Spirit 201


The Spirit 201 was a Formula One and Formula Two racing car designed by John Baldwin and Spirit Racing co-founder Gordon Coppuck which was raced in European Formula Two from to and in Formula One in 1983.
In Formula Two racing, the car was powered by a 2-litre naturally aspirated engine.
In Formula One, it was powered by the 1.5 litre turbocharged Honda engine. The 201 made its Formula One debut in the hands of Swedish driver Stefan Johansson at the non-championship 1983 Race of Champions at Brands Hatch. There Johansson qualified the car 12th. He retired with a blown engine after 4 laps having already moved up to 10th with laps as quick as the leaders, including what was reportedly the most powerful car of, the Ferrari 126C2B driven by René Arnoux.
For the team's World Championship debut at the 1983 British Grand Prix at Silverstone, a modified 201C design was produced, which Johansson qualified in a respectable 15th. But engine problems on race morning forced him to drive the 201 in the race, retiring after 5 laps with a broken fuel system. The 201C eventually only raced at the German and Dutch Grands Prix, with the 201 being driven in the other races. The car's best result was a 7th for Johansson in the Netherlands.

Complete Formula One World Championship results

YearEntrantChassisEngineTyresDrivers123456789101112131415PointsWCC
Spirit RacingHonda RA163E
V6 tc
BRAUSWFRASMRMONBELDETCANGBRGERAUTNEDITAEURRSA0NC
Spirit Racing201Honda RA163E
V6 tc
Stefan JohanssonRet12Ret140NC
Spirit Racing201CHonda RA163E
V6 tc
Stefan JohanssonRet70NC