Formula Pacific was a motor racing category which was used in the Pacific Basin area from 1977 to 1982. It specified a single-seat, open-wheeler chassis powered by a production-based four-cylinder engine of under 1600cc capacity.Survival of the Swiftest, 1980 Australian Grand Prix Program, page 23 The formula was based on Formula Atlantic, with provision made for the use of Japanese engines. The category was superseded in 1983 by Formula Mondial, which was devised by the FIA to replace both Formula Atlantic and Formula Pacific.
Introduction The Formula Pacific category was created at a meeting of representatives from Pacific Basin countries (Australia, New Zealand, Canada and Japan) in 1976.Graham Howard, A backward look at Formula Pacific, 1982 Australian Grand Prix Program, page 51 The formula was based on Formula Atlantic, with provision made for the use of Japanese engines. The first races to be held under the new formula were staged in New Zealand in January 1977.
New Zealand New Zealand staged its first Formula Pacific races in January 1977 having abandoned Formula 5000 and moved to the new formula in that year.New Zealand Formula Pacific series races Retrieved on 23 January 2010 The category continued there until Formula Mondial was introduced in 1983.Formula Mondial - Southern Pacific Zone, Australian Motor Racing Year 1983/94, pages 232-233
Australia
Formula Pacific was adopted as part of Australian Formula 1 alongside the 5-litre Formula 5000 class in 1979 and it became the sole component of Australian Formula 1 in 1982. Formula Mondial was adopted as the new Australian Formula 1 in 1983 however cars complying with Formula Pacific would continue to compete alongside the new cars until the end of that year.CAMS Manual of Motor Sport 1983, page 273
Japan The Japan Automobile Federation (JAF) ran a Formula Pacific championship from 1978 to 1982.Japanese Formula Pacific Retrieved on 14 April 2021 JAF had instituted a Formula Pacific class in 1977, the cars racing alongside Formula 2000 cars, but with only a single entrant the class was cancelled that year.
Macau
The Macau Grand Prix used Formula Pacific regulations from 1977Grand Prix Macau > MGP Archive > Chronology > Decades of History - The 70s Retrieved on 23 January 2010 until Formula 3 rules were adopted for the 1983 event.Grand Prix Macau > MGP Archive > Chronology > Decades of History - The 80s Retrieved on 23 January 2010 Winners of the race include eventual F1 drivers Riccardo Patrese and Roberto Moreno.
List of Formula Pacific series winners Southeast Asian Series Year Driver Car 1976 Graeme Lawrence March-Ford 1977 Steve Millen Chevron-Ford New Zealand International Series 1977 Keke Rosberg Chevron-Ford 1978 Keke Rosberg Chevron-Ford 1979 Teo Fabi March-Ford 1980 Dave McMillan Ralt-Ford 1981 David Oxton Ralt-Ford 1982 Roberto Moreno Ralt-Ford 1983 Allen Berg Ralt-Ford 1984 Ken Smith Ralt-Ford 1985 Ross Cheever Ralt-Ford 1986 Jeff MacPherson Ralt-Ford 1987 Mike Thackwell Ralt-Ford 1988 Paul Radisich Ralt-Ford 1989 Dean Hall Ralt-Ford 1990 Ken Smith Swift-Ford 1991 Craig Baird Swift-Toyota 1992 Craig Baird Reynard-Toyota 1993 Craig Baird Reynard-Toyota New Zealand Gold Star 1977 Dave McMillan Ralt-Ford 1978 Ross Stone Cuda-Ford 1979 Dave McMillan Ralt-Ford 1980 Dave McMillan Ralt-Ford 1981 David Oxton Ralt-Ford 1982 David Oxton Ralt-Ford 1983 not held 1984 Ken Smith Ralt-Ford 1985 Ken Smith Ralt-Ford 1986 not held 1987 Ken Smith Ralt-Ford 1988 Paul Radisich Ralt-Ford 1989 Dean Hall Ralt-Ford 1990 Ken Smith Swift-Ford 1991 Craig Baird Swift-Toyota 1992 Craig Baird Reynard-Toyota 1993 Craig Baird Reynard-Toyota All-Japan Championship 1978 Masahiro Hasemi Chevron B40-Nissan 1979 Takao Wada March 79B-Nissan 1980 Masahiro Hasemi Chevron 792/802/79B-Nissan 1981 Kazuyoshi Hoshino March 79B-Nissan 1982 Kazuyoshi Hoshino Ralt RT4-Nissan South Pacific Championship 1981 David Oxton Ralt-Ford 1982 Roberto Moreno Ralt-Ford National Panasonic SeriesThe Sydney Morning Herald, Monday, 24 August 1981, page 21 1981 Bruce Allison Ralt-Ford 1982Bev Wright, O'Brien All the Way, Racing Car News, October 1982, pages 41 to 43 Charlie O'Brien Ralt RT4 Australian Drivers' Championship (Gold Star) 1982 Alfredo Costanzo Tiga-Ford 1983 + Alfredo Costanzo Tiga-Ford 1984 + John Bowe Ralt-Ford 1985 + John Bowe Ralt-Ford 1986 + Graham Watson Ralt-Ford FISA Formula Mondial World Cup 1983 Charlie O'Brien Ralt-Ford Indian Formula Pacific Series 1984 Jim Crawford Chevron-Ford 1985 Jim Crawford Chevron-Ford 1986 Vicky Chandhok Chevron-Ford
% : The 1976 series was open to Formula Atlantic cars.Lawrence's Rothmans title, Autosport, 6 January 1977, page 5
+ : From 1983 to 1986 the Australian Drivers' Championship was contested by cars complying with Formula Mondial regulations.
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