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The European Formula Drivers AssociationDan Partel Recognized As A Pioneer In Racing! The American Auto Racing Writers and Broadcasters Association (AARWBA) honored European Formula Drivers Association (EFDA) Founding General Manager Daniel S. Partel as the Pioneer In Racing for 2007. The award was presented by Gil Bouffard (Right) to Mr. Partel at the annual AARWBA America's Team Banquet at the Hyatt Regency in Indianapolis, Indiana.
Mr. Partel was recognized for the accomplishments of the European Formula Drivers Association (Chronicled on the following pages) which provided the platform for Ayrton Senna, Gil de Ferran, Damon Hill, Mika Hakkinen, Tony Kanaan, Michael Schumacher and Justin Wilson among others, to launch their motor racing careers.
Mr. Partel was also recognized as the "Father of One Make Racing," for the development of the international General Motors, Europe backed Formula Opel/Formula Vauxhall open wheel racing series, the first controlled single chassis, single spec engine and tire championship series. Among EFDA and Partel's contributions to the world of international motorsport was the mandated use of unleaded fuel and exhaust silencers on all EFDA race cars and a major international racing event titled "The Nations Cup." The Nations Cup pitted entrants in two car Formula Opel/Formula Vauxhall racing teams painted in the colors of their country. Partel envisioned The Nations Cup as an Olympics of Motorsport. The top three were presented Gold, Silver and Bronze medals. The Nations Cup was also presented to the Gold Medalists.
A similar concept is competed in the A1 Grand Prix of Nations. The differences are that the A1 Grand Prix events are competed on a World-Wide stage during the "winter season," and the racing cars are purpose built and controlled by the A1 Grand Prix organizers. A1 Grand Prix of Nations winners, while receiving Gold, Silver and Bronze medals also compete for the ultimate prize the World Cup of Motorsport, awarded at the end of the racing season.
The American Auto Racing Writers and Broadcasters Association (AARWBA), founded in Indianapolis in 1955, is the oldest and largest media organization devoted entirely auto racing boasting over 400 members world-wide.
PLEASE NOTE: This section of my site is devoted to the history of one of the most successful organizations to have fostered the aspirations of young men and women interested in becoming international championship caliber racing drivers. That many of them succeeded, can be laid at the feet of of Daniel S. Partel, Managing Director of the European Formula Drivers Association.
These pages are in a constant of flux because I am still gathering data on an organization that I
saw grow from the trunk of Dan's green Mercedes to the supreme organizer of a single chassis and engine Pan-European racing series. While many others will follow, it will be a long time before they can match the record of Dan Partel and the European Formula Drivers Association.
Gil Bouffard
There are many people who can claim to have had an individual influence on one of today's leading stars in auto racing. European Formula Drivers' Association and Formula Opel Euroseries boss Dan Partel can say with pride that he helped launch the careers of Ayrton Senna, Mika Hakkinen, Michael Schumacher, David Coulthard, Eddie Irvine, Juan Pablo Montoya, Gil de Ferran, Dario Franchitti and many more of the auto racing stars competing on the race tracks of the world today.
"When I started EFDA, a lot of guys would try to jump from Formula Ford to Formula 3 and couldn't cope," says Partel. "The Euroseries worked in that respect."
For 20 seasons the European Formula Drivers Association (EFDA) presided over the smooth running of junior level European motorsport from its headquarters in Luxembourg.
On the wall in EFDA Managing Director Daniel Partel's office was a sheet of paper outlining for new personnel what the organization was all about. It read:
"Established in 1979, EFDA is a service company whose primary activity is organizing, administering and promoting motor racing championships. The key to our success over the years has been our relationship with the competitors, promoters and sponsors. As individuals, we are internationalists with the reputation for running well-organised championships, administered fairly but firmly."
"Due to our neutrality, we are often called into the role of arbitrators of disputes. A cornerstone policy of this corporation is to listen to each party's complaint without prejudice and reach a fair and equitable solution... There are times when there are no clear guidelines to help reach that decision, at which time each of us has to rely on good common sense, backed up by our own sense of decency and fair play."
For 20-plus seasons the European Formula Drivers Association lived up to those standards, presiding over Inter-European FF1600, FF2000, Sports 2000 and F3 championships, and commencing in 1988, the GM Opel motorsport program.
An American living in Europe, Dan Partel spent 10 years working for Philip Morris (Marlboro), followed by two years with Firestone.
He was running the FF1600 Club of Germany in his spare time and was in contact with the national FF 1600 drivers associations on the Continent who collectively organised the forerunner of the present day Euroseries, the Golden Lion Trophy.
