List of Superleague Formula drivers and teams
Drivers -- By nationality
Table:
Country

Total

Champions

Current

First driver(s)

Last/current driver(s)

Argentina

1

0

0

Esteban Guerrieri (2009)

Esteban Guerrieri (2010)

Australia

1

0

1

John Martin (2009)

John Martin

Belgium

2

0

1

Bertrand Baguette (2008)

Frédéric Vervisch

Brazil

3

0

1

Tuka Rocha (2008)

Antônio Pizzonia

China

3

0

1

Ho-Pin Tung (2009)

Ho-Pin Tung

Czech Republic

1

0

1

Filip Salaquarda (2011)

Filip Salaquarda

Denmark

1

0

0

Kasper Andersen (2008)

Kasper Andersen (2009)

France

7

0

1

Tristan Gommendy, Nelson Philippe (2008)

Tristan Gommendy

Germany

1

0

0

Max Wissel (2008)

Max Wissel (2010)

Greece

1

0

0

Stamatis Katsimis (2008)

Stamatis Katsimis (2008)

India

1

0

0

Narain Karthikeyan (2010)

Narain Karthikeyan (2010)

Italy

5

2
(Rigon, 2008, 2010)

0

Alessandro Pier Guidi, Davide Rigon, Enrico Toccacelo (2008)

Davide Rigon (2010)

Netherlands

6

0

2

Yelmer Buurman, Robert Doornbos (2008)

Yelmer Buurman, Robert Doornbos

New Zealand

2

0

1

Chris van der Drift (2010)

Earl Bamber

Portugal

2

0

0

Pedro Petiz (2009)

Álvaro Parente (2010)

Spain

9

1
(Vallés, 2009)

2

Borja García, Andy Soucek, Adrián Vallés (2008)

Andy Soucek, María de Villota

Switzerland

1

0

1

Neel Jani (2010)

Neel Jani

United Arab Emirates

1

0

0

Andreas Zuber (2008)

Andreas Zuber (2008)

United Kingdom

9

0

2

Ryan Dalziel, Craig Dolby, Duncan Tappy (2008)

Craig Dolby, Duncan Tappy

With reference to the provided table as well as the supporting text provided at the end.

Provide an answer to this question: This Portuguese speaking country 's driver was involved in a plane crash near Bahia ? Output only the correct answer as {"answer": "YOUR ANSWER"}. Avoid adding external knowledge.

