Raoul Owens (born 22 August 1994) is a London-based, British racing driver. He will compete in the VLN Endurance Championship based at the Nürburgring with Walkenhorst Motorsport BMW.
| Raoul Owens | |
|---|---|
 Raoul Owens in February 2016 | |
| Nationality |  British |
| Born | 22 August 1994 Pembury, Kent (England) |
| VLN Endurance Championship career | |
| Debut season | 2017 |
| Current team | Walkenhorst Motorsport BMW |
| Car number | N/A |
| Former teams | R-ace GP, Team Pelfrey, Mark Burdett Motorsport |
| Starts | 3 |
| Wins | 1 |
| Podiums | 1 |
| Fastest laps | 0 |
| Previous series | |
| 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 | Renault Sport Trophy Pro Mazda Championship Formula Renault 2.0 NEC Formula Renault 2.0 NEC Formula Renault BARC Formula Renault BARC |
Career
editEarly years
editIt was in the UK at the age of 8 that Raoul Owens began competing in karting. Shortly after, in 2005 with the family move to South Africa, Raoul continued his early development by joining the Western Province Motoring Club. By the following year Raoul had his first substantial milestone, winning the Mini Max Regional Championship.[1]
In 2009 he moved up to the South African Northern Region where he was able to race alongside sterner competition at circuits that included Zwartkops Raceway[2] and Vereeniging. The reward was to end the season as Vice Champion in the Junior Max Vice Championship, as well in the Rotax SARMC National Series – all in his inaugural year. As a result, Raoul was eligible to compete in the season's highlight event, the Rotax Grand Finals held in Egypt. Simultaneously the same year, Raoul was to be seen competing in Europe, this time in the Rotax European Max Series.[3] This proved a huge success, with Raoul being ranked 8th in a field of 50 other drivers. 2010 was also busy, with Raoul competing solely on the international stage in the Euro Max Challenge Series at leading circuits in Europe, as well as in the UK in the 'Super1' National Series.[4]
Formula Renault BARC
edit2011 saw the biggest step up in class for Raoul as he advanced to Europe's highest rated open-wheel category at this level, Formula Renault BARC.[5] Consequently, Raoul was to compete for 2 years at some of the most iconic UK tracks including Donington Park, Thruxton, Snetterton,[6] Croft, Brands Hatch and Silverstone – showcasing to crowds of up to 40,000. In the 2012 season he also competed in one-off competitions at Spa-Francorchamps, Magny-Cours and Le Mans. This year ended with an overall Top 10 finish.
Formula Renault Northern European Cup NEC
editIn 2013 Raoul embarked on a programme in mainland Europe with Mark Burdett Motorsport[7] within the ranks of Formula Renault 2.0 Northern European Cup, racing in the hotly contested Northern European Cup (NEC) and increasing his exposure to the prestigious World Series by Renault[8] (WSR) Formula Renault 2.0 category in 2014. To consolidate his skills in 2014, in addition to competing again in the Northern European Cup,[9] Raoul competed in selected WSR events under wild cards. During this period Raoul worked with chief race engineer, Andy Miller – veteran of Formula One[10] team Stewart GP.
Mazda Road To Indy
editIn 2015 Raoul relocated to Boston, USA to compete in the Mazda Road To Indy[11] series in the Pro Mazda Championship.[12] The Mazda Road To Indy (MRTI) series forms part of the support to the INDYCAR[13] race calendar. He initially joined JDC Motorsports[14] for 6 races. Following this Raoul joined the Florida-based Pro Mazda Championship Team Pelfrey.[15] The Pro Mazda category is part of the Road To Indy,[16] which is the feeder series for IndyCar competition.[17] His first race was in the 2015 Pro Mazda Winterfest[18] series in advance of his debut in the Pro Mazda Championship.
Raoul's first foray in to the US was noteworthy for the number of in race accolades he won throughout the year, including the Quartermaster Hard Charger Award for most overtakes in a race at the Barber Motorsports Park.[19]
RENAULT RS01 Trophy
edit2016 sees Raoul return to Europe to make the change and crossover in to GT Racing. He has joined the leading R-ace GP team[20] competing in the 2016 Renault Sport Trophy in the new RS01[21] race car. The races are part of the World Series by Renault[22] and support the European Le Mans Series.[23]
Raoul ended the season with a creditable Top 10 position[24] in this, the final year, of the 2016 Renault Sport Trophy.
2017 VLN Endurance Series,ADAC Qualifying Race 24HR Nürburgring and ADAC Zurich 24HR Race
editRaoul competed in select rounds of the VLN Endurance Championship in 2017,[25][full citation needed] along with the ADAC Qualifying Race 24h Nürburgring and the ADAC Zurich 24-Hour race. He scored a best finish of 4th in the VLN at the 9th round of the championship; finished 3rd at the ADAC Qualifying Race 24h Nürburgring. Unfortunately, he failed to finish the ADAC Zurich 24-Hour race after running as high as 2nd place.
Statistics
editFormula Renault 2.0 NEC 2013
edit| Pos | Driver | HOC
|
NÜR
|
SIL
|
SPA
|
ASS
|
MST
|
ZAN
|
Points | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9 | Raoul Owens
|
13 | 15 | 15 | Ret | 19 | 12 | 21 | 4 | 3 | 8 | 7 | 9 | 14 | 9 | 20 | Ret | C | 127 |
Formula Renault 2.0 NEC 2014
edit| Pos | Driver | MNZ
|
SIL
|
HOC
|
SPA
|
ASS
|
MST
|
NÜR
|
Points | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | Raoul Owens
|
8 | 9 | 7 | 20 | NC | 10 | 12 | 11 | Ret | Ret | 12 | 15 | 2 | C | 12 | 14 | C | 125 |
Pro Mazda Championship
edit| Year | Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | Rank | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | JDC Motorsports | STP 6 |
STP 10 |
LOU 12 |
LOU C |
BAR 6 |
BAR 11 |
12th | 159 | |||||||||||
| Team Pelfrey | IMS 18 |
IMS 11 |
IMS 12 |
LOR 14 |
TOR 8 |
TOR 6 |
IOW 12 |
MOH 13 |
MOH 13 |
LAG 7 |
LAG 16 |
Renault Sport Trophy - Endurance Class 2016
edit| Pos. | Driver | ALC
|
IMO
|
RBR
|
CPR
|
SPA
|
EST
|
Pts. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 | Raoul Owens
|
12 | 12 | 2 | 2 | 25 | RET | 53 |
Renault Sport Trophy - Pro Class 2016
edit| Pos. | Driver | ALC
|
IMO
|
RBR
|
CPR
|
SPA
|
EST
|
Pts. | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| En | Pro | Pro | En | Pro | Pro | Pro | En | Pro | |||
| 9 | Raoul Owens
|
8 | Ret | 1 | 4 | Ret | 10 | 10 | Ret | 4 | 34 |
Summary
edit| YEAR | COMPETITION and SEASON HIGHLIGHTS |
|---|---|
| 2006 | Rotax Mini Max Regional Championship, South Africa |
| 2007 | Rotax Mini Max Regional Championship, South Africa (Champion) |
| 2008 | Rotax Junior Max Regional Championship, South Africa
Rotax Junior Max Euro Championship, Pan European Series |
| 2009 | Rotax Junior Max Nationals, South Africa (Vice Champion) |
| 2009 | Rotax Junior Max Northern Regions, South Africa (Vice Champion)
Rotax Junior Max World Finalist, Sharm El Sheik, Egypt Rotax Junior Max Euro Championship, Pan European Series |
| 2010 | Rotax Senior Max Super One, National Series, United Kingdom
Rotax Senior Max Euro Championship, Pan European Series |
| 2011 | Formula Renault BARC, National Series, United Kingdom
Formula Renault V de V (Magny-Cours) France (2 podiums) |
| 2012 | Formula Renault 2.0 Northern European Cup, (Spa) Belgium
Formula Renault 2.0 BARC, National Series, United Kingdom Formula Renault 2.0 V de V, (Le Mans) France |
| 2013 | Formula Renault 2.0 Northern European Cup, Pan European FIA series
(Top 10 Finish / 1 Podium) |
| 2014 | Formula Renault 2.0 Northern European Cup, Pan European FIA series
(Top 10 Finish / 1 Podium) |
| 2015 | Mazda Road To Indy, Pro Mazda Championship, Pan North American series
(Hard Charger Award, Staublu Award, RePlay XD Move of the Race) |
| 2016 | Renault Sport Trophy, Spa Francorchamps
(WIN) |
References
edit- ^ "DRIVER DATABASE". driverdb.com.
- ^ "The Independent Online (South Africa)". iol.co.za.
- ^ "Kart Sport News". kartsportnews.com/.
- ^ "SWB Motorsport". swbmotorsport.co.uk. Archived from the original on 25 February 2015.
- ^ "Chris Middlehurst". chrismiddlehurst.co.uk.
- ^ "The Checkered Flag". thecheckeredflag.co.uk. 9 April 2012.
- ^ "Paddock Scout". paddockscout.com. 5 March 2013.
- ^ "WSR". renaultsport.co.uk/. Archived from the original on 10 February 2016.
- ^ "Kent Courier". courier.co.uk. Archived from the original on 25 February 2015.
- ^ "Formula One". formula1.com/.
- ^ "Road To Indy". indycar.com/RoadToIndy.
- ^ "Pro Mazda". promazda.com/.
- ^ "Indycar". indycar.com/.
- ^ "JDC Motorsports". jdcmotorsport.com/.
- ^ "Pro Mazda". promazdachampionship.com. 5 May 2015.
- ^ "Next Gen Indy". nextgenindy.com.
- ^ "IndyCar Pro Mazda". indycar.com. Archived from the original on 25 February 2015.
- ^ "Pro Mazda Winetrfest 2015". promazda.com/.
- ^ "Barber". raoulowens.com.
- ^ "R-ace GP". r-ace-gp.com/.
- ^ "RS01". renaultsport.com. Archived from the original on 24 February 2016.
- ^ "WSR". renaultsport.co.uk/. Archived from the original on 10 February 2016.
- ^ "ELMS". europeanlemansseries.com/.
- ^ "RS01". r-ace-gp.com.
- ^ "Nürburgring Langstrecken-Serie". www.nuerburgring-langstrecken-serie.de. Archived from the original on 19 September 2020. Retrieved 16 August 2023.