Spirit 201C
Encyclopedia
The Spirit 201 was a Formula One
/Formula Two
racing car designed by John Baldwin and Spirit Racing co-founder Gordon Coppuck
which was raced in European Formula Two
from 1982
to 1984
and in Formula One
in 1983
.
In Formula Two
racing, the car was powered by a 2 litre naturally aspirated engine.
In Formula One, it was powered by the 1.5 litre turbocharged Honda engine. The 201 made its Formula One debut in the hands of Swedish
driver Stefan Johansson
at the non-championship 1983 Race of Champions
at Brands Hatch
. There Johansson qualified the car 12th (out of 13, Jean-Louis Schlesser
's RAM March
didn't record a time but still started). He retired with a blown engine after 4 laps having already moved up to 10th with laps as quick as the leaders.
For the team's World Championship debut at the British Grand Prix
at Silverstone
, a modified 201C design was produced, which Johansson qualified in a respectable 15th. But engine problems on race morning forced him to drive the 201 in the race, retiring after 5 laps with a broken fuel system. The 201C eventually only raced at the German
and Dutch
Grands Prix, with the 201 being driven in the other races. The car's best result was a 7th for Johansson in Holland.
Formula One
Formula One, also known as Formula 1 or F1 and referred to officially as the FIA Formula One World Championship, is the highest class of single seater auto racing sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile . The "formula" designation in the name refers to a set of rules with which...
/Formula Two
Formula Two
Formula Two, abbreviated to F2, is a type of open wheel formula racing. It was replaced by Formula 3000 in 1985, but the FIA announced in 2008 that Formula Two would return for 2009 in the form of the FIA Formula Two Championship...
racing car designed by John Baldwin and Spirit Racing co-founder Gordon Coppuck
Gordon Coppuck
Gordon Coppuck is a British racing car designer who was chief designer for McLaren and later worked for March and co-founded Spirit....
which was raced in European Formula Two
European Formula Two Championship
The European Formula Two Championship was a Formula Two motor racing series that was held between 1967–84. The races were held across Europe, and were contested both by drivers aiming to compete in Formula One in the future as well as current Formula One drivers wishing to practice...
from 1982
1982 European Formula Two season
The 1982 European Formula Two season was contested over 11 rounds. 22 different teams, 53 different drivers, 7 different chassis and 5 different engines competed.-Calendar:Note:Race 8 originally scheduled over 30 laps, but abandoned due to heavy rain....
to 1984
1984 European Formula Two season
The 1984 European Formula Two season was contested over 11 rounds. 13 different teams, 32 different drivers, 8 different chassis and 2 different engines competed.-Calendar:Note:Race 11 stopped due to heavy rain and re-started.-Driver:...
and in Formula One
Formula One
Formula One, also known as Formula 1 or F1 and referred to officially as the FIA Formula One World Championship, is the highest class of single seater auto racing sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile . The "formula" designation in the name refers to a set of rules with which...
in 1983
1983 Formula One season
The 1983 Formula One season included the 34th FIA Formula One World Championship which commenced on March 13, and ended on October 15 after fifteen races. Nelson Piquet won the World Drivers' Championship, his second Formula One title and the first one ever won by a driver using a turbocharged engine...
.
In Formula Two
Formula Two
Formula Two, abbreviated to F2, is a type of open wheel formula racing. It was replaced by Formula 3000 in 1985, but the FIA announced in 2008 that Formula Two would return for 2009 in the form of the FIA Formula Two Championship...
racing, the car was powered by a 2 litre naturally aspirated engine.
In Formula One, it was powered by the 1.5 litre turbocharged Honda engine. The 201 made its Formula One debut in the hands of Swedish
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
driver Stefan Johansson
Stefan Johansson
Stefan Nils Edwin Johansson is a former Formula One driver from who drove for among others both Ferrari and McLaren during his Grand Prix career. Since leaving Formula One he has raced in a number of categories, including CART, various kinds of Sports car racing, and Grand Prix Masters...
at the non-championship 1983 Race of Champions
1983 Race of Champions
The 1983 Race of Champions was a non-championship Formula One race held at Brands Hatch on April 10, 1983. It was also the last non-championship F1 race to be held in the sport's history. It was won by the reigning world champion Keke Rosberg in the Williams FW08, who narrowly beat Danny Sullivan...
at Brands Hatch
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...
. There Johansson qualified the car 12th (out of 13, Jean-Louis Schlesser
Jean-Louis Schlesser
Jean-Louis Schlesser is a French racing driver with experience in circuit racing and cross-country rallying. He is known for his successful wins of many different competitions...
's RAM March
RAM Racing
RAM Racing was a Formula One racing team which competed during the racing seasons of 1976 to 1985. The team entered other manufacturers' chassis from 1976 to 1980, then ran March's team from 1981 to 1983, only entering a car entirely their own in 1984 and 1985.The team was formed in 1975 by Mike...
didn't record a time but still started). He retired with a blown engine after 4 laps having already moved up to 10th with laps as quick as the leaders.
For the team's World Championship debut at the British Grand Prix
1983 British Grand Prix
The 1983 British Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held at Silverstone on 16 July 1983. This was the last British Grand Prix event where the race took place on a Saturday rather than the usual Sunday.- Classification :-Standings after the race:...
at Silverstone
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...
