Superleague Formula Announces Exciting New Race Format For 2009 Season

The opening round of the 2009 Superleague Formula - staged at Magny-Cours, France on Sunday 28 June - will witness the introduction of an exciting new race format. As in 2008, race day will feature two 45-minute showdowns, the second with a reverse starting grid taken from the finishing results of the first. However the action-packed schedule will now reach its thrilling climax with a third race for the top three finishers from the first two races. This special six-car 'shoot-out' will decide the overall 'Weekend Winner'. Extra championship points will not be on offer but the final results will determine the distribution of each event's 333,000 € prize fund.

Superleague Formula announces exciting new race format for 2009 season Credit: Superleague Formula

Superleague Formula's Competition Director Robin Webb explains the rationale behind this exciting new development. "The fans have really responded to our unique Superleague Formula race format - particularly the reverse grid race which always produces some dramatic battles as the faster drivers fight their way through the pack from the back. But, while this double-header structure lets two different clubs celebrate success, it doesn't provide us with an outright winner on the day. Now the introduction of this 'six-car' shoot-out will not only produce an overall victor but also provide race-goers and television audiences with a thrilling conclusion to the on-track action. We are always looking for new ways to entertain our fans and we believe this rousing finale will prove to be another hugely popular Superleague Formula innovation."

The exhilarating new three-race format will run at four of this season's six Superleague Formula race meetings; those events at Magny Cours, Donington, Estoril and Jarama. There will be a 'Weekend Winner' at both Zolder and Monza but this time awarded to the club scoring the most championship points in the two 45-minute races.

Superleague Formula has also confirmed that 17 of the world's most renowned soccer clubs will be represented on this year's grid. Three new clubs - Olympique Lyonnais, FC Midtjylland and Sporting Clube de Portugal - are replacing Al-Ain, Beijing Guoan FC, Borussia Dortmund and Sevilla FC in the final 2009 line-up.

"We are significantly increasing the spectacle and excitement for the fans by investing more of our resources into the on-track entertainment in 2009 and are confident that a 17-car grid plus the revised race format will deliver even more excitement and unpredictability than in our highly successful inaugural season. This can only be to the benefit of the clubs, teams, drivers, sponsors and, most importantly, the millions of global fans who've already experienced the power and passion of the Superleague Formula," said Webb.

2009 Superleague Formula Race Dates:

Rd Circuit             Country   Date 

1  Magny-Cours         France    June      27/28, 2009  
2  Zolder              Belgium   July      18/19, 2009  
3  Donington Park      UK        August     1/ 2, 2009  
4  Estoril             Portugal  September  5/ 6, 2009  
5  Monza               Italy     October    3/ 4, 2009  
6  Circuito de Jarama  Spain     November   7/ 8, 2009  

Superleague Formula is the fusion of the two of the world's most popular sports - capturing the passion of football with the thrill and excitement of motor racing. The new concept features a field of evenly matched V12-powered, 750 horsepower single seater racecars bearing the colours of the world's leading football teams. Traditional rivals on the pitch are doing battle at some of the world's greatest racetracks. The series kicked off in 2008 with 12 'double-header' races staged at six of Europe's premier venues. Underlining the competitive nature of Superleague Formula, no fewer than eight soccer clubs (AC Milan, Al-Ain, Beijing Guoan FC, BVB Borussia Dortmund, Liverpool FC, FC Porto, PSV Eindhoven and Sevilla FC) experienced race victories during what was a dramatic inaugural campaign. Building on this success, a slightly revised grid featuring three new clubs (Olympique Lyonnais, FC Midtjylland and Sporting Clube de Portugal) will contest the 2009 championship, which starts at Magny-Cours in France on 27/28 June.

2009 Superleague Formula Clubs

AC Milan,                   Italy
AS Roma,                    Italy
Athlético Madrid,           Spain
Corinthians,                Brazil
FC Basel,                   Switzerland
FC Midtjylland,             Denmark
FC Porto,                   Portugal
Flamengo,                   Brazil
Galatasaray,                Turkey
Liverpool FC,               England
Olympiacos,                 Greece
Olympique Lyonnais,         France
PSV Eindhoven,              Netherlands
Rangers FC,                 Scotland
RSC Anderlecht,             Belgium
Sporting Clube de Portugal, Portugal 
Tottenham Hotspur,          England 

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