{{Short description|Race car class}} {{redirect-distinguish|Formula First|Formula One (disambiguation){{!}}Formula One}} [[Image:WernerHannelore-OlympicFormelV19690801-1.jpg|thumb|right|Olympic Formula Vee racing at Nürburgring in 1969]] [[Image:Picture of the 2008 Formula V 45th Anniversary Reunion.jpg|thumb|right|2008 Formula Vee 45th Birthday Party at Roebling Road Raceway]] '''Formula Vee''' ('''Formula Fau Vee''' in Germany) or '''Formula Volkswagen''' is an open wheel, single-seater junior motor racing formula, with relatively low costs in comparison to Formula Ford.

On the international stage, Niki Lauda, Emerson Fittipaldi, Nelson Piquet and Keke Rosberg, all Formula 1 champions, and Scott Dixon, a six-time IndyCar champion, raced Formula Vees in Europe, New Zealand, or America at the beginning of their careers. In Australia, V8 Supercar drivers Larry Perkins, Colin Bond, John Blanchard, John Bowe, Jason Bargwanna and Paul Stokell were also racers in Formula Vee.

'''Formula First''', raced in the US and New Zealand, employs the same chassis, but with upgraded motor, brakes and steering. Australia's modern Formula Vee car rules are the definition for Formula First in these countries.

==Description==

The class is based on the pre-1963 Volkswagen Beetle, utilizing a collection of stock parts to form a competitive race car around a purpose-built tube frame and racing tires. The VW engine, transmission, front suspension, brakes, and wheels are stock or modified stock parts. The body is fiberglass or carbon fiber. The intention of this class is for the average person to be able to build and maintain the car.{{citation needed|date=May 2024}}

thumb|left|2004 SCCA National Championships Runoffs Winner Jeff Loughead

Over the years, the rules have evolved to improve performance, lower cost, and to allow the replacement of discontinued parts. In 2003, ''Grassroots Motorsports'' presented Formula Vee with the Editors' Choice Award.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.grassrootsmotorsports.com |title = Grassroots Motorsports {{!}} Sports Car Magazine}}</ref>

Unlike many open-wheel formulas, Formula Vee cars are not permitted to use wings or ground effect to produce aerodynamic downforce. The lack of these features, the limited engine power, and the similar performance of the cars makes taking advantage of slipstreaming a key tactic.<ref name="underskin">{{Cite web |last=Williams |first=Bruce |date=6 February 2018 |title=Under the skin: Formula Vee |url=https://autoaction.com.au/2018/02/06/skin-formula-vee |access-date=2 November 2024 |website=Auto Action}}</ref>

The engines are based on either the 1200cc or 1600cc variants of the Volkswagen Beetle engine. Unlike many amateur categories, competitors are permitted to build and tune their engines themselves, within strict limitations on the extent of modifications from stock permitted. The 1600cc engines used in the Australian Formula Vee series produce approximately "70-75hp";<ref name="underskin"/> the original 1200cc engine produces considerably less. This makes Formula Vee cars among the least powerful vehicles used in circuit racing (for comparison, the contemporary Formula 4 category uses 160 hp engines).

A top-running Formula Vee car will go {{cvt|120|mph|km/h|order=flip}} and corner at about 1.6 g. It weighs a minimum of {{cvt|1025|lb|kg|order=flip}} with driver or {{cvt|500|kg|lb}} with driver as raced in the Australian {{cvt|1600|cc}} specification.<ref>[https://cdn.connectsites.net/user_files/scca/downloads/000/061/570/GCR%20-%20April%20Updated.pdf?1648665222 (SCCA GCR 2022 specs)] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080531000641/http://scca.org/contentpage.aspx?content=44|date=2008-05-31}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://docs.cams.com.au/Manual/Race/RA15_Formula_Vee.pdf |title=Archived copy |access-date=2013-07-29 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130428173111/http://docs.cams.com.au/Manual/Race/RA15_Formula_Vee.pdf |archive-date=2013-04-28 }}</ref>

Purchasing and running a Formula Vee car is relatively affordable compared to most motorsport categories. In 2022, a brand-new race car for the Australian Formula Vee series was estimated to cost approximately AU$50,000 to AU$55,000 (approximately $US37,000), with competitive second-hand cars costing much less.{{citation needed|date=May 2024}} Renting a car for a race meeting was estimated at $A1000 (approximately $US700).<ref>{{Cite web |last=McCarthy |first=Dan |date=2022-01-02 |title=The Cost of Racing: Formula Vee |url=https://autoaction.com.au/2022/01/02/the-cost-of-racing-formula-vee |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220530095852/https://autoaction.com.au/2022/01/02/the-cost-of-racing-formula-vee |archive-date=2022-05-30 |access-date=2022-05-30 |website=Auto Action}}</ref>

In the US, Formula Vee is one of the classes at the SCCA Runoffs, which awards a national championship. While it is primarily a class in the Sports Car Club of America, many other organizations have adopted Formula Vee as a class.{{citation needed|date=May 2024}}

==Variants== Variants of the Formula Vee rules exist in Australia, Brazil, Canada, Germany, the UK & Ireland, South Africa, and New Zealand.

Particularly notable is Formula First, racing in the US and New Zealand, which employs the same chassis, but with later model Beetle parts, a larger {{cvt|1600|cc}} motor (New Zealand uses the {{cvt|1200|cc|disp=sqbr}} variant) and other upgraded components such as disc brakes and rack and pinion steering.{{citation needed|date=September 2017}}

(Formula Super Vee, although initially similar, soon moved to water-cooled {{convert|1.6|L|cuin|adj=on}} VW four-cylinder engines for higher-tech and faster cars).

== Video links == [https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLpn3DP6dznnLCoNNawa9L3oWD02E-fLdD&si=JUQUiy1akIPlmPPD SCCA Runoffs coverage by year on YouTube]

==List of Formula Vee championships and Events== {|class="wikitable" !Country !Series/Event Name !Active Years !Additional information |- |{{flagicon|AUS}} Australia |Multiple state-based championships, see Formula Vee in Australia |1965–present | |- | rowspan="3" |{{CAN}} |Formula 1200 Championship Series |1965–present | |- |Challenge Cup Series |2015–present | US-based series that collaborates with F1200. See US section for info. |- |Pacific Challenge Cup Series |2022–Present | Also competes in the United States of America. This series is held on the West Coast of Canada and the USA |- |{{flagicon|IRL}} Ireland |Selco.ie National Championship Series |Unknown-present | |- | rowspan="3" |{{flagicon|BRA}} Brazil |Campeonato Paulista de Formula Vee |2011–present | | |- |Copa ECPA |Unknown-present | | |- |Fórmula Vee Open |2021–present |Exclusively for beginners | |- |{{flagicon|NZ}} New Zealand |Formula First New Zealand Championship Series |1967–present | |- |{{flagicon|RSA}} South Africa |Formula Vee Championship |1966–present |Longest running motor racing championship in South Africa |- |rowspan=2|{{GBR}} |Formula Vee Championship Series |1967–present | |- |750 Motor Club Formula Vee Championship |1979–present | |- | rowspan="5" |{{USA}} |Formula Vee at the SCCA National Championship Runoffs [https://www.facebook.com/groups/formulaveeracingusa FormulaVeeRacingUSA] |1964- present | The SCCA Runoffs is the oldest Formula Vee event in the world, and SCCA holds both Regional & National level races all over the US. |- |[https://challengecupseries.com/ Challenge Cup Series] [https://www.facebook.com/groups/challengecupseries FB] |2015- present | Based in the Mid-Atlantic region. Also competes in Southeast US with Driverz Cup & in Canada with F1200, started as the Autumn Challenge Cup Series 2013-2014. Runs on radial tires. |- |[https://driverzcup.com/ Driverz Cup Series] [https://www.facebook.com/groups/driverzcupformulavee FB] |2018- present | Southeast-based Challenge Cup Series sibling. Runs on radial tires. |- |[http://www.nefv.org/ Northeast Formula Vee Championship Series] [https://www.facebook.com/groups/nefv.org FB] |Unknown-present |Holds events in the New England region. |- |[https://pacificchallengecup.com/ Pacific Challenge Cup Series] [https://www.facebook.com/groups/1158952279429695 FB] |2022- present |Holds events in the West & Pacific Northwest region. |}

==External links== {{commons category|Formula Vee}} *[https://formulaveeproject.com/ Formula Vee Hall of Fame (US)] *[https://driverzcup.com/ Driverz Cup website] [https://www.facebook.com/groups/driverzcupformulavee Facebook group] *[https://pacificchallengecup.com/ Pacific Challenge Cup CANADA/USA] [https://www.facebook.com/groups/1158952279429695 Facebook group] *[http://www.nefv.org/ Northeast Formula Vee (US)] [https://www.facebook.com/groups/nefv.org Facebook group] *[https://challengecupseries.com/ Challenge Cup Series (US, South Africa & Brazil collaboration)] [https://www.facebook.com/groups/challengecupseries Facebook group] *[http://www.formulafirst.org/ Formula First USA] [https://www.facebook.com/groups/205003367712 Facebook group] *[https://web.archive.org/web/20090531153556/http://www.formulaveeracing.org/ formulaveeracing.org (US)] *[http://www.formulavee.us formulavee.us (US)] *[http://www.apexspeed.com ApexSpeed.com (US)] *[http://www.formulavee.ie Formula Vee (Ireland)] *[http://www.fvee.org.au Australian Formula Vee Website] *[https://web.archive.org/web/20130428173111/http://docs.cams.com.au/Manual/Race/RA15_Formula_Vee.pdf Australian Formula Vee Specifications] *[http://www.formulafirst.co.nz New Zealand Formula First (née Formula Vee)] *[http://www.veecentre.com Formula Vee (UK)] *[http://www.750mc.co.uk 750 Motor Club (UK organising club)] *[http://www.formula1200.com Formula 1200 – Canada] *[https://www.formulavee.co.za Formula Vee South Africa] *[http://www.historicveeaustralia.com Historic Formula Vee in Australia] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090302142651/http://www.historicveeaustralia.com/ |date=2009-03-02 }} *[http://www.formel-vau.eu Historische Formel Vau Europa] *[https://www.fvee.com.br/ Formula Vee Brazil]

==References== {{Reflist}}

{{Formula Vee years}} {{Class of Auto racing}}

Vee Category:Sports Car Club of America Category:Motorsport categories in Australia Category:Volkswagen Beetle modifications Category:Volkswagen in motorsport