Frédéric Vervisch

Frédéric Vervisch
Celebrating the 2008 German F3 title
Nationality	Belgian
Born	10 August 1986 Kortrijk, Belgium
Superleague Formula career
Debut season	2010
Current team	Luxembourg
Car no.	5
Former teams	Liverpool FC
Starts	12
Wins	2
Poles	0
Fastest laps	3
Previous series
2010 2009 2007–08 2007–08 2006 2005 2004	Italian F3 Atlantic Championship German F3 Asian F3 Formula Renault 2.0 NEC Formula Renault 3.5 Formula Three French Cup
Championship titles
2008 2007–08	German F3 Champion Asian F3 Champion
Awards
2009	Atlantic Championship Rookie of the Year

Frédéric Vervisch (born 10 August 1986 in Kortrijk) is a Belgian racing driver who currently races in the Blancpain GT Series.

Career

Early career

A winner of numerous karting championships, Vervisch moved to auto racing in 2003 making a single start in the Formula Three French Cup and immediately won upon his debut. Following that initial success, he participated in the entire 2004 Formula Three French Cup championship and finished runner-up.

Formula Renault

In 2005 Vervisch moved to the Formula Renault 3.5 series, participating with GD Racing in 4 rounds with a best result of 12th in ZolderE in a race won8by Robert Kubica. The season ended after round 4 in Le Mans when it became clear that his sponsor Kizz-Me was not fulfilling its financial obligations,^[1] a fraud that the same company committed again against a WRC driver and his team in 2006.^[2]

In 2006 the 19-year-old Vervisch took a step back and competed full-time in Formula Renault 2.0 Northern European Cup with SL Formula Racing, finishing 9th in points and scoring a season-best 5th place at the Anderstorp round.

Formula Three

In 2007 Vervisch graduated to F3 and raced with JB Motorsport in the German F3 Championship. He made a remarkable debut and finished runner-up to Carlo van Dam with 4 race wins and 11 podium finishes.

That winter, lured by the F1 test with Force India as prize for the champion,^[3] Vervisch participated with Team Goddard in the Asian F3 Championship with only one goal: winning the championship. He did so while scoring an overwhelming 11 race wins on circuits such as Sepang and Zhuhai.^[4] However, due to changes in F1 testing rules, the F1 test drive with Force India could not take place.^[5]

In 2008 Vervisch returned to the German F3 Championship, this time with Swiss Racing Team. Again, the goal was clear and simple: winning the championship. Halfway the season Vervisch switched to Jo Zeller Racing and eventually clinched the title by winning 5 of the 6 remaining races, which brought his total season tally to 7 race wins.^[6]

In 2010 Vervisch decided to go back to Europe and race with RC Motorsport in the Italian F3 Championship.^[7] He scored a season-best 3rd-place finish at Imola but left the championship at the next round in Mugello after having suffered 2 engine failures before even the start of the first race, and the subsequent team decision to withdraw from the race.^[8]

Atlantic Championship

In 2009 after having won the 2008 German F3 title, Vervisch moved to the United States where he competed in the Atlantic Championship for Genoa Racing.^[9] He finished 4th in the championship standings with four podium finishes and grabbed the Rookie of the Year title.^[10]

Superleague Formula

On 4–5 September 2010, Vervisch made his debut in Superleague Formula after receiving an invitation by Atech-Reid to drive the Liverpool FC car at the Adria round. His debut didn't go unnoticed as he overtook former F1 driver Robert Doornbos and team mate Yelmer Buurman in bold fashion on his way to securing a slot in the Superleague Formula Super Final.^[11] Vervisch continued his successful series debut at the next round in Portimão where he was crowned the overall weekend winner in the Super Final.^[12][13] He took his pace to the inaugural Superleague Formula China rounds in Ordos where he first suffered an engine failure in race 1 but then recovered with a victory in race 2^[14][15] and in the streets of Beijing where Vervisch scored a double podium finish – in race 1 and then the overall 3rd spot for the weekend.^[16][17][18] At the final round of the Superleague Formula season in Navarra Vervisch didn't reach the finish line due to mechanical failures in both races.^[19]

Racing record

Career summary

Season	Series	Team Name	Races	Wins	Poles	F/Laps	Podiums	Points	Position
2003	French Formula 3 Cup	JMP Racing	1	1	?	?	1	?	?
2004	French Formula 3 Cup	JMP Racing	6	4	?	?	5	139	2nd
2005	Formula Renault 3.5 Series	GD Racing	7	0	0	0	0	0	30th
2006	Formula Renault 2.0 NEC	SL Formula Racing	16	0	0	1	0	152	9th
	Eurocup Formula Renault 2.0		4	0	0	0	0	0	42nd
2007	German F3	JB Motorsport	18	4	1	7	11	127	2nd
	Formula Renault 3.5 Series	GD Racing	4	0	0	0	0	0	30th
	V de V Challenge Sprint – Proto	JMP Racing	2	0	0	0	2	73.5	12th
2007–08	Asian F3	Team Goddard	18	11	10	15	17	322	1st
2008	German F3	Swiss Racing Team	16	7	4	6	10	120	1st
		Jo Zeller Racing
	Formula 3 Euro Series	RC Motorsport	2	0	0	0	0	N/A	NC†
2009	Atlantic Championship	Genoa Racing	12	0	0	0	4	131	4th
2010	Italian F3	RC Motorsport	7	0	0	0	1	20	14th
	Superleague Formula	Liverpool FC	12	2	0	3	3	439 ‡	10th ‡
2011	Superleague Formula	Luxembourg	5	1	0	1	3	134	3rd

‡Team standings † – As Vervisch was a guest driver, he was ineligible to score points.