Argentina ( Spanish : [ aɾxenˈtina ] ) , officially the Argentine Republic [ A ] ( Spanish : República Argentina ) , is a country located mostly in the southern half of South America . Sharing the bulk of the Southern Cone with Chile to the west , the country is also bordered by Bolivia and Paraguay to the north , Brazil to the northeast , Uruguay and the South Atlantic Ocean to the east , and the Drake Passage to the south . With a mainland area of 2,780,400 km2 ( 1,073,500 sq mi ) , [ B ] Argentina is the eighth-largest country in the world , the fourth largest in the Americas , the second largest in South America after Brazil , and the largest Spanish-speaking nation . The sovereign state is subdivided into twenty-three provinces ( Spanish : provincias , singular provincia ) and one autonomous city ( ciudad autónoma ) , Buenos Aires , which is the federal capital of the nation ( Spanish : Capital Federal ) as decided by Congress . The provinces and the capital have their own constitutions , but exist under a federal system . Argentina claims sovereignty over part of Antarctica , the Falkland Islands ( Spanish : Islas Malvinas ) , and South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands . The earliest recorded human presence in modern-day Argentina dates back to the Paleolithic period . The Inca Empire expanded to the northwest of the country in Pre-Columbian times . The country has its roots in Spanish colonization of the region during the 16th century . Argentina rose as the successor state of the Viceroyalty of the Río de la Plata , a Spanish overseas viceroyalty founded in 1776 . The declaration and fight for independence ( 1810-1818 ) was followed by an extended civil war that lasted until 1861 , culminating in the country 's reorganization as a federation of provinces with Buenos Aires as its capital city . The country thereafter enjoyed relative peace and stability , with several waves of European immigration , mainly Italians and Spaniards , radically reshaping its cultural and demographic outlook ; 62.5% of the population has full or partial Italian ancestry , and the Argentine culture has significant connections to the Italian culture .
Esteban Guerrieri ( born 19 January 1985 in Buenos Aires ) is an Argentine racing driver .
The 2009 Superleague Formula season was the second Superleague Formula championship . The series was rebranded the Superleague Formula by Sonangol for this season and also 2010 with the Angolan oil company becoming the title sponsor . It began on June 28 at Magny-Cours and finished on November 8 at Jarama . The field remained at 18 clubs for the 2009 season but Beijing Guoan did not return to try to retain the title which they won with Davide Rigon in 2008 , however Rigon did return in the car of Olympiacos CFP despite GP2 commitments . In Estoril , María de Villota became the first woman to race in the series and Sébastien Bourdais became the most successful racing driver to enter the series having been dropped by Scuderia Toro Rosso just weeks earlier . Bourdais described Superleague as the best alternative to F1 . Liverpool F.C. , run under Hitech Junior Team with driver Adrián Vallés , were crowned series champions for the first time at the last event of the season .
The 2010 Superleague Formula season was the third Superleague Formula championship . The series was rebranded Superleague Formula by Sonangol , due to a two-year deal that began in the previous season . The first race of the season was on 4 April at Silverstone and it finished on 24 October at Navarra after a series record of 12 race weekends in all . The series ' prize fund was increased to €5 million , with the championship-winning team winning €1 million . Superleague Formula teamed up with The NewsMarket to distribute video content to 25,000 global media outlets in over 190 countries throughout the season . Ex-Formula One and WTCC driver Tiago Monteiro praised Superleague Formula by saying he was pretty impressed with what they 've done so far . R.S.C . Anderlecht , run under Azerti Motorsport with driver Davide Rigon , were made champions , but only after the last Super Final of the last event of the season . It was R.S.C . Anderlecht 's first series title but the second for Rigon , who won the title with Beijing Guoan in 2008 .
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia , is a sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australian continent , the island of Tasmania , and numerous smaller islands . It is the largest country in Oceania and the world 's sixth-largest country by total area . The population of 26 million is highly urbanised and heavily concentrated on the eastern seaboard . Australia 's capital is Canberra , and its largest city is Sydney . The country 's other major metropolitan areas are Melbourne , Brisbane , Perth , and Adelaide . Indigenous Australians inhabited the continent for about 65,000 years prior to the first arrival of Dutch explorers in the early 17th century , who named it New Holland . In 1770 , Australia 's eastern half was claimed by Great Britain and initially settled through penal transportation to the colony of New South Wales from 26 January 1788 , a date which became Australia 's national day . The population grew steadily in subsequent decades , and by the time of an 1850s gold rush , most of the continent had been explored and an additional five self-governing crown colonies established . On 1 January 1901 , the six colonies federated , forming the Commonwealth of Australia . Australia has since maintained a stable liberal democratic political system that functions as a federal parliamentary constitutional monarchy , comprising six states and ten territories . Australia is the oldest , flattest , and driest inhabited continent , with the least fertile soils . It has a landmass of 7,617,930 square kilometres ( 2,941,300 sq mi ) .
