Affordability in NZ motorsport...
The objective of the series is to provide drivers with the opportunity to compete in a professional 'Wings and Slicks' environment, on an equal basis, without the burden of the high costs normally associated with TRS, or Formula Ford, and to be no more expensive than Formula First.
With a concept designed to provide close racing between drivers, it is based on in-car performance everything else is equal.
This is a single-make chassis formula, offering power of well over 400hp per ton from a sealed engine package. It is the driver's skill that makes the difference here - not someone's bank account. A novel idea for racing single seaters we're sure you'll agree.
This high-performance car has been designed and developed by 'Monster' Tajima of Suzuki Motorsport and powered by the world's fastest production motorcycle engine, the Suzuki GSXR Hayabusa, being the fastest it needs no performance enhancing modifications to compete with the top formulas.
Formula Suzuki is a tightly controlled class promoted by GP Motorsport Ltd, with support from Suzuki New Zealand and other National sponsors. Forming part of the huge HRC series alongside formula 5000, and together with formula Atlantic, Pacific, Holden, Renault, Alfa, etc, to name just a few.
Formula Suzuki's 'Monster' Pedigree.
The flagship of Suzuki's motorcycle line, the GSX1300R Hayabusa, is a streamlined, 175 horsepower, 305-kph missile, the Formula Suzuki, is it's 4 wheel counterpart and a formidable single seater in its own right. The redline is set at a giddy 11,000 rpm with a 6-speed sequential transmission.
Making a screaming 135-horsepower per litre, the Formula Suzuki engine blows automotive benchmarks like the Honda S2000 (120-horsepower-per-litre) out of the water.
The brainchild of Nobuhiro 'Monster' Tajima, founder of Suzuki Sport in Japan, the Formula Suzuki races in its own spec series in both Japan and New Zealand and since all the cars are equal, the racing is spectacularly close. The chassis is a purpose built, mid engined, space frame design, carrying the GSXR1300 longitudinally.
At about 425 Kg, the car weighs about twice as much as the Hayabusa motorcycle, but with four Kumho F3 slicks and plenty of down force from it's revamped carbon fibre wings, it can corner much faster. Geared for NZ to top out at just over 250 Kph when approaching redline in sixth, acceleration is exhilarating.
A key element of the series is affordability, with the Formula Suzuki being about half the cost of even a formula Ford, or about a third of it's slower rivals the Formula BMW and Formula Renault, so it's a definite bargain among race cars, and even though the car looks like a Formula 3, it borrows freely from Suzuki's car and motorcycle parts bins to keep costs under control.