The 2007 Champ Car season was the 29th and final season of the Champ Car World Series, however only its fourth season under the Champ Car title. It began on April 8, 2007 and ended on November 11 after 14 races. Unbeknownst at the time, this would end up being the final contested season of Champ Car, as the following February, the series unified with IRL.
For 2007 Champ Car underwent some major changes. The opening race of the season was switched from the Long Beach Grand Prix to Las Vegas for the first running of the Vegas Grand Prix. The Long Beach Grand Prix was the second race of the season, followed by the Grand Prix of Houston. Also, the entire schedule was held on road and street courses, and the events were timed races instead of races for a set number of laps. The full 2007 schedule was announced on Wednesday, September 27, 2006.
Champ Car officials confirmed that Panoz would be the sole chassis supplier for Champ Car for the three years beginning in 2007. The Panoz DP01 was built by sister company Élan Motorsport Technologies and was powered by a turbo-charged Cosworth engine. The new formula was reported to significantly lower the costs of competing in the series, which was in turn expected to increase car counts for the 2007 Champ Car season. However, 2007 entries did not exceeded those of 2006. Ford announced it would no longer badge the Cosworth engines. Mazda was confirmed as the new pace car and courtesy vehicle supplier.
ESPN announced a new, multiyear agreement that marked the return of the Champ Car World Series to the network in 2007.
On January 16, 2007, Champ Car announced their return to Europe, for the first time since 2003, with races scheduled for September 2, 2007 at the TT Circuit Assen in the Netherlands, and September 9, 2007 at the historic Zolder circuit in Belgium.
On January 23, 2007, Champ Car unveiled its new logo for the Champ Car World Series and the Atlantic Series. According to its website, it is a sleeker design with the new Panoz DP01 chassis on the right with an emphasis on a chicane-style layout, representing the street track racing that dominates Champ Car.
Drivers and Teams
Regular season
The following teams and drivers are confirmed to be competing for the 2007 Champ Car season. All teams will use a Cosworth 2.65-litre turbocharged V8 engine, a Panoz DP01 chassis, and Bridgestone tires.
Mid-season changes
- Oriol Servià replaced Paul Tracy at Forsythe Racing for Long Beach & Houston, after Tracy injured his back in a practice accident on Saturday morning of the race weekend at Long Beach. Servià was then signed as a permanent replacement for Mario Domínguez prior to the fourth round of the series.
- Alex Figge was unable to take part in Houston, citing back pain suffered in a crash at Long Beach. He was replaced by Champ Car veteran Roberto Moreno.
- Jan Heylen was signed initially to drove for Conquest Racing at the European rounds of the series, however on 1 June, the team confirmed that the Belgian was signed for the remainder of the season replacing Matt Halliday.
- Tristan Gommendy was unable to take part in Edmonton, suffering a couple of microscopic fractures in a practice accident on Friday of the race weekend. He was replaced by Mario Domínguez, who was on hand to drive the Minardi two-seater Formula One cars.
- Ryan Dalziel was unable to take part in San Jose after suffering a broken collarbone while training on his bicycle. He was replaced by Mario Domínguez.
- Dan Clarke was banned from the rest of the inaugural Belgian Champ Car Grand Prix weekend after causing a four car pile up in the first practice session at Zolder, which involved himself, Paul Tracy, Justin Wilson and hometown hero Jan Heylen. Clarke was replaced for the rest of the weekend at Minardi Team USA by Mario Domínguez.
- Champ Car Atlantic driver David Martínez replaced veteran Oriol Servià in the #7 Forsythe/Indeck car for the Surfers Paradise and Mexico City races.
- Mario Domínguez will replace Ryan Dalziel in the #28 Pacific Coast Motorsports car for the Surfers Paradise and Mexico City races.
- Nelson Philippe will replace Jan Heylen in the #34 Conquest Racing car for the Surfers Paradise and Mexico City races. Philippe will be able to defend his 2006 race win at Surfers.
- Oriol Servià found a ride with PKV Racing for the Surfers Paradise race after "an unresolved business situation" will prevent Tristan Gommendy from taking part.
