, United States...
Communications, with 7 candidates.
He won the Challenge and earned a season driving in the first Dutch Toyota Yaris Cup for free.
Jan Lammers
Johannes "Jan" Lammers, , is a racing driver and team principal from the Netherlands. He participated in 41 Formula One Grand Prix races, debuting on January 21, 1979. He won the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1988 and later participated in the race with his own team Racing for Holland...
took Paul into the Formula Ford
Formula Ford
Formula Ford is a single seater, open wheel class in motorsport which exists in some form in many countries around the world. It is an entry-level series to motor racing....
in 2002.
With Racing for Holland
Racing for Holland
Racing for Holland is a Dutch motor racing team started by Jan Lammers in 1999. The team is initially specialised in endurance races such as 24 hours of Le Mans and FIA sportscars series. The team is now also participating in the A1 Grand Prix as the A1 Team The Netherlands.-History:Racing for...
Paul learned the essentials about driving a formula racing car and participated in the Benelux Formula Ford Championship.
During this education Paul also tested the DOME S101 sportcar at Magny Cours.
In 203, he won the Benelux Formula Renault
Formula Renault
Formula Renault is a class of formula racing founded in 1971. It is popular in Europe and other countries. Regarded as an entry-level series to motor racing, it is a respected series where drivers can learn advanced racecraft before moving on to Formula Three, World Series by Renault, GP2 or...
2.0 with AR Motorsport. He also debuted in the European Championship of this serie.
As Dutch Champion a test is offered him in the Formula Renault V6. Later that year he also tested with Fortec in a Formula 3 car at Silverstone.
The Italian team Vergani Racing invited Paul into the World Serie light by Nissan. In November that year he tested at the circuits of Albecete and Jarama and on both occasions he drove the fastest laps of the day. The team invited Paul for the final race weekend, where he finished third.
In 2004 Meijer entered the strong competition of the Eurocup Formula Renault 2.0. With his team AR Motorsport he became 6th in the Championship and finished 3 times second, 3 times fourth and 2 times fifth.
At the side he participated also in the Benelux Formula Renault 2.0 Championship and could only drive 7 out 12 races. He finished 6 times first and 1 time second.
In 2005 and 2006 Paul Meijer did not drive a racing car because sponsors could not be interested.
For 2007, AR Motorsport invited Paul to test their cars. After being absent on the tracks for almost 2,5 years Paul still is very fast and within ten minutes he has pole-position again in the training. Reason enough for teamchef Ronald Heiligers to interest Marius Ritskes (Antonov Transmissions) to invite Paul for the last three race weekends in the North European Championship of Formula Renault 2.0. (NEC) He won 2 out of six races and finished second in the other 4 races.
Ritskes also arranged a test in the Lamborghini Gallardo
Lamborghini Gallardo
The Lamborghini Gallardo is a sports car built by Lamborghini. The Gallardo is Lamborghini's most-produced model to date, with over 10,000 built in its first seven years of production...
in Spain with the team of Hans Reiter. After 40 laps the teams calls him in with applause.
In 2008 Meijer has been asked to drive for several teams as a guest driver. The Dutch team MP Motorsport has been offered a wildcard in the Eurocup Formule Renault 2.0. They invited Paul to be there driver. Paul had no experience with the team but accepted the offer. Within a very competitive field of 48 young race drivers he won the race on Sunday 4 th of May.
Superleague Formula
When Peter Zakowsky's driver of the Borussia DortmundBorussia Dortmund (Superleague Formula team)
Borussia Dortmund Superleague Formula team was the racing team of Borussia Dortmund, a football team that competes in Germany in the Fußball-Bundesliga. The Borussia Dortmund racing team competed in the Superleague Formula. They were operated by former Formula One team Zakspeed...
car suddenly did not show up during the Superleague Formula races in Zolder, Paul was asked to do the job through mediation of Tom Coronel
Tom Coronel
Tom Romeo Coronel is a Dutch auto racing driver. Tom's twin brother Tim is also a racer, just like their father Tom Coronel Sr...
. This was his chance to show what he was capable of in the top league of autosport (750 hp). He never drove a car with this kind of power so it was quite a challenge
The question was popped on Thursday, on Friday the seat was made and on Saturday he got 2 times 30 minutes to train in the car. After that he started qualifying, which includes 2 semi finals shoot-outs and a final. Paul amazed the team and the organization to get the pole-position, leaving ex Formula One drivers with nothing. At a rainy track he finished third.
As a rookie driver he made quite a debut in this field. Al Ain selected Paul and offered him a seat for the last three weekends in Estoril, Vallelunga and Jerez.
In Estoril he won the second race.
Unfortunately the season ended to soon, caused by crash during the first practise in Vallelunga, where Paul broke his hand.
Superleague Formula results
(key)| Year | Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | Rank | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 2008 Superleague Formula season The 2008 Superleague Formula season was the inaugural Superleague Formula championship. The season started very late in 2008 with the first round being on August 31 at Donington Park. There were six rounds in total with the successful season finale at Circuito Permanente de Jerez on 23 November... |
Borussia Dortmund Borussia Dortmund (Superleague Formula team) Borussia Dortmund Superleague Formula team was the racing team of Borussia Dortmund, a football team that competes in Germany in the Fußball-Bundesliga. The Borussia Dortmund racing team competed in the Superleague Formula. They were operated by former Formula One team Zakspeed... Zakspeed Zakspeed Zakspeed is a motor racing team from Germany, founded in 1968 by Erich Zakowski and nowadays run by his son Peter Zakowski. Their home town of Niederzissen is located not far away from the Nürburgring race track.-1973 to 1981: Saloon and sports car racing:... |
DON | DON | NÜR | NÜR | ZOL 3 |
ZOL 11 |
EST |
EST |
VAL | VAL | JER 2008 Jerez Superleague Formula round The 2008 Jerez Superleague Formula round was the sixth and final round of the inaugural Superleague Formula championship, with the races taking place on November 23, 2008. Eighteen football teams were represented on the grid, the same number of teams as there was at the previous four rounds... |
JER 2008 Jerez Superleague Formula round The 2008 Jerez Superleague Formula round was the sixth and final round of the inaugural Superleague Formula championship, with the races taking place on November 23, 2008. Eighteen football teams were represented on the grid, the same number of teams as there was at the previous four rounds... |
14th | 218 |
| 2008 2008 Superleague Formula season The 2008 Superleague Formula season was the inaugural Superleague Formula championship. The season started very late in 2008 with the first round being on August 31 at Donington Park. There were six rounds in total with the successful season finale at Circuito Permanente de Jerez on 23 November... |
Al Ain Azerti Motorsport Azerti Motorsport Azerti Motorsport is a Belgian motorsport team founded by former racer Wim Coekelbergs.-History:Racing for Belgium started racing in Belgian Clio Cup in 2003, but graduated to the Eurocup Mégane Trophy in 2005, taking the driver and teams titles with Jan Heylen... |
DON |
DON |
NÜR |
NÜR |
ZOL |
ZOL |
EST 12 |
EST 1 |
VAL |
VAL |
JER 2008 Jerez Superleague Formula round The 2008 Jerez Superleague Formula round was the sixth and final round of the inaugural Superleague Formula championship, with the races taking place on November 23, 2008. Eighteen football teams were represented on the grid, the same number of teams as there was at the previous four rounds... |
JER 2008 Jerez Superleague Formula round The 2008 Jerez Superleague Formula round was the sixth and final round of the inaugural Superleague Formula championship, with the races taking place on November 23, 2008. Eighteen football teams were represented on the grid, the same number of teams as there was at the previous four rounds... |
12th | 244 |