FIRST Motorsport
FIRST Motorsport
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This article is about the team that competed in the FV2 Series. For the team that is currently competing in Formula Virtual, please see FIRST.
FIRST Motorsport is an American racing organization based in Charlotte, North Carolina, United States. The team was founded by Adam Blocker in late 2014, and currently competes in the Formula Virtual 2 series and FV2 Winter Series. FIRST Motorsport is co-owned by Blocker and the team's primary sponsor, FIRST robotics.
History
Formation
The team was co-founded by FIRST robotics and Adam Blocker with the intention of entering into the 2015 FV2 Series season. The team, however, made its debut in the FV2 Winter Series. The team aims to achieve the following while participating in motorsport:
- Inspire youth around the world to pursue careers in STEM-related fields.
- Help promote and develop the American automotive industry.
- Develop young American drivers into Formula Virtual stars.
- Participate in the Formula Virtual series.
The team hopes to achieve these goals by partnering with the Ford Motor Company for technical advice and manufacturer support when possible. By basing its operations out of Charlotte, North Carolina, the team hopes to provide jobs to and help develop world-class American automotive engineers. The team plans to offer many internship opportunities to university students in an effort to accomplish this.
Formula Virtual 2 Series
FIRST Motorsport will make its debut in the FV2 series in 2015.
2015
FIRST will run in the 2015 FV2 season with the support of Liverpool Grand Prix, the runners-up in the 2014 Formula Virtual constructors' championship. FIRST agreed to run two Liverpool junior drivers, Jamie Gerrard of Britain and Olen Inman of Monaco (the latter of which was the 2014 FSSC champion), in exchange for full support on both seats. With two highly rated drivers and financial backing, FIRST go into the season as a front runner for the title.
Formula Virtual 2 Winter Series
FIRST Motorsport made their debut in the FV2 Winter Series in 2014-15.
2014-15
Ukranian Oleksandr Zozulya and American Brock Kidd were signed as FIRST's drivers for the season. The two finished 5th and 7th in the 2014 EJGPC, respectively.
Zozulya claimed FIRST Motorsport's first win, podium, and fastest lap in any category in its very first race, the feature race at Suzuka. This race was also the first race of the FV2 Winter series. Zozulya started second behind Allar Kangur, but was into the lead on the opening lap. Zozulya defended against Kangur for the next 24 laps. On the 24th lap the two made contact exiting the final corner. Kangur was forced to retire while Zozulya, who now had a huge advantage over Brittany Johnson, went on to win the race. Over the course of the season, the team achieved two more podiums, one for Kidd and one for Zozulya on route to a 4th place finish in the teams' championship.
Formula Virtual World Championship
See also: FIRST
FIRST Motorsport applied for entry into the 2015 Formula Virtual season to replace Team 23, who decided to withdraw at the conclusion of the 2014 season. The team's entry was denied in favour of the Japanese outfit Formula Ocelot.
FIRST Motorsport applied for entry into the 2016 Formula Virtual season as a 13th team and were accepted onto the grid for the 2016 season.
Sponsorship
FIRST Motorsport is primarily sponsored by FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Mathematics) robotics. FIRST partnered with Adam Blocker to found the team and currently own 50% of the team.
FIRST Motorsport is also sponsored by 3M, Ford Motor Company, LEGO, NASA, PTC, Rockwell Collins, Solidworks, and Valvoline.
Racing Record
FV2 Winter Series
Season | Chassis | Engine | Driver | No. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | Pos. | Points | ||||||
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Fea | Spr | Fea | Spr | Fea | Spr | Fea | Spr | Fea | Spr | Fea | Spr | |||||||
2014-15 | Ford IJGP/1 | Ford | JPN | DUB | MAL | IND | BHR | ABU | 4th | 115 | ||||||||
Brock Kidd | 24 | 11 | 2 | 4 | 8 | Ret | 12 | 5 | Ret | 5 | 9 | 13 | 8 | |||||
Oleksandr Zozulya | 25 | 1 | 4 | 13 | 6 | Ret | 16 | 2 | 8 | 14 | 14 | Ret | 15 |
FV2 Series
Season | Chassis | Engine | Driver | No. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | Pos. | Points | ||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Fea | Spr | Fea | Spr | Fea | Spr | Fea | Spr | Fea | Spr | Fea | Spr | Fea | Spr | Fea | Spr | Fea | Spr | Fea | Spr | Fea | Spr | Fea | Spr | |||||||
2015 | Ford FV2/1 | Ford | RSA | SWE | ESP | POR | FRA | GBR | CAN | USA | GER | NED | BEL | ITA | 4th | 231.5 | ||||||||||||||
Jamie Gerrard | 11 | 12 | 1 | 12 | 2 | 131 | Ret | 13 | 7 | 10 | 2 | 15 | Ret | 7 | 4 | 11 | 2 | 11 | Ret | Ret | 15 | 7 | Ret | Ret | 10 | |||||
Olen Inman | 12 | 4 | 6 | Ret | 18 | 2 | Ret | 1 | 10 | 3 | 5 | 7 | Ret | 3 | 9 | Ret | 15 | Ret | 12 | 7 | 4 | 10 | 3 | 12 | 3 |
1 Gerrard and Kiara Thunder set identical fastest laps in the 2015 FV2 Spain Feature Race, so each received half of a point.