John Martin is an Australian professional racing driver . Martin has had wide experience racing in European based open-wheel series since 2006 . In that time Martin has had a wide experience of open-wheel racing having driven in various national and international series driving Formula Ford , Formula 3 , A1 Grand Prix and Formula Renault 3.5 . For the past two season Martin has raced for several teams in the football inspired series Superleague Formula . Martin has long been associated with the British Alan Docking Racing team having raced with them in a variety of formulae for four of the five years he has been racing in Europe . In 2012 Martin will again race with ADR , racing an Oreca 03 sports car in the LMP2 class of the FIA World Endurance Championship .
Belgium , [ A ] officially the Kingdom of Belgium , is a country in Western Europe . It is bordered by the Netherlands to the north , Germany to the east , Luxembourg to the southeast , France to the southwest , and the North Sea to the northwest . It covers an area of 30,689 km2 ( 11,849 sq mi ) and has a population of more than 11.5 million , making it the 22nd most densely populated country in the world and the 6th most densely populated country in Europe , with a density of 376 per square kilometre ( 970/sq mi ) . The capital and largest city is Brussels ; other major cities are Antwerp , Ghent , Charleroi and Liège . The sovereign state is a federal constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary system . Its institutional organization is complex and is structured on both regional and linguistic grounds . It is divided into three highly autonomous regions : the Flemish Region in the north , Wallonia in the south , and the Brussels-Capital Region . Brussels is the smallest and most densely populated region , as well as the richest region in terms of GDP per capita . Belgium is home to two main linguistic groups or communities : the Dutch-speaking Flemish Community , which constitutes about 60 percent of the population , and the French-speaking Community , which comprises about 40 percent of all Belgians . A small German-speaking Community , numbering around one percent , exists in the East Cantons . The Brussels-Capital Region is officially bilingual ( French and Dutch ) , although French is the dominant language . Belgium 's linguistic diversity and related political conflicts are reflected in its political history and complex system of governance , made up of six different governments .
Bertrand Baguette ( born 23 February 1986 ) is a Belgian professional racing driver . Since 2000 , he has competed in various motorsport formulae . He currently competes in Super GT for Honda on the n°17 Honda NSX-GT from Keihin Real Racing . In 2013 he won the 24 Hours of Le Mans in the LMP2 class and the 2013 FIA WEC World Champion LMP2 class for drivers and teams .
The 2008 Superleague Formula season was the inaugural Superleague Formula championship . The season started very late in 2008 with the first round being on August 31 at Donington Park . There were six rounds ( twelve races ) in total with the successful season finale at Circuito Permanente de Jerez on 23 November . In the 18 cars on the grid were established A1GP and GP2 drivers as well as two ex-Formula One race starters , Robert Doornbos and Antônio Pizzonia . Beijing Guoan , run under former Formula One team Zakspeed with driver Davide Rigon , were eventually crowned the first ever champions at the last event of the season .
Frédéric Vervisch ( born 10 August 1986 in Kortrijk ) is a Belgian racing driver who currently races in the Blancpain GT Series .
Brazil ( Portuguese : Brasil ; Portuguese pronunciation : [ bɾaˈziw ] ) , [ nt 1 ] officially the Federative Republic of Brazil ( Portuguese : República Federativa do Brasil , listen ( help·info ) ) , is the largest country in both South America and Latin America . At 8.5 million square kilometers ( 3.2 million square miles ) and with over 211 million people , Brazil is the world 's fifth-largest country by area and the sixth most populous . Its capital is Brasília , and its most populous city is São Paulo . The federation is composed of the union of the 26 states , the Federal District , and the 5,570 municipalities . It is the largest country to have Portuguese as an official language and the only one in the Americas ; it is also one of the most multicultural and ethnically diverse nations , due to over a century of mass immigration from around the world . Bounded by the Atlantic Ocean on the east , Brazil has a coastline of 7,491 kilometers ( 4,655 mi ) . It borders all other countries in South America except Ecuador and Chile and covers 47.3% of the continent 's land area . Its Amazon River basin includes a vast tropical forest , home to diverse wildlife , a variety of ecological systems , and extensive natural resources spanning numerous protected habitats . This unique environmental heritage makes Brazil one of 17 megadiverse countries , and is the subject of significant global interest and debate regarding deforestation and environmental protection . Brazil was inhabited by numerous tribal nations prior to the landing in 1500 of explorer Pedro Álvares Cabral , who claimed the area for the Portuguese Empire . Brazil remained a Portuguese colony until 1808 , when the capital of the empire was transferred from Lisbon to Rio de Janeiro . In 1815 , the colony was elevated to the rank of kingdom upon the formation of the United Kingdom of Portugal , Brazil and the Algarves .
Christiano Tuka Chiaradia Alcoba Rocha ( December 13 , 1982 - November 17 , 2019 ) was a Brazilian race car driver . He won numerous karting championships in Brazil from 1996 to 2000 . Then moved up to South American Formula 3 Lights . In 2002 he moved to Europe to compete in the World Series by Nissan where he was Ricardo Zonta 's teammate . In 2004 he competed in Superfund Euro 3000 . In 2005 he was a test driver for A1 Team Brazil in the A1 Grand Prix Series and was named one of the team 's race drivers for the 2006-2007 season . In 2008 Tuka was chosen to drive the Flamengo 's car in Formula Superleague . Rocha died on November 17 , 2019 , three days after being involved in a small airplane crash near Bahia , Brazil . On a private flight from Jundiaí Airport to Maraú-Barra Grande Airport near Maraú the aircraft crashed on landing . The Cessna Citation II burst into flames fatally injuring Tuka Rocha and two others .
