Ryan Sharp
Encyclopedia
Ryan Sharp is a race car driver
Driving
Driving is the controlled operation and movement of a land vehicle, such as a car, truck or bus.Although direct operation of a bicycle and a mounted animal are commonly referred to as riding, such operators are legally considered drivers and are required to obey the rules of the road...

 and team manager born in Newtonhill
Newtonhill
Newtonhill is a farming village in Aberdeenshire, Scotland. It has been popular with farm workers and tradesmen for decades for its cheap housing and location, just six miles south of Aberdeen.-Facilities:...

, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...

, United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...

 on 29 April 1979. He raced in the FIA GT Championship
FIA GT Championship
The FIA GT Championship was a sports car racing series organized by the Stéphane Ratel Organisation at the behest of the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile . The championship was mostly concentrated in Europe, but throughout the years has visited other continents including Asia and South...

 in 2007 with JetAlliance Racing
Jetalliance Racing
Jetalliance Racing is an Austrian racing team which currently competes in the FIA GT Championship. Founded by Lucas Lichtner-Hoyer, former CEO of Jetalliance airlines, in 2006 under the name Race Alliance Motorsport, the team has run two privateer Aston Martin DBR9s in FIA GT as well as making...

 in their lead #33 Aston Martin DBR9
Aston Martin DBR9
The Aston Martin DBR9 is a racing car built by Aston Martin Racing, debuting in 2005. The name DBR9 is derived from the original 24 Hours of Le Mans-winning DBR1 car, named for then-owner David Brown, which not only won the 24 Hour race in 1959 but also the World Sportscar title.-Development:Based...

 - with Ex-F1 Driver Karl Wendlinger
Karl Wendlinger
Karl Wendlinger is an Austrian sportscar racing and former Formula One driver.- Mercedes Juniors :Wendlinger started his career in karting and in Formula Ford before entering the German Formula 3 Championship in 1988...

 as his team-mate. Ryan was also the 2003 German Formula Renault champion. He is currently the director of Hitech Racing
Hitech Racing
Hitech Racing is a British motor racing team. It was founded in 2002 by Dennis Rushen and David Hayle. The team started racing in the British Formula Three Championship in 2003.-Formula Three:...

.

Career history

Ryan's career began in Karting, as it does with many drivers, winning a number of local and national Karting events, his talent was spotted by Dutch businessman Klass Zwart, who funded Ryan's early racing - his first season of car racing in Junior 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....

.

Ryan progressed well despite limited funding to compete, and in 2002 moved from 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....

 into the 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...

 Championship, a true 'slicks and wings' series, as opposed to Formula Ford which has no aerodynamic wings.

Formula Renault

Ryan's first season in 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...

 was in the UK, with the John Village Automotive team, he managed to finish 6th in the championship, despite racing a few rounds with a car with a damaged tub (a fault that took the team a few races to track down), which dropped him down the championship. Ironically, his consistency in finishing every race in the points dropped him to 6th due to the Formula Renault system of dropping your lowest score through the season - meaning Ryan had to drop points while those around him dropped a '0' they had scored during the season.

For 2003, Ryan took a risky career move - moving out of the UK scene to race in Formula Renault in Germany with the Jenzer Motorsport
Jenzer Motorsport
Jenzer Motorsport is an auto racing team based in Switzerland.- Series results :GP3 Series D.C. = Drivers' Championship position, T.C. = Teams' Championship position....

 team. The move paid off handsomely, and with a lot of work and input by Jenzer Motorsport Ryan won the championship by 40 points, and showing competitively in the Formula Renault Masters event at Donington in October 2003 - Winning the first of the 2 races, and finishing 3rd in the 2nd (he was leading the race, but a backmarker caused a red flag and on countback Ryan was classified 3rd). British racing hotshot Lewis Hamilton came over to Germany during the season to race with the German Formula Renault grid, Ryan won both of the races and Hamilton finished 9th and 8th respectively - his own website admitting afterwards that "despite Lewis' pace, he wasn't within a second a lap of the race leader!"
Ryan also took part in a round of the Italian Formula Renault championship at Spa, in Belgium. Running in another competitive field (considered by some to be the most competitive FRenault championship in the world) at a circuit new to him in the pouring rain, Ryan went on to win race 1 by 12 seconds and was on course to win the 2nd until he made an error and damaged his car, failing to finish that race – but up to that point giving another example of his wet-weather skills.

Formula Renault v6

2004 saw Ryan continue his relationship with the highly rated Jenzer Motorsport team, moving up to the Formula Renault V6 Eurocup
Formula Renault V6 Eurocup
Formula Renault V6 Eurocup is a former type of formula racing, active from 2003 to 2004, started by Renault as a support series in Eurosport's Super Racing Weekends...