Dan Partel, Formula Ford 1600 Competitor 1975 (Left) and 1976 (Right). Note the skinny treaded road tires that were the norm in Formula Ford for many years
It was clear that Europe was ready for a return to the days of the FF 1600 Euroseries, which, in the late 1960s and early '70s, had yielded such talents as Emerson Fittipaldi, James Hunt and Jody Scheckter.
European championships had always been difficult to organize. The national sporting authorities didn't have jurisdiction outside their own countries, and no one body seemed able or willing to take on the task of coordinating a truly European series. The European Formula Drivers Association was formed to fill the gap.
At the instigation and with the support of Johan Beerepot, then Circuit Director of Zandvoort, EFDA not only took on the organization of an FF1600 championship, but a Euroseries for FF2000, as well.
The European Formula Drivers Association (EFDA) established the EFDA Euroseries in 1979. EFDA held an average 10 - 15 events annually, organized on the major racing circuits with approximately 40% of the races in support of the Formula One World Championship Grands Prix events.
A multinational field of young professional drivers was attracted by the prestige attached to the Series. Over forty of these drivers have subsequently reached the pinnacle of motor racing, Formula One.
EFDA's objective was to establish a professionally organised development program for the young professional race driver. The program was designed not only to attract the best young racing prospects from the global market, but to also assist them in developing both their on track race craft as well as their off track marketing and promotional skills.
One make Formulae have always been under the domain of the National Sporting Authorities. However, a National Sporting Authorities sanctioning authority is restricted to their respective national borders.
Historically, FIA - Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile - confined its sanctioning to the open classes of motor racing, i.e. Formula One, the FIA Formula 3000, Formula Three, etc.
The European Formula Drivers Association was specifically created to fill the void, by creating a management structure, to develop an international series for a one make formulae. Since it's inception in 1979 in Luxembourg, EFDA organised over 100 Championships involving 5 classes of motorracing.
The first-ever EFDA FF 1600 race was staged at Hockenheim on 10 June 1979, and was won by Englishman David Sears. David Sears has been a racing team owner and today, is t
he manager of
several top line drivers.
"The Champion in FF1600 that year was John Village," (Right) recalls Dan Partel. "Ironically, he was made a member of the BRDC as a result."
Note: In 1990, at the EFDA Euroseries race in Zolder, Belgium, John Village (Left) was finally awarded the trophy for being EFDA's first Champion!
Another Englishman who found success in Europe was Adrian Reynard. A race car designer and builder, Adrian Reynard also raced the cars bearing his name. Reynard was enticed into the FF2000 Euroseries by Canadian Club Whisky sponsorship arranged by none other than one D. Partel. Reynard, until recently, had been an international race car manufacturer, building racing sports cars, CART Champ Cars, Formula 3000, Formula Three, Formula One and built all the original Formula Opel/Vauxhall chassis.
A highlight of Dan's career came in 1988. No, not the inaugural Opel Lotus race as you might suspect, although it ran a close second. "On EFDA's 10th birthday," relates Partel, "Danny Sullivan, who I had sponsored in F2, won the Indy Car Championship; Ayrton Senna, one of our finest Euroseries Champions, won the F1 World Championship; Roberto Moreno, another EFDA old boy, took the F3000 crown, and JJ Lehto, our last Euroseries FF2000 Champion, walked off with the British F3 Championship. That gave me a very satisfying feeling."
Initially, the Association was one of driver/owners, but as the years passed EFDA became a championship management company, with its affiliations lying closer to the teams, promoters and organisers. But as Dan Partel says, EFDA still governed by the consent of the governed. It operated in a spirit of Pan-European cooperation found in few places outside of sport.
A unique feature of the Euroseries, was the inclusion of a title sponsor and/or co-sponsor for the entire race program. This benefited the sponsor by providing marketing exposure from all the drivers, cars, and teams that participated in the Euroseries. General Motors, exclusive supplier of the engines, and Bridgestone, exclusive supplier of the tyres reaped excellent rewards from their involvement in the EFDA racing programs.
Those involved with the EFDA organisation are proud of it's heritage, and particulary the continuing results of it's graduates.
Zolder, Belgium, 1990. Potential autoracing champions and stars fill the grid at the start of the first race of the season. Eventual Euroseries Champion Rubens Barrichello (9), is followed by David Coulthard (15). The yellow number 14 car is driven by future two time CART Champion Gil de Ferran. The 1990 Euroseries included Indy 500 winner Kenny Brack, Vincenzo Sospiri, Pedro Lamy and Shinji Nakano among the field.
