Elite Racing League

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Non-canon.png All information on this page is not part of canon.

The Elite Racing League is a racing series made by ShaneEyoho, it is a single seater series and is not canon in the Formula rejects universe although it could be in the future should interest grow in the series.

General Information

The Elite Racing League (commonly abbreviated to ERL and often written as 'Elite Racing League') is a FICTIONAL open-wheel single-seater racing competition, the competition itself made its debut to the racing world in 1960 as a Formula 1 support series, the formula is governed by the FIA. What makes this season unique compared to the likes of F1, most of the races from 2016 onwards take place during the off season alongside various winter series meaning the roster of drivers and constructors can vary from season to season.

The Series started out, as mentioned, in 1960 and has seen many good races between now and then, the seasons can be seen below, as the ERL has a long and somewhat complicated history, each season page will run through the basics of what happened during those seasons.

The series stayed as a Formula 1 support series until 1997 when it broke away from the FIA and went independent following backing from title sponsor FedEx this would continue until 2004 when the ERL came back to FIA regulations and backing due to a decrease in ratings and race attendance.

Due to the series (between 1960 and 1997) being an Formula 1 support series, several Formula 1 World Champions participated in this series due to some of the Formula 1 teams at the time also having teams in the ERL (eg: Ferrari.)

The Elite Racing League made its debut on TV at the start of its 1978 season (18 months after Formula 1 debuted at their Japanese Grand Prix in 1976.)

1980 Formula One merge and split

In 1980 (due to lack of driver interest) a merge between F1 and its ERL support series was made due to their not being enough drivers on the market for the two series to have different grids so the FIA decided to merge the two championships, the ERL would still get its own championship/race slots it would just race the F1 calendar instead of its own, it also meant that future legends of the time could participate in the series more often this actually increased TV ratings as the ERL races usually took place on a Saturday before an F1 Grand Prix on the Sunday.

However following several fatal accidents in the 1980s in the Formula 1 World Championship, the Elite Racing League was pulled by the FIA from F1 weekends out of safety pre-cautions, this bought the end of the “GP Era” and also Langley’s time as series runner who quit in a fit of rage.

Despite all this, the Elite Racing League had gained a cult following in Australia, Canada, the UK and the United States and these markets were desperate to get the highly competitive series back to people this time with USAC in the United States leading the charge however the FIA refused calling it an “outdated mess” prompting USAC to create the Elite Racing League association with businessman and campaign spokes person Seth Land at the helm.

Land claimed that the ERL was becoming too much like F1 and needed its own identity so he announced a partnership with Dallara to build a spec chassis for the cars, he also said that this new ERL would see brand new teams and manufacturers compete for supremacy through many disciplines of racing with races happening on ovals, road courses and street tracks (the latter two producing the ERL’s best racing) this was met with criticism saying that it was now just copying CART.

Land retaliated saying that races in the UK, Canada and Australia are also expected on the calendar for the first rebooted season in 1984.

Land then proceeded to look for title sponsors, he struck a deal with FedEx to become the title sponsor for the series.

Seasons (The GP Era)

Year Grands Prix Drivers Champion Manufacturers Champion
1960 7 Template:AUS Jack Brabham (Cooper) Template:GBR Cooper-Climax
1961 8 Template:AUS Jack Brabham (Cooper) Template:GBR Cooper-Climax
1962 8 Template:GBR Jim Clark (Lotus) Flag of Italy svg.png Ferrari
1963 8 Flag of New Zealand svg.png Bruce McLaren (Cooper) Template:GBR Lotus-Climax
1964 9 Flag of Sweden svg.png Jo Bonnier (Ferrari) Flag of Italy svg.png Ferrari
1965 8 Flag of Sweden svg.png Jo Bonnier (Ferrari) Flag of Italy svg.png Ferrari
1966 8 Flag of Italy svg.png Lorenzo Bandini (Ferrari) Flag of Italy svg.png Ferrari
1967 8 Template:GBR Jim Clark (Lotus) Template:GBR Lotus-Climax
1968 8 Flag of New Zealand svg.png Denny Hulme (McLaren) Flag of Japan svg.png Honda
1969 9 Template:AUS Jack Brabham (Brabham) Template:GBR Brabham-Ford
1970 10 Flag of New Zealand svg.png Denny Hulme (McLaren) Template:GBR McLaren-Ford
1971 10 Austria.png Niki Lauda (BRM) Template:GBR Lotus-Ford
1972 12 Austria.png Niki Lauda (Ferrari) Flag of Japan svg.png Honda
1973 12 Austria.png Niki Lauda (Ferrari) Flag of Italy svg.png Ferrari
1974 12 Flag of New Zealand svg.png Denny Hulme (McLaren) Template:GBR McLaren-Ford
1975 14 Sweden.png Ronnie Peterson (Lotus) Flag of Japan svg.png Honda
1976 14 Flag of New Zealand svg.png Chris Amon (Honda) Flag of Japan svg.png Honda
1977 14 Brazil.png Emerson Fittipaldi (McLaren) Template:GBR McLaren-Ford
1978 15 Template:SUI Clay Regazzoni (Ferrari) Flag of Italy svg.png Ferrari
1979 15 Template:SUI Clay Regazzoni (Ferrari) Flag of Italy svg.png Ferrari
1980 13 Template:AUS Alan Jones (Williams) Flag of Brazil svg.png Fittipaldi-Ford
1981 16 Template:FRA Alain Prost (Renault) Flag of Italy svg.png Ferrari
1982 16 Template:GBR Nigel Mansell (McLaren) Template:GBR McLaren-Ford

