Formula Racing - Outside Europe

Outside Europe

Formula-style single-seater racing can be found around the world in countries that have not adopted the career ladder of the common European formulae. Japan's highest level single-seater championship is Formula Nippon, which is equivalent to GP2 and its predecessors. It began in 1973, using Formula Two regulations, and then adopted Formula 3000 regulations from 1987 to 1996. Since then, it has used chassis and engines that are built to its own proprietary ruleset. It now uses a single chassis from Lola and two engine options from Honda and Toyota.

The United States, too, has unique feeder formulae of its own. Since 1974, the most common route to top-level single-seaters was Formula Atlantic, which is now known as the Atlantic Championship. It was later joined by the Firestone Indy Lights Series, first run by CART and later revived by the Indy Racing League (IRL). Atlantic joined its rival in support of the IndyCar Series after the latter's merger with Champ Car in 2008. Below this level sits the Star Mazda Championship, which is approximately equivalent to Formula Three.

East Asia's racing culture is relatively young, but it already has its own Formula BMW championship and a Formula Three series. The cars that were built for the Formula Renault V6 Eurocup are now used in Formula V6 Asia and the GP2 Asia Series takes place since 2008.

The Toyota Racing Series is New Zealand's premier "open-wheeler" motorsport category. The Series includes races for every major trophy in New Zealand circuit racing including the New Zealand Motor Cup and the Denny Hulme Memorial Trophy. The cars are also the category for the New Zealand Grand Prix - one of only two races in the world with FIA approval to use the Grand Prix nomenclature outside Formula One.