View source for Formula Pacific

'''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.<ref>Survival of the Swiftest, 1980 Australian Grand Prix Program,  page 23</ref> 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 The category was superseded in 1983 by [[Formula Mondial]], which was devised by the [[FIA]] to replace both Formula Atlantic and Formula Pacific.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.<ref name=Howard>Graham Howard, A backward look at Formula Pacific, 1982 Australian Grand Prix Program, page 51</ref> The formula was based on [[Formula Atlantic]], with provision made for the use of Japanese engines.<ref name=Howard/> The first races to be held under the new formula were staged in New Zealand in January 1977.<ref name=Howard/>

==New Zealand==
New Zealand staged its first Formula Pacific races in January 1977<ref name=Howard/> having abandoned [[Formula 5000]] and moved to the new formula in that year.<ref>[http://www.oldracingcars.com/results/racelist.php?CategoryID=ZB New Zealand Formula Pacific series races] Retrieved on 23 January 2010</ref>
The category continued there until Formula Mondial was introduced in 1983.<ref>Formula Mondial - Southern Pacific Zone, Australian Motor Racing Year 1983/94, pages 232-233</ref>

==Australia==
{{Main|Australian Formula 1}}
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 Atlantic|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.<ref>CAMS Manual of Motor Sport 1983, page 273</ref>

==Japan==
The Japan Automobile Federation ran a Formula Pacific championship from 1978 to 1982.<ref>[https://www.oldracingcars.com/japan/pacific/ Japanese Formula Pacific]

Retrieved on 14 April 2021</ref>

==Macau==
[[File:Grand_Prix_Museum_50815_19.jpg|right|thumb|200px|[[Theodore Racing]]'s Formula Pacific race car at the Macau Grand Prix Museum.]]
The [[Macau Grand Prix]] used Formula Pacific regulations from 1977<ref>[http://www.macau.grandprix.gov.mo/mgpc/subpage.php?d=530&lang=en Grand Prix Macau > MGP Archive > Chronology > Decades of History - The 70s] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120301141629/http://www.macau.grandprix.gov.mo/mgpc/subpage.php?d=530&lang=en |date=2012-03-01 }} Retrieved on 23 January 2010</ref> until [[Formula 3]] rules were adopted for the 1983 event.<ref>[http://gp.macau.grandprix.gov.mo/mgpc/subpage.php?id=531&lang=en Grand Prix Macau > MGP Archive > Chronology > Decades of History - The 80s] Retrieved on 23 January 2010</ref> Winners of the race include eventual F1 drivers [[Riccardo Patrese]] and [[Roberto Moreno]].