Race Milestones

  • 100 - Template:USA 1971 United States Grand Prix at Watkins Glen.
  • 200 - Flag of Monaco svg.png 1979 Monaco Grand Prix.

Race Count: 254 (as of the 1982 Caesars Palace Grand Prix)

List of Grand Prix and Locations

As of the 1983 season.

Name of Race Years Locations
Flag of Argentina svg.png Argentine Grand Prix 1963-1981 Flag of Argentina svg.png Buenos Aires (1963-1981)
Template:AUT Austrian Grand Prix 1978-present Template:AUT Salzburgring (1978-1979)
Template:AUT Osterreichring (1980-present)
Template:BEL Belgian Grand Prix 1981-present Template:BEL Circuit Zolder (1981-1982)
Template:BEL Circuit Spa-Francorchamps (1983-present)
Flag of Brazil svg.png Brazilian Grand Prix 1972-present Flag of Brazil svg.png Autodromo Jose Carlos Pace (1972-1980)
Flag of Brazil svg.png Autódromo Internacional Nelson Piquet (1981-present)
Template:GBR British Grand Prix 1960-present Template:GBR Silverstone Circuit (1960-1979, 1981, 1983-present)
Template:GBR Brands Hatch (1980, 1982)
Template:USA Caesars Palace Grand Prix 1981-1982 Template:USA Caesars Palace (1981-1982)
Template:USA California Grand Prix 1980-present Template:USA Sonoma Raceway (1980)
Template:USA Long Beach Street Circuit (1981-present)
Flag of Canada svg.png Canadian Grand Prix 1969-present Flag of Canada svg.png Canadian Tire Motorsport Park (1969-1979)
Flag of Canada svg.png Circuit Gilles Vileneuve (1980-present)
Flag of the Netherlands svg.png Dutch Grand Prix 1960-present Flag of the Netherlands svg.png Circuit Zandvoort (1960-present)
Flag of Europe svg.png European Grand Prix 1960-1964, 1975-1979, 1982-present Flag of San Marino svg.png Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari (1960)
Template:GBR Aintree Motor Circuit (1961-1964)
Flag of Italy svg.png Mugello Circuit (1975-1979)
Template:FRA Dijon-Prenois (1982)
Template:GBR Brands Hatch (1983-present)
Template:FRA French Grand Prix 1960-present Template:FRA Reims-Gueux (1960-1961)
Template:FRA Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours (1962-1979)
Template:FRA Circuit Paul Ricard (1980, 1982-present)
Template:FRA Dijon-Prenois (1981)
Flag of Germany svg.png German Grand Prix 1960, 1970-present Flag of Germany svg.png Nurburgring Nordschleife (1960)
Flag of Germany svg.png Hockenheimring (1970-present)
Flag of Italy svg.png Italian Grand Prix 1960-present Flag of Italy svg.png Autodromo Nazionale Monza (1960-1979, 1981-present)
Flag of San Marino svg.png Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari (1980)
Flag of Japan svg.png Japanese Grand Prix 1975-1979 Flag of Japan svg.png Suzuka Circuit (1975-1979)
Flag of Monaco svg.png Monaco Grand Prix 1960-present Flag of Monaco svg.png Circuit de Monaco (1960-present)
Flag of Portugal svg.png Portuguese Grand Prix 1961-1962 Flag of Portugal svg.png Circuit Boavista (1961-1962)
Flag of San Marino svg.png San Marino Grand Prix 1981-present Flag of San Marino svg.png Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari (1981-present)
Flag of South Africa svg.png South African Grand Prix 1964-present Flag of South Africa svg.png Kyalami Circuit (1964-present)
Flag of Spain svg.png Spanish Grand Prix 1972-1979, 1981 Flag of Spain svg.png Circuito del Jarama (1972-1979, 1981)
Template:USA United States Grand Prix 1961-1980, 1982-present Template:USA Sebring International Raceway (1961-1966)
Template:USA Watkins Glen (1967-1973, 1980)
Template:USA Sonoma Raceway (1974-1979)
Template:USA Detroit Street Circuit (1982-present)