. The season started quite well, finishing 3rd and 1st at the first weekend (3rd in Race 1 after spinning at Turn 1 and dropping right to the back of the field), and then 2 2nd places at the following races in Valencia. In the course of one of the two races Ryan appeared to have an unasailable lead of 4 seconds in the race with one lap to go. However, the 4 second lead was lost in the last lap for Rayn to finish second. This was a familiar scenario during the season (losing places during the last section of the races) thought to be related to a general lack of fitness and mounting driver nerves towards the end of the race. Ryan had a lot to focus on and learn and an amount of inexperience at this level meant his tyres were being worked too hard and he lost pace at the end of both races, being passed by Damien Pasini and Robbie Kerr respectively for those race wins - nevertheless these first 4 rounds left him with a commanding lead at the head of the championship. The season moved to Magny Cours where Ryan consolidated his championship lead. The F1 support race at Monaco is where a car failure in the race meant that he gave away valuable points in the championship. A disappointing performance due to a loss in the family at Brno followed and meant that the Championship tightened up considerably. Eventually Ryan lost the championship to Swiss/French driver Giorgio Mondini by 22 points.

GP2 Series

Ryan moved up to the new GP2 Series
GP2 Series
The GP2 Series, GP2 for short, is a form of open wheel motor racing introduced in 2005 following the discontinuation of the long-term Formula One feeder series, Formula 3000. The format was conceived by Bernie Ecclestone and Flavio Briatore, while Ecclestone also has the rights to the name GP1...

 in 2005 with David Price Racing
David Price Racing
David Price Racing is a British motor racing team, founded by David Price. They have competed in various forms of motorsport since their foundation in 1976...

, a team he had raced against in 2004 and who were very impressed with his performances in 2004. The season began in Imola where the cars had teething trouble with Clutches amongst other things, in the 2nd round at Barcelona, Ryan was on course for a 3rd place finish when the car failed forcing him to start at the back of the grid for race 2, in which he set the fastest lap of the race and gained 1 point. A series of disappointing performances followed, which were in no way beneficial to Ryan's sponsors, or to his career, these performances were attributed to the team being poorly engineered and set up - making it almost impossible to drive it competitively. When his dream had fallen apart around Ryan he return to the team he knew and trusted. Ryan left the GP2 series, and returned to Jenzer Motorsport to compete in the last few rounds of the Formula Renault 3.5l championship, and almost immediately the results/performances picked up - demonstrating that the David Price Racing
David Price Racing
David Price Racing is a British motor racing team, founded by David Price. They have competed in various forms of motorsport since their foundation in 1976...

 car was not a competitive car, and that Jenzer Motorsprt was a top tema. Ryan was replaced at DPR by 2004 FRenault v6 Champion Giorgio Mondini, who also struggled to get anything out of the car.

World Touring Car Championship (WTCC)

Ryan's career took a new direction in 2006 - signing for the Italian JAS Motorsport team to contest the World Touring Car Championship, running as an Independent in the Yokohama Independent Trophy. He impressed many people in this season, becoming the first Independent driver to score an overall podium position in the season, finishing 3rd overall in Race 1 at Puebla, Mexico. Ryan won a number of races during the season (class victories), the most memorable being one of the races at Brands Hatch, UK - where he won in the pouring rain, underlining his wet weather driving skills. He was on course to finish 2nd in the championship behind Dutchman Tom Coronel, but had to miss the last 3 rounds of the Championship due to budget issues (the last round had double points, so it was effectively 4 rounds/a maximum of 80 points missed out on). At the end of the year he won the European Touring Car Cup
European Touring Car Cup
The FIA European Touring Car Cup is an annual touring car racing event, which has been held at various locations across Europe since 2005. Unlike in previous years where it was a one-off event, for 2010 the series is a three round event.-History:...

 in a SEAT Leon
SEAT León
The SEAT León is a small family car built by the Spanish car manufacturer, and Volkswagen Group subsidiary SEAT, S.A. since October 1998.The two León generations are, or have been built upon two differing variants of the Volkswagen Group A platform, and they also share many other components with...

 for GR Asia.

