Category Formula Renault 2.0 Inaugural season 2002 Engine suppliers Renault | Country Asia Constructors Tatuus Drivers' champion Josh Burdon | |
The Asian Formula Renault Series (Known as Asian Formula Renault Challenge before, now also known as AFR Series) is a Formula Renault 2.0 championship held on Asia. The series debuted in 2002 and also held the China Formula Renault Challenge.
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The series is a part of the Formula Racing Development Limited (FRD) organization managed by Kenneth Ma to promote motorsport in Asia. The FRD also runs the China Formula Campus and Clio Cup China Series.
The cars use Tatuus chassis and the 2.0 L Renault Clio engines like other Formula Renault 2.0 series. After several seasons racing on Kumho tires, the series start using GiTi tires from 2014.
About
With the aim of providing a budget junior racing series around the Asian region, FRD, with the support from Renault Sport, imported a fleet of Formula Renault 2.0 race cars and first organized the Asian Formula Renault Series (aka AFR Series) in 2000. This is a pioneering junior racing series in Asia and it attracted numerous young talents from the region to join the grid over the years.
From 2002 to 2005, the series even held an invitation race during the Macau Grand Prix weekend and big names such as Japanese F1 stars Kamui Kobayashi, Kazuki Nakajima, Red Bull Junior Team's Scott Speed, Brazilian Bruno Senna all once took part in the event.
Regulation
The championship reward was the International Challenge Category for the overall winner. From 2007 until 2013, Asian drivers also had a parallel classification with the Asian Challenge Category. Another classification, for Chinese events only, was the China Formula Renault Challenge, which was an entry-level series intended to reduce the championship cost. All series drivers and teams raced at the same time during the races in China but points were calculated separately.
The cars can be tested outside the race weekend on the Zhuhai International Circuit or Shanghai International Circuit.
The race weekend starts on Thursday and Friday with a 2-hour free practice session but with additional cost for drivers. On Saturday there are two 30 minute practice sessions and 20 minutes of qualifications. A warm-up (15 minutes) occurs on Sunday morning and two 10 lap races are held in the afternoon.
In 2013, the series changed its championship format to 3 classes, "International class" as the main Championship, "Asian Class" for rookie drivers of the region and "Masters Class" for gentlemen drivers who are at the age of 35 or older. The 3 classes have their own drivers' and teams' classifications and championship.
In 2015, the series changed its championship format again due to the introduction of the current FR2.0 car, which debuted in 2013 at the European series. Starting from this season, there are two classes, Class A for drivers and teams competing with the 2013 FR2.0 car, and Class B for drivers and teams using the FR2.0 old spec cars.
Only drivers and teams that complete 75% of a race receive points. Points are awarded in each race as follows: