Autore: Keke Platzer

New date for Mugello

F3000 car on Mugello Circuit

Good news: The BOSS GP return to Tuscany can take place from 911 October.

Originally scheduled as the season opener, the race in Mugello had to be postponed from March to October due to corona measures. Whether spectators will be allowed to attend the race cannot be confirmed at this time.

This means that six race weekends are still on the calendar in 2020. The season is supposed to start on 20/21 June in Misano. Followed by Brno, Assen and the Italian double Mugello and Imola in October. A new date for the Jim Clark Revival in Hockenheim will be published soon. BOSS GP is in close contact with the German organizers to make this traditional race happen.

New date for Assen

A GP2 car drives into the pit lane in Assen

The Gamma Racing Days with the Cuvee Sensorium BOSS Grand Prix have been moved to September.

The BOSS GP event in the Netherlands will now take place from 25 to 27 September instead of August. Due to the extensive regulations to control the spread of the corona virus, the organizers were forced to react and move the popular event to fall. Already purchased paddock tickets and VIP tickets remain valid.

Current developments regarding a possible start of the season will be published as soon as possible on www.bossgp.com.

Obituary Roger Cowman

We deeply mourn one of the founding fathers of BOSS GP.

Roger Cowman from East Midlands near Donington Park Circuit was a team owner, tyre dealer and an old school racer. He once started with club sport, then founded his own team and successfully participated in Formula 3 and Formula 3000 races.

When these racing cars suddenly had no longer a platform, Cowman and some of his companions founded the international racing series BOSS Formula in 1994. The Royal British Automobile Club disagreed with the original name “British Open Single Seaters” because the terms “British”, “International” and “Europe” could only be used for FIA approved championships.

But Roger Cowman remained undaunted and simply called the racing series “Big Open Single Seater”. In 1997 he brought the owner of the airline “European”, the Australian and later Minardi team boss Paul Stoddart, into the crew. The series was subsequently renamed EuroBOSS. Because “European” was Stoddart’s company and team name, the motorsport authorities had no recourse against the use of the term EuroBOSS.

When the idea of races with high-capacity and powerful formula cars became popular in the USA towards the end of the 1990s, Roger Cowman sent his BOSS regulations in the US. He also acted as an advisor and gave many helpful tips. His vision was to create a globally set of regulations for all BOSS series across the continents. When smaller formula cars entered the series in the States, Cowman clearly spoke out against this: “Only if we all have the same basic rules, we can uphold the values of the BOSS series. With the BOSS formula series, I always went my own way – that’s the way it was, that’s the way it is and that’s the way it should remain!”

Roger was also a talented restorer of historic racing cars and an everlasting optimist. He died at the beginning of March at the age of 73.

The BOSS GP family offers its sincere condolences to his family and is making every effort to continue along the BOSS path Roger initiated.

Postponement Hockenheim

The BOSS GP race weekend at Hockenheim planned for April 24-26 has been postponed.

Due to the current rules and regulations in place to contain the corona virus, the BOSS GP races in Germany cannot take place at the scheduled time.

The organisers of the traditional event in Hockenheim try their best to find a later date this year. Tickets that have already been purchased remain valid.

Previously, the BOSS GP Season Opening in Mugello, scheduled for the end of March, had to be postponed due to the corona crisis. As soon as alternative dates are confirmed, they will be published on www.bossgp.com.

New Pirelli P Zero for BOSS GP

Matteo Braga from Pirelli with the 2020 BOSS GP tyre - Credit Michael Jurtin

Exclusively for drivers and teams of Europe’s most exciting racing series.

Pirelli presents a new dry tyre for the 2020 season in the BOSS GP series. This tyre is designed to help experienced drivers achieve faster lap times and make it easier for less experienced drivers to handle the “black gold”. Pirelli’s series consultant Thomas Hummer explains: “In order not to increase costs unnecessarily, we only use one tyre compound. This tyre has to work at five degrees in Hockenheim, but also at 38 degrees in Monza.”

The new slick tyre has been developed with the aim of maximising the temperature window where the tyre performs best. The P Zero 2020 absorbs the temperature faster and stores it longer than the previous tyre compound. This is to reduce the risk of spins when the tyres cool down, for example after safety car periods.

Unique: violet colour marking

The new P Zero BOSS GP can be identified from the outside by two indicators: One is the purple sidewall, the other the imprinted label “BGP”. As before, the Pirelli tyre works on Formula 1 cars as well as on Formula 2 cars (formerly GP2) and WSbR cars. The dimension 245/660 R13 is used at the front, at the rear axle 325/660 R13. The rain tyre Cinturato remains unchanged.

A Pirelli engineer checks the tyre pressure
Pirelli engineers support the teams with their know-how
Credit: Michael Jurtin/BOSS GP

Support like in F1

The new tyre is exclusively for registered teams and drivers for races in the BOSS GP series. “Motorsports is in Pirelli’s DNA. Wherever we see passion, wherever we experience emotion, we must be at home – and we feel that in BOSS GP!”, says Hummer. The fitting will comply with Formula 1 standards and Pirelli engineers will be on site at all BOSS GP events. They advise the teams on the correct use of the tyres. Tyres can be ordered from BOSS GP partner “Reifen Hollerweger”.

All BOSS GP tyres are produced at the Pirelli Formula 1 factory in Romania. The Italian tyre manufacturer can draw on a wealth of experience in developing tyres to meet the high demands of motorsport: Pirelli is currently the supplier of the Formula 1 World Championship, the GT3 World Challenge and, from 2021, the World Rally Championship.

Title picture: Matteo Braga from Pirelli with the 2020 BOSS GP tyre
Credit: Michael Jurtin/BOSS GP

Season opener postponed

Unfortunately, the race weekend in Mugello planned for 27 to 29 March had to be cancelled.

According to a further decree of the Italian government, it is no longer possible to hold a sporting event of this size on the scheduled date. The reason for this are the security measures of the Italian government to prevent the spread of the corona virus.

The protection of participants, helpers and spectators has top priority for BOSS GP. In addition, freedom of travel is restricted in large parts of the world. That means fair competition, in which all drivers can travel to the race, is currently impossible.

BOSS GP and the race organisers Peroni try to arrange a substitute race later this year. Updates on this will be published on www.bossgp.com.

Therefore, the season of the Big Open Single Seater will start in Hockenheim as in previous years. The Jim Clark Revival will take place from April 24th to 26th with two races of BOSS GP.

The “Jag” is back!

Riccardo Ponzio brings a Jaguar Formula 1 onto the grid in 2020.

The 22-year-old Italian Riccardo Ponzio will compete in a Jaguar Formula 1 car for the full BOSS GP season in the OPEN class. The spectacular new project for the 2020 BOSS GP campaign was launched yesterday with an impressive presentation.

The car from 2002 is powered by a 750 hp Cosworth V10 engine. Eddie Irvine, who was the race driver at the time, was able to finish on the podium in Monza. Ponzio, who won the Italian Formula 3 in 2017, also has ambitious aims: “Nothing can really prepare you to drive a car with almost 1000 hp. But the first few kilometres showed me: I feel ready to make my debut.”

Ponzio and his Jaguar R3
Credit: Adriatica Competition

The project is set to run for two years. Ponzio and his Jaguar R3 will make their first appearance in BOSS GP 2020 at the season opener in Mugello from March 27 to 29.

Last call

Chris Höher looks on his race car

Drivers and teams can still register for a BOSS GP full season program until Friday, the 28th of February.

For those who have not yet registered for the 2020 BOSS GP season, now is the right time! The last day for the registration for all races and therefore a cheaper registration fee compared to single entries is next Friday, February 28, 2020.

However, interested drivers and team will have the option of registering as guest drivers for individual events after that date. Further information on registration and regulations can be requested from race coordinator Malin Strandberg: race@bossgp.com or +43 650 784 07 84

Huge interest in BOSS GP 2020

View outside of Ingo Gerstl's pit garage

Less than 80 days left until the first BOSS GP race in Mugello and already numerous drivers have registered for our 26th season.

The registration has only started at the beginning of January, and despite this, numerous drivers and teams have already registered for the 2020 season. The interest has rarely been as great as this year. We thank you all, who has already signed for the season!

The regulations of the spectacular racing series are very similar to those of 2019. Only the fastest monoposto racing cars of the past 20 years will be allowed to participate. Six race weekends with twelve races are scheduled for Europe’s fastest racing series this season. Starting in March with the return to Mugello, followed by the Jim Clark Revival at the Hockenheimring, Forza Fanatec in Misano, the Cuvee Sensorium Grand Prix in Assen, the Masaryk Racing Days in Brno and the Pirelli Grande Final in Imola in October.

Interested drivers and teams can request their entry form and further information from race coordinator Malin Strandberg: race@bossgp.com or +43 650 784 07 84

Tour plan 2020

Europe’s most exciting racing series visits six top-class racetracks in the upcoming season – two of them are new on the schedule.

The 26th season of BOSS GP begins with a premiere. The opening race of this spectacular motorsport series will take place at the end of March in Mugello. The MotoGP circuit is one of the most popular tracks in Italy and is owned by Ferrari. In 2020 the location will be back on the BOSS GP schedule after a five-year break. From 27 to 29 March, the comeback of the Big Open Single Seater series will be the highlight of the Peroni Racing Weekend.

From 24 to 26 April, the fastest racing cars on the continent will be guests at the Hockenheimring in Germany. The Bosch Hockenheim Historic is one of the most important classic racing events in Europe and attracts numerous spectators to the Motodrom year after year. In the program of the revival dedicated to Jim Clark, BOSS GP is a perfect headliner.

A completely new racetrack for the BOSS GP pilots will follow in June: The Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli is the venue for races 5 and 6 of the season. The flat track is technically demanding and an ideal playground for BOSS GP racing. The racetrack near Rimini is located directly on the Adriatic coast and can be easily combined with a holiday.

Fantastic crowd at the Gamma Race Days in Assen

In 2020 the BOSS GP series is again part of the Gamma Race Days in Assen. After the summer break in July, Formula 1, Formula 2 and other spectacular monoposto cars will show their strength from 7 to 9 August in front of an enormous crowd of 100,000 Dutch fans. In addition to BOSS GP, motorcycles, touring cars and superkarts will also be putting the pedal to the metal. Admission is free.

The first weekend of September (4–6) will see the Masaryk Racing Days in Brno on the schedule of the BOSS GP racing series. The biggest Czech circuit will be once again a thrilling location, which has delivered exciting BOSS GP races in the past.

The grand final will take place in Imola like in 2019. After a successful comeback with fantastic races and satisfied drivers, BOSS GP will return to the Emilia-Romagna region on 23, 24 and 25 October. We hope for another exciting title decision as in FORMULA class 2019.

Unique motorsport is guaranteed with BOSS GP in 2020

As usual there will be two free practice sessions, one qualifying session and two 20 to 25-minute races on each race weekend. The exact timetables and ticket information will be published on bossgp.com prior to the races.