Complete Formula Renault 3.5 Series results

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)

Year	Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	Pos	Points
2005	GD Racing	ZOL 1 19	ZOL 1 12	MON 1 Ret	VAL 1 19	VAL 2 17	LMS 1 Ret	LMS 2 20	BIL 1	BIL 2	OSC 1	OSC 2	DON 1	DON 2	EST 1	EST 2	MNZ 1	MNZ 2	30th	0
2007	GD Racing	MNZ 1	MNZ 2	NÜR 1	NÜR 2	MON 1	HUN 1	HUN 2	SPA 1	SPA 2	DON 1	DON 2	MAG 1	MAG 2	EST 1 14	EST 2 Ret	CAT 1 21	CAT 2 12	30th	0

Atlantic Championship results

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)

Year	Team	SEB	MIL	NJ1	NJ2	LRP	ACC1	ACC2	MID	CTR	MOS	ATL	LAG	Position	Points
2009	Genoa Racing	2	3	7	3	6	4	4	5	9	3	6	3	4th †	131

† Vervisch finished the season as Rookie of the Year^[10]

Superleague Formula results

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)

Year	Team	Operator	ADR			POR			ORD			BEI			NAV
			R1	R2	S	R1	R2	S	R1	R2	S	R1	R2	S	R1	R2	S
2010	Liverpool FC	Atech-Reid	7	5	6	4	6	1	Ret	1	X	3	7	C †	16	Ret	X

NOTE – R2 starts
with reverse grid
S = Super Final

† The Super Final at the Beijing round was cancelled but Vervisch was classified as 3rd overall^[17]

References

1. Vermersch, Gert (2008-02-14). "In drie jaar van flop naar top", 3rd paragraph
2. De Wilde, Olivier (2006-08-09). "Kizz Me coupe les ailes de Duval"
3. asianf3.net (2007-10-24) "AF3 Champion to receive test in Force India F1 Car"
4. gpupdate.net (2008-03-31). "Asian F3 champ wins test with Force India"
5. gpupdate.net (2010-01-07). "Vervisch still waiting for Force India test"
6. formel3.de (2008-10-24). "Retrospect of a champion"
7. f3italia.it (2010-04-13). "Frédéric Vervisch signs for RC Motorsport"
8. Borgo, Marco (2010-07-24). "F3 Italia – Mugello, ultim’ora: RC ferma Di Sabatino e Vervisch per problemi ai propulsori"
9. Eyckmans, Gregory (2010-03-15). “Frederic Vervisch goes USA”
10. Knapp Schilke, Nancy (2009-10-11). "Edwards takes the crown with MRLS victory", last paragraph: "Vervisch already had notched the Rookie of the Year title earning one second place and three 3rd place finishes in 2009."
11. superleagueformula.com (2010-09-05). "Rigon claims €100,000 as Dolby regains points lead", 14th paragraph: "Vervisch was one of the most entertaining drivers on the grid, passing Doornbos around the outside of turn 1 in what was the move of the weekend and then getting by Buurman too..."
12. superleagueformula.com (2010-09-19) "Vervisch bags €100,000 as title race takes another twist"
13. superleagueformula.com (2010-09-19) "Vervisch nets Liverpool's first Super Final win of 2010"
14. Bradley, Charles (2010-10-03) "Vervisch wins race two for Liverpool"
15. superleagueformula.com (2010-10-03) "Liverpool score first win of 2010"
16. Bradley, Charles (2010-10-10) "Spur's Dolby wins first Beijing race", 5th paragraph: "...while the star of the race was Liverpool's Frederic Vervisch, who stormed from 15th to third. His pass on Tristan Gommendy (Lyon) at the exit of the controversial final chicane, the layout of which almost caused a drivers' strike this morning following Andy Soucek's huge crash there in qualifying, was the move of the race."
17. superleagueformula.com (2010-10-10) "Parente wins chaotic second race as Super Final cancelled", 3rd paragraph: "...with third going to Frederic Vervisch (Liverpool) who takes home €50,000, a just reward after two superb overtaking-filled performances from the Belgian."
18. superleagueformula.com (2010-10-10) "Vervisch scoops Super Final podium in Beijing"
19. superleagueformula.com (2010-10-24) "Liverpool end season with double disappointment"

External links

• Official website
• Frédéric Vervisch career summary at DriverDB.com