Grands Prix
- The Denver Grand Prix was cancelled by Champ Car on February 1.
- The Chinese Champ Car Grand Prix, after having its original May 20 date postponed, was cancelled on April 2 after the FIA rejected Champ Car's replacement date.
- The Grand Prix Of Arizona was cancelled on August 29.
Full Series Results
Races
Drivers
Point Scoring System:
- 1st - 20th = 31-27-25-23-21-19-17-15-13-11-10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 (regardless of whether the car is running at the end of the race)
Bonus Points:
- 1 For Fastest Race Lap
- 1 For Fastest Friday Qualifying Lap
- 1 For Fastest Saturday Qualifying Lap
- 1 For Most Positions Gained From Starting Position (in the event of tie, the better-placed driver gets the point. In Toronto 2006 Will Power moved from 12th to 7th and Charles Zwolsman from 14th to 9th, so the point was given to Power.)
Note that most points a single driver can earn in a single race is 34, as the driver on pole position (who will have been fastest in at least one of the qualifying sessions) cannot improve his position in the race.
Driver Breakdown
Roshfrans Rookie of the Year Standings
Rule changes
The new rules of the 2007 season included the implementation of standing starts at venues where they can be safely implemented. Additionally, all events were timed events instead of running a set number of laps. As the time limit approaches, the drivers will be notified that they are beginning the last lap. The leader will NOT be shown the white flag, which will now be employed in a similar manner to its use by the FIA. Teams will also be allowed unlimited access to their tires during all qualifying sessions. The requirement for each team to use at least one set of the alternate Bridgestone Potenzas during the race would remain in place.
From this season onwards drivers no longer receive a bonus point for leading a lap of the race.
Engine News
The Cosworth XFE Champ Car engine program has been enhanced to provide better value and increased reliability as it prepares to serve its fifth consecutive season as the exclusive engine supplier to the Champ Car World Series. The life of the engines have been increased from 1,200 to 1,400 miles between rebuilds for the new editions of the XFE powerplant. The extended life is important to the budgets of the teams, which purchase engine leases for the entire season instead of buying each individual engine.
News
Teams
- (February 13, 2007) - After what was noted as an extremely successful first season for Frenchman Simon Pagenaud, the reigning 2006 Champ Car Atlantic champion makes the move up to Champ Car with Team Australia. The Frenchman completes Team Australia's 2007 line-up, with him campaigning the #15 Aussie Vineyards/DP01 while teaming up with 2006 Roshfrans Rookie of the Year, Australian Will Power, who will pilot the #5 Aussie Vineyards/DP01 for a second season.
- (March 6, 2007) - Mi-Jack Products, a long time sponsor and team owner in the Champ Car World Series, announced today that it has agreed in principle to sell its ownership in the Mi-Jack Conquest Racing Team to current partner and former Indy Lights Champion, Eric Bachelart. Despite leaving Conquest Racing, Mi-Jack remains committed to the Champ Car World Series as a promoter and an announcement regarding its involvement in other areas of racing will be made in the near future.
- (March 8, 2007) - PKV Racing announced today that Tristan Gommendy has signed to be the second driver for the team during the 2007 Champ Car World Series season. Gommendy, who will pilot the #22 PKV Racing Cosworth/DP01/Bridgestone machine, spent the 2006 season driving in GP2 and the World Series by Renault. The 27-year-old native of France started nine GP2 events for iSport International last year and four for Pons Racing in the World Series by Renault, earning one pole and one podium.
- (March 8, 2007) - After successful runs together back in 2003 and 2004, Rocketsports Racing is proud to announce the return of Alex Tagliani to the team for the 2007 Champ Car World Series season with the hopes of picking up with where they left off - in victory lane.
- (March 8, 2007) - Newman/Haas Racing, owner of seven Champ Car World Series titles has added Chicago-area businessman Michael Lanigan as a partner of the team.
- (March 9, 2007) - Minardi Team USA announced that Zsolt Baumgartner has been appointed official test and reserve driver for the 2007 season. The 26-year old Hungarian racer, who previously competed for Minardi in the 2004 FIA Formula One World Championship, will join Dutch driv
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