2015 Auto GP Series

The 2015 Auto GP Series was the sixth year of Auto GP, and the sixteenth season of the former Euroseries 3000. The championship began on 2 May at the Hungaroring and was scheduled to finish after six double-header rounds at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, on 4 October.[1][2][3]

To guarantee a field of at least 18 cars each race, the Auto GP Organisation, led by Enzo Coloni, announced a cooperation deal with ISRA, the Dutch company led by Henk de Jong that organised the 2014 Formula Acceleration 1 season. However, the partnership between the Auto GP Organisation and ISRA was discontinued as Auto GP prepared for round one, due to ISRA's apparent lack of commitment.[4] It was also announced that the 2015 Auto GP champion will be given a Formula One test.[2][3][5] This attempt to extend the season did not succeed however. On 26 June, the day before the third meeting at Paul Ricard, the season was postponed because of a lack of grid numbers.[6]

In October 2015, the season was "archived" after four of the scheduled six events had been cancelled due to a lack of entries.[7] Antônio Pizzonia had been leading the drivers' championship by eleven points, after winning two of the first four races. Second place was held by Facu Regalia, who won the season-opening race at Silverstone, while the only other race-winner Luís Sá Silva, was lying third in the championship, another 15 points in arrears. With the victories of Pizzonia and Sá Silva, Zele Racing held the lead of the teams' championship with 132 points, 37 points ahead of the second-placed team, FMS Racing. However, due to the series cancellation, no championship titles were awarded.

  1. ^ Khorounzhiy, Valentin (2 April 2015). "Auto GP's Marrakech opener cancelled". Paddock Scout. Retrieved 2 April 2015.
  2. ^ a b "Auto GP en FA1 bundelen hun krachten in nieuw kampioenschap" [Auto GP and FA1 join forces in new championship]. RaceXpress. 22 December 2014. Retrieved 22 December 2014.
  3. ^ a b "Auto GP set for Formula Acceleration merger in bid to boost grids". Autosport. 22 December 2014. Retrieved 22 December 2014.
  4. ^ "Auto GP to continue with own efforts after terminating ISRA partnership". Auto GP. Auto GP Organisation. 30 April 2015. Retrieved 30 April 2015.
  5. ^ "Auto GP 2015 drivers' champion to get prize Formula 1 test". Autosport. 7 November 2014. Retrieved 22 December 2014.
  6. ^ Hensby, Paul (26 June 2015). "Auto GP season postponed due to entry levels". The Checkered Flag. BlackEagleMedia. Retrieved 8 August 2015.
  7. ^ "Auto GP: Archived season 2015, the staff is working on a national series in 2016 at low cost". Auto GP. Auto GP Organisation. 1 October 2015. Archived from the original on 25 October 2015. Retrieved 4 October 2015.