FIA GT Championship

Ryan moved again in 2007, to the FIA GT Championship with Austrian team JetAlliance Racing, who are only in their 2nd season of competition themselves. The season began in Zhuhai in China, where the car finished 9th – this was followed by 2 4th place finishes at Silverstone and Bucharest, the upward spiral in form continued to the next race in Monza where the duo won a dramatic race. Oschersleben held no such luck as the car was hit at the start of the race, dropping right to the back, and eventually retired. The last race they took part in was the Total 24 Hours of Spa, in which the car qualified 2nd on the grid and ran very well - the car was leading at the 6 hour mark, and so was awarded half points for a race win (5 points). However, the car retired around 40 minutes after this and the duo lost more points in the championship race. A strong finish to the season, including 2 further wins in Adria, in the night race, and Zolder in the 10th and final round saw Ryan and team-mate Wendlinger
Karl Wendlinger
Karl Wendlinger is an Austrian sportscar racing and former Formula One driver.- Mercedes Juniors :Wendlinger started his career in karting and in Formula Ford before entering the German Formula 3 Championship in 1988...

 shoot up the standings to finish 2nd in the championship, 4 points behind eventual champion, Tomas Biagi.

Norco Group Limited

Norco Group Limited is based in Aberdeen, Scotland and operating throughout the UK - Norco are Ryan's main sponsor. Norco Group are an asset supply, support and management company incorporating the following services:

> Uninterruptible Power Supply and Battery procurement and maintenance
> Asset Maintenance, Reliability and Integrity services and solutions
> Industrial Motive Power supply and service

Ryan says "This type of sponsorship and entertainment package works by increasing the brand awareness and profile of the company which is even more significant now I am racing in an international arena."

James Keiller Estates Limited

James Keiller Estates Limited is a property company based in Dundee, Scotland. Ryan has been supported throughout by the owner, Bruce Linton.

Complete GP2 series results

(Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)
Year Entrant 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 DC Points
2005
2005 GP2 Series season
The 2005 GP2 Series season started in Imola, San Marino on April 23, and ended in Manama, Bahrain on September 30. The season was won by the German Nico Rosberg, with the Finn Heikki Kovalainen finishing second....

David Price Racing
David Price Racing
David Price Racing is a British motor racing team, founded by David Price. They have competed in various forms of motorsport since their foundation in 1976...

SMR
FEA
Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari
The Autodromo Internazionale Enzo e Dino Ferrari is an auto racing circuit near the Italian town of Imola, east of Bologna and east of the Ferrari factory in Maranello....


Ret
SMR
SPR
Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari
The Autodromo Internazionale Enzo e Dino Ferrari is an auto racing circuit near the Italian town of Imola, east of Bologna and east of the Ferrari factory in Maranello....


14
ESP
FEA
Circuit de Catalunya
The Circuit de Catalunya is a racetrack in Montmeló, to the north of Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. With long straights and a variety of corners, the Circuit de Catalunya is seen as an all-rounder circuit.-History:...


Ret
ESP
SPR
Circuit de Catalunya
The Circuit de Catalunya is a racetrack in Montmeló, to the north of Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. With long straights and a variety of corners, the Circuit de Catalunya is seen as an all-rounder circuit.-History:...


16
MON
FEA
Circuit de Monaco
Circuit de Monaco is a street circuit laid out on the city streets of Monte Carlo and La Condamine around the harbour of the principality of Monaco. It is commonly referred to as "Monte Carlo" because it is largely inside the Monte Carlo neighbourhood of Monaco.The circuit is used on one weekend in...


Ret
EUR
FEA
Nürburgring
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...


9
EUR
SPR
Nürburgring
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...


9
FRA
FEA
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...


19
FRA
SPR
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...


Ret
GBR
FEA
Silverstone 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...


Ret
GBR
SPR
Silverstone 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...


NC
GER
FEA
Hockenheimring
The Hockenheimring Baden-Württemberg is an automobile racing track situated near the town of Hockenheim in Baden-Württemberg, Germany, located on Bertha Benz Memorial Route. Amongst other motor racing events, it biennially hosts the Formula One German Grand Prix...


11
GER
SPR
Hockenheimring
The Hockenheimring Baden-Württemberg is an automobile racing track situated near the town of Hockenheim in Baden-Württemberg, Germany, located on Bertha Benz Memorial Route. Amongst other motor racing events, it biennially hosts the Formula One German Grand Prix...


13
HUN
FEA
Hungaroring
The Hungaroring is a racing circuit in Mogyoród, near Budapest, Hungary where the Formula One Hungarian Grand Prix is held. In 1986, it became the location of the first Formula One Grand Prix behind the Iron Curtain. Bernie Ecclestone wanted a race in the USSR, but a Hungarian friend of his...