==List of Formula Pacific series winners==
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! colspan=3 | Southeast Asian Series
|-
! Year
! Driver
! Car
|-
! 1976
| {{flagicon|NZL}} [[Graeme Lawrence]]
| [[March Engineering|March]]-[[Ford Motor Company|Ford]]
|-
! 1977
| {{flagicon|NZL}} [[Steve Millen]]
| [[Chevron Racing Cars|Chevron]]-[[Ford Motor Company|Ford]]
|-
! colspan=3 | New Zealand International Series
|-
! [[1977 New Zealand International Formula Pacific season|1977]]
| {{flagicon|FIN}} [[Keke Rosberg]]
| [[Chevron Racing Cars|Chevron]]-[[Ford Motor Company|Ford]]
|-
! [[1978 New Zealand International Formula Pacific season|1978]]
| {{flagicon|FIN}} [[Keke Rosberg]]
| [[Chevron Racing Cars|Chevron]]-[[Ford Motor Company|Ford]]
|-
! [[1979 New Zealand International Formula Pacific season|1979]]
| {{flagicon|ITA}} [[Teo Fabi]]
| [[March Engineering|March]]-[[Ford Motor Company|Ford]]
|-
! [[1980 New Zealand International Formula Pacific season|1980]]
| {{flagicon|NZL}} [[Dave McMillan (racing driver)|Dave McMillan]]
| [[Ralt]]-[[Ford Motor Company|Ford]]
|-
! [[1981 New Zealand International Formula Pacific season|1981]]
| {{flagicon|NZL}} [[David Oxton]]
| [[Ralt]]-[[Ford Motor Company|Ford]]
|-
! [[1982 New Zealand International Formula Pacific season|1982]]
| {{flagicon|BRA}} [[Roberto Moreno]]
| [[Ralt]]-[[Ford Motor Company|Ford]]
|-
! [[1983 New Zealand International Formula Pacific season|1983]]
| {{flagicon|CAN}} [[Allen Berg]]
| [[Ralt]]-[[Ford Motor Company|Ford]]
|-
! [[1984 New Zealand International Formula Pacific season|1984]]
| {{flagicon|NZL}} [[Ken Smith (racing driver)|Ken Smith]]
| [[Ralt]]-[[Ford Motor Company|Ford]]
|-
! [[1985 New Zealand International Formula Pacific season|1985]]
| {{flagicon|USA}} [[Ross Cheever]]
| [[Ralt]]-[[Ford Motor Company|Ford]]
|-
! [[1986 New Zealand International Formula Pacific season|1986]]
| {{flagicon|USA}} [[Jeff MacPherson]]
| [[Ralt]]-[[Ford Motor Company|Ford]]
|-
! [[1987 New Zealand International Formula Pacific season|1987]]
| {{flagicon|NZL}} [[Mike Thackwell]]
| [[Ralt]]-[[Ford Motor Company|Ford]]
|-
! [[1988 New Zealand International Formula Pacific season|1988]]
| {{flagicon|NZL}} [[Paul Radisich]]
| [[Ralt]]-[[Ford Motor Company|Ford]]
|-
! [[1989 New Zealand International Formula Pacific season|1989]]
| {{flagicon|USA}} [[Dean Hall (racing driver)|Dean Hall]]
| [[Ralt]]-[[Ford Motor Company|Ford]]
|-
! [[1990 New Zealand International Formula Pacific season|1990]]
| {{flagicon|NZL}} [[Ken Smith (racing driver)|Ken Smith]]
| [[Swift Engineering|Swift]]-[[Ford Motor Company|Ford]]
|-
! [[1991 New Zealand International Formula Pacific season|1991]]
| {{flagicon|NZL}} [[Craig Baird]]
| [[Swift Engineering|Swift]]-[[Toyota]]
|-
! [[1992 New Zealand International Formula Pacific season|1992]]
| {{flagicon|NZL}} [[Craig Baird]]
| [[Reynard Motorsport|Reynard]]-[[Toyota]]
|-
! [[1993 New Zealand International Formula Pacific season|1993]]
| {{flagicon|NZL}} [[Craig Baird]]
| [[Reynard Motorsport|Reynard]]-[[Toyota]]
|-
! colspan=3 | New Zealand Gold Star
|-
! 1977
| {{flagicon|NZL}} [[Dave McMillan (racing driver)|Dave McMillan]]
| [[Ralt]]-[[Ford Motor Company|Ford]]
|-
! 1978
| {{flagicon|NZL}} [[Ross Stone]]
| Cuda-[[Ford Motor Company|Ford]]
|-
! 1979
| {{flagicon|NZL}} [[Dave McMillan (racing driver)|Dave McMillan]]
| [[Ralt]]-[[Ford Motor Company|Ford]]
|-
! 1980
| {{flagicon|NZL}} [[Dave McMillan (racing driver)|Dave McMillan]]
| [[Ralt]]-[[Ford Motor Company|Ford]]
|-
! 1981
| {{flagicon|NZL}} [[David Oxton]]
| [[Ralt]]-[[Ford Motor Company|Ford]]
|-
! 1982
| {{flagicon|NZL}} [[David Oxton]]
| [[Ralt]]-[[Ford Motor Company|Ford]]
|-
! 1983
|colspan="2"| ''not held''
|-
! 1984
| {{flagicon|NZL}} [[Ken Smith (racing driver)|Ken Smith]]
| [[Ralt]]-[[Ford Motor Company|Ford]]
|-
! 1985
| {{flagicon|NZL}} [[Ken Smith (racing driver)|Ken Smith]]
| [[Ralt]]-[[Ford Motor Company|Ford]]
|-
! 1986
|colspan="2"| ''not held''
|-
! 1987
| {{flagicon|NZL}} [[Ken Smith (racing driver)|Ken Smith]]
| [[Ralt]]-[[Ford Motor Company|Ford]]
|-
! 1988
| {{flagicon|NZL}} [[Paul Radisich]]
| [[Ralt]]-[[Ford Motor Company|Ford]]
|-
! 1989
| {{flagicon|USA}} [[Dean Hall (racing driver)|Dean Hall]]
| [[Ralt]]-[[Ford Motor Company|Ford]]
|-
! 1990
| {{flagicon|NZL}} [[Ken Smith (racing driver)|Ken Smith]]
| [[Swift Engineering|Swift]]-[[Ford Motor Company|Ford]]
|-
! 1991
| {{flagicon|NZL}} [[Craig Baird]]
| [[Swift Engineering|Swift]]-[[Toyota]]
|-
! 1992
| {{flagicon|NZL}} [[Craig Baird]]
| [[Reynard Motorsport|Reynard]]-[[Toyota]]
|-
! 1993
| {{flagicon|NZL}} [[Craig Baird]]
| [[Reynard Motorsport|Reynard]]-[[Toyota]]
|-
! colspan=3 | All-Japan Championship
|-
! 1978
| {{flagicon|JPN}} [[Masahiro Hasemi]]
| [[Chevron Racing Cars|Chevron]]-[[Nissan Motors|Nissan]]
|-
! 1979
| {{flagicon|JPN}} [[Takao Wada]]
| [[March Engineering|March]]-[[Nissan Motors|Nissan]]
|-
! 1980
| {{flagicon|JPN}} [[Masahiro Hasemi]]
| [[Chevron Racing Cars|Chevron]]-[[Nissan Motors|Nissan]]
|-
! 1981
| {{flagicon|JPN}} [[Kazuyoshi Hoshino]]
| [[March Engineering|March]]-[[Nissan Motors|Nissan]]
|-
! 1982
| {{flagicon|JPN}} [[Kazuyoshi Hoshino]]
| [[Ralt]]-[[Nissan Motors|Nissan]]
|-
! colspan=3 | South Pacific Championship
|-
! 1981
| {{flagicon|NZL}} [[David Oxton]]
| [[Ralt]]-[[Ford Motor Company|Ford]]
|-
! 1982
| {{flagicon|BRA}} [[Roberto Moreno]]
| [[Ralt]]-[[Ford Motor Company|Ford]]
|-
! colspan=3 | National Panasonic Series<ref name=Herald>The Sydney Morning Herald, Monday, 24 August 1981, page 21</ref> 
|-
! [[1981 National Panasonic Series|1981]]<ref name=Herald/>
| {{flagicon|AUS}} [[Bruce Allison]]<ref name=Herald/>
| [[Ralt]]-[[Ford Motor Company|Ford]]
|-
! 1982<ref name=Wright>Bev Wright, O'Brien All the Way, Racing Car News, October 1982, pages 41 to 43</ref>
| {{flagicon|AUS}} [[Charlie O'Brien (racing driver)|Charlie O'Brien]]<ref name=Wright/>
| [[Ralt RT4]]<ref name=Wright/>
|-
! colspan=3 | Australian Drivers' Championship (Gold Star)
|-
! [[1982 Australian Drivers' Championship|1982]] 
| {{flagicon|AUS}} [[Alfredo Costanzo]]
| [[Tiga Race Cars|Tiga]]-[[Ford Motor Company|Ford]]
|-
! [[1983 Australian Drivers' Championship|1983]] +
| {{flagicon|AUS}} [[Alfredo Costanzo]]
| [[Tiga Race Cars|Tiga]]-[[Ford Motor Company|Ford]]
|-
! [[1984 Australian Drivers' Championship|1984]] +
| {{flagicon|AUS}} [[John Bowe (racing driver)|John Bowe]]
| [[Ralt]]-[[Ford Motor Company|Ford]]
|-
! [[1985 Australian Drivers' Championship|1985]] +
| {{flagicon|AUS}} [[John Bowe (racing driver)|John Bowe]]
| [[Ralt]]-[[Ford Motor Company|Ford]]
|-
! [[1986 Australian Drivers' Championship|1986]] +
| {{flagicon|AUS}} [[Graham Watson (racing driver)|Graham Watson]]
| [[Ralt]]-[[Ford Motor Company|Ford]]
|-
! colspan=3 | FISA Formula Mondial World Cup
|-
! 1983
| {{flagicon|AUS}} [[Charlie O'Brien (racing driver)|Charlie O'Brien]]
| [[Ralt]]-[[Ford Motor Company|Ford]]
|-
! colspan=3 | Indian Formula Pacific Series
|-
! 1984
| {{flagicon|GBR}} [[Jim Crawford (racing driver)|Jim Crawford]]
| [[Chevron Racing Cars|Chevron]]-[[Ford Motor Company|Ford]]
|-
! 1985
| {{flagicon|GBR}} [[Jim Crawford (racing driver)|Jim Crawford]]
| [[Chevron Racing Cars|Chevron]]-[[Ford Motor Company|Ford]]
|-
! 1986
| {{flagicon|IND}} [[Vicky Chandhok]]
| [[Chevron Racing Cars|Chevron]]-[[Ford Motor Company|Ford]]
|}

% : The 1976 series was open to [[Formula Atlantic]] cars.<ref>Lawrence's Rothmans title, Autosport, 6 January 1977, page 5</ref>

+ : From 1983 to 1986 the [[Australian Drivers' Championship]] was contested by cars complying with [[Formula Mondial]] regulations.

==References==
<references/>

{{Class of Auto racing}}

[[Category:Formula racing]]
[[Category:Motorsport categories in Australia]]