, a modified 201C design was produced, which Johansson qualified in a respectable 15th. But engine problems on race morning forced him to drive the 201 in the race, retiring after 5 laps with a broken fuel system. The 201C eventually only raced at the German
1983 German Grand Prix
The 1983 German Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held at Hockenheimring on August 7, 1983.- Classification :-Standings after the race:Drivers' Championship standingsConstructors' Championship standings...
and Dutch
1983 Dutch Grand Prix
The 1983 Dutch Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held at Circuit Zandvoort on August 28, 1983.- Classification :-Standings after the race:Drivers' Championship standingsConstructors' Championship standings...
Grands Prix, with the 201 being driven in the other races. The car's best result was a 7th for Johansson in Holland.
Complete Formula One World Championship results
| Year | Entrant | Chassis | Engine | Tyres | Drivers | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | Points | WCC |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spirit Racing Spirit (racing team) Spirit Racing was a racing car constructor and racing team from Britain, who participated in 25 World Championship Formula One Grands Prix between and .Founded in 1981 by Gordon Coppuck and John Wickham, Spirit had a close relationship with Honda... |
Honda RA163-E V6 V6 engine A V6 engine is a V engine with six cylinders mounted on the crankcase in two banks of three cylinders, usually set at either a right angle or an acute angle to each other, with all six pistons driving a common crankshaft... tc Turbocharger A turbocharger, or turbo , from the Greek "τύρβη" is a centrifugal compressor powered by a turbine that is driven by an engine's exhaust gases. Its benefit lies with the compressor increasing the mass of air entering the engine , thereby resulting in greater performance... |
BRA 1983 Brazilian Grand Prix The 1983 Brazilian Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held at Jacarepaguá on March 13, 1983. It was the first round of the 1983 Formula One season.- Classification :- Notes :*Rosberg was disqualified for a push start in the pits... |
USW 1983 United States Grand Prix West The 1983 United States Grand Prix West was a Formula One race held on March 27, 1983 at Long Beach, California.__FORCETOC__-Summary:After struggling greatly in qualifying, the McLaren team found their way on race day, as John Watson and Niki Lauda climbed from positions 22 and 23 on the grid to... |
FRA 1983 French Grand Prix The 1983 French Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held at Paul Ricard on April 17, 1983. French driver Alain Prost won the race for the Renault team, and this was the French marque's 3rd French Grand Prix win in a row and the 4th in 5 seasons.... |
SMR 1983 San Marino Grand Prix The 1983 San Marino Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held at Imola on May 1, 1983.- Classification :-Standings after the race:Drivers' Championship standingsConstructors' Championship standings... |
MON 1983 Monaco Grand Prix The 1983 Monaco Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held at Monaco on May 15, 1983.- Classification :- Notes :*Pole position: Alain Prost - 1:24.840*Fastest lap: Nelson Piquet - 1:27.283 on lap 69*Neither of the McLaren cars qualified... |
BEL 1983 Belgian Grand Prix The 1983 Belgian Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held at Spa-Francorchamps on May 22, 1983. After 13 years, the F1 circus returned to Spa after the track had been shortened... |
DET | CAN 1983 Canadian Grand Prix The 1983 Canadian Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve on June 12, 1983.- Classification :-Standings after the race:Drivers' Championship standingsConstructors' Championship standings... |
GBR 1983 British Grand Prix The 1983 British Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held at Silverstone on 16 July 1983. This was the last British Grand Prix event where the race took place on a Saturday rather than the usual Sunday.- Classification :-Standings after the race:... |
GER 1983 German Grand Prix The 1983 German Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held at Hockenheimring on August 7, 1983.- Classification :-Standings after the race:Drivers' Championship standingsConstructors' Championship standings... |
AUT 1983 Austrian Grand Prix The 1983 Austrian Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held at Österreichring on August 14, 1983.- Classification :-Standings after the race:Drivers' Championship standingsConstructors' Championship standings... |
NED 1983 Dutch Grand Prix The 1983 Dutch Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held at Circuit Zandvoort on August 28, 1983.- Classification :-Standings after the race:Drivers' Championship standingsConstructors' Championship standings... |
ITA 1983 Italian Grand Prix The 1983 Italian Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held at Monza on 11 September 1983.- Classification :- Notes :*This was the first time a Cosworth powered car failed to finish in the points since the 1967 French Grand Prix.... |
EUR 1983 European Grand Prix The 1983 European Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held at Brands Hatch on September 25, 1983. This race saw Bruno Giacomelli score his final championship point, and was the first race for qualified doctor and current circuit owner Jonathan Palmer... |
RSA 1983 South African Grand Prix The 1983 South African Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held at Kyalami on October 15, 1983. It was the final race of the 1983 Formula One season.... |
0 | NC | ||||
| 201 | Stefan Johansson Stefan Johansson Stefan Nils Edwin Johansson is a former Formula One driver from who drove for among others both Ferrari and McLaren during his Grand Prix career. Since leaving Formula One he has raced in a number of categories, including CART, various kinds of Sports car racing, and Grand Prix Masters... |
Ret | 12 | Ret | 14 | |||||||||||||||||
| 201C | Ret | 7 |