HUN
SPR
Hungaroring
The Hungaroring is a racing circuit in Mogyoród, near Budapest, Hungary where the Formula One Hungarian Grand Prix is held. In 1986, it became the location of the first Formula One Grand Prix behind the Iron Curtain. Bernie Ecclestone wanted a race in the USSR, but a Hungarian friend of his...

TUR
FEA
Istanbul Park
Istanbul Park , also known as the Istanbul Racing Circuit or initially Istanbul Otodrom, is a motor sports race track in Akfırat County east of Istanbul, Turkey. It was inaugurated on 21 August 2005...

TUR
SPR
Istanbul Park
Istanbul Park , also known as the Istanbul Racing Circuit or initially Istanbul Otodrom, is a motor sports race track in Akfırat County east of Istanbul, Turkey. It was inaugurated on 21 August 2005...

ITA
FEA
Autodromo Nazionale Monza
The Autodromo Nazionale Monza is a race track located near the town of Monza, north of Milan, in Italy. The circuit's biggest event is the Formula One Italian Grand Prix, which has been hosted there since the sport's inception....

ITA
SPR
Autodromo Nazionale Monza
The Autodromo Nazionale Monza is a race track located near the town of Monza, north of Milan, in Italy. The circuit's biggest event is the Formula One Italian Grand Prix, which has been hosted there since the sport's inception....

BEL
FEA
Circuit 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...

BEL
SPR
Circuit 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...

BHR
FEA
Bahrain International Circuit
The Bahrain International Circuit is a motorsport venue opened in 2004 and used for drag racing, GP2 and the annual Bahrain Grand Prix. The 2004 Grand Prix was the first held in the Middle East. Since 2006, Australian V8 Supercar has been raced at the BIC and the V8 races are named as the Desert 400...

BHR
SPR
Bahrain International Circuit
The Bahrain International Circuit is a motorsport venue opened in 2004 and used for drag racing, GP2 and the annual Bahrain Grand Prix. The 2004 Grand Prix was the first held in the Middle East. Since 2006, Australian V8 Supercar has been raced at the BIC and the V8 races are named as the Desert 400...

23rd 2

Complete WTCC results

(Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)
Year Team Car 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Position Points
2006
2006 World Touring Car Championship season
The 2006 World Touring Car Championship season was the 3rd season of FIA World Touring Car Championship motor racing. It featured a ten event, twenty race series which commenced on April 2, 2006 and ended on November 19...

JAS Motorsport Honda Accord Euro R
Honda Accord
The Honda Accord is a series of compact, mid-size and full-size automobiles manufactured by Honda since 1976, and sold in a majority of automotive markets throughout the world....

MON
Autodromo Nazionale Monza
The Autodromo Nazionale Monza is a race track located near the town of Monza, north of Milan, in Italy. The circuit's biggest event is the Formula One Italian Grand Prix, which has been hosted there since the sport's inception....

MGN
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...

BRA
Brands Hatch
Brands Hatch is a motor racing circuit near West Kingsdown in Kent, England. First used as a dirt track motorcycle circuit on farmland, it hosted 12 runnings of the British Grand Prix between 1964 and 1986 and currently holds many British and international racing events...

OSC
Motorsport Arena Oschersleben
The Motorsport Arena Oschersleben is long race track with a width of 11 – 13 meters and elevation changes of 23 metres. The circuit is located in Oschersleben, Börde , Northern Germany...

CUR
Autódromo Internacional de Curitiba
Autódromo Internacional de Curitiba is a motorsports circuit located in Pinhais, Brazil. It has been host to the World Touring Car Championship, TC2000, Fórmula Truck and Stock Car Brasil racing.-The circuit:Fabrizio Giovanardi of JAS Motorsport suggested the circuit is bumpy...

PUE
Autódromo Miguel E. Abed
The Autódromo Internacional Miguel E. Abed is a racing track located in the town of Amozoc, east of the city of Puebla in the Mexican state of the same name.-History:...

BRN
Masaryk Circuit
The Masaryk circuit or Masarykring, now referred to as the Brno Circuit, refers two Czech racing circuits located close to the city of Brno.The original circuit was made up of public roads, and at its longest measured nearly...

IST
Istanbul Park
Istanbul Park , also known as the Istanbul Racing Circuit or initially Istanbul Otodrom, is a motor sports race track in Akfırat County east of Istanbul, Turkey. It was inaugurated on 21 August 2005...

VAL
Circuit de Valencia
Circuit Ricardo Tormo, also known as Circuit de Valencia and officially named Circuit de la Comunitat Valenciana Ricardo Tormo, is a motorsport race track located in Cheste and built in 1999. It has a capacity of 120,000 spectators and seating for 60,000...

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External links


Sources

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