Antônio Reginaldo Pizzonia Júnior ( born 11 September 1980 ) is a Brazilian professional racing driver who has raced in Formula One and the Champ Car World Series . As of 2013 , he is competing in the FIA World Endurance Championship ( driving for Delta-ADR ) and the Grand-Am Rolex Series ( driving for Michael Shank Racing ) . Born in Manaus , Pizzonia started his car racing career in the Formula Vauxhall Junior series in 1997 , and then progressed through various junior formulae , winning the Formula Vauxhall Junior Winter Festival in 1997 , the Formula Vauxhall Junior and Formula Renault Winter Festival in 1998 , the Formula Renault 2.0 UK in 1999 , and the British Formula 3 Championship in 2000 . For 2001 and 2002 , he entered the Formula 3000 , with his best championship finish being sixth in 2001 . In 2003 , he was signed by the Jaguar Formula One team , but following poor results , was released during the season . In 2004 , he replaced the injured Ralf Schumacher at Williams in several events , securing his first Formula One points in the process . In 2005 , he replaced Nick Heidfeld at Williams , but was released from his contract at the end of the season . Since then , he has competed in multiple series , such as the Champ Car World Series , the Superleague Formula , Stock Car Brasil , and the FIA GT1 World Championship .
China ( Chinese : 中国 ; pinyin : Zhōngguó ) , officially the People 's Republic of China ( PRC ) , is a country in East Asia and is the world 's most populous country , with a population of around 1.428 billion in 2017 . Covering approximately 9,600,000 square kilometers ( 3,700,000 sq mi ) , it is the third largest country by area . [ j ] Governed by the Communist Party of China , the state exercises jurisdiction over 22 provinces , [ k ] five autonomous regions , four direct-controlled municipalities ( Beijing , Tianjin , Shanghai , and Chongqing ) , and the special administrative regions of Hong Kong and Macau . China emerged as one of the world 's first civilizations , in the fertile basin of the Yellow River in the North China Plain . For millennia , China 's political system was based on hereditary monarchies , or dynasties , beginning with the semi-mythical Xia dynasty in 21st century BCE . Since then , China has expanded , fractured , and re-unified numerous times . In the 3rd century BCE , the Qin reunited core China and established the first Chinese empire . The succeeding Han dynasty , which ruled from 206 BCE until 220 CE , saw some of the most advanced technology at that time , including papermaking and the compass , along with agricultural and medical improvements . The invention of gunpowder and movable type in the Tang dynasty ( 618-907 ) and Northern Song ( 960-1127 ) completed the Four Great Inventions . Tang culture spread widely in Asia , as the new Silk Route brought traders to as far as Mesopotamia and the Horn of Africa . Dynastic rule ended in 1912 with the Xinhai Revolution , when the Republic of China ( ROC ) replaced the Qing dynasty . China , as a whole , was ravaged by feudal warlordism and Japan during World War II .
Ho-Pin Tung ( Chinese : 董荷斌 ; pinyin : Dǒng Hébīn ; born December 4 , 1982 ) is a Chinese-Dutch auto-racing driver who races with a Chinese license .
The Czech Republic ( /ˈtʃɛk -/ ( listen ) ; Czech : Česká republika [ ˈtʃɛskaː ˈrɛpublɪka ] ( listen ) ) , also known by its short-form name , Czechia ( /ˈtʃɛkiə/ ( listen ) ; Czech : Česko [ ˈtʃɛsko ] ( listen ) ) , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Poland to the northeast , Slovakia to the southeast , Austria to the south , and Germany to the west . The Czech Republic is a landlocked country with a hilly landscape that covers an area of 78,866 square kilometers ( 30,450 sq mi ) with a mostly temperate continental climate and oceanic climate . It is a unitary parliamentary republic , with 10.7 million inhabitants . Its capital and largest city is Prague , with 1.3 million residents ; other major cities are Brno , Ostrava , Olomouc and Pilsen . The Czech Republic includes the historical territories of Bohemia , Moravia , and Czech Silesia . The Czech state was formed in the late ninth century as the Duchy of Bohemia under the Great Moravian Empire . In 1002 , the duchy was formally recognized as an Imperial State of the Holy Roman Empire along with the Kingdom of Germany , the Kingdom of Burgundy , the Kingdom of Italy ; and became the Kingdom of Bohemia in 1198 , reaching its greatest territorial extent in the 14th century . Prague was the imperial seat in periods between the 14th and 17th century . The Protestant Bohemian Reformation of the 15th century led to the Hussite Wars , the first of many conflicts with the Catholic Church . Following the Battle of Mohács in 1526 , the whole Crown of Bohemia was gradually integrated into the Habsburg Monarchy . The Protestant Bohemian Revolt ( 1618-20 ) against the Catholic Habsburgs led to the Thirty Years ' War . After the Battle of the White Mountain , the Habsburgs consolidated their rule , eradicated Protestantism , reimposed Catholicism , and adopted a policy of gradual Germanization .
Filip Salaquarda ( born January 11 , 1984 in Prague ) is a professional racing driver from the Czech Republic .
The 2011 Superleague Formula season was the fourth Superleague Formula championship . The series reverted to being known simply as Superleague Formula , with 2009 's two-year sponsorship deal with Sonangol also having expired . The first race of the season was held on 5 June at Assen and was due to finish at a venue in New Zealand after 8 race weekends . After three seasons in which the cars were run in club team colours , the 2011 season saw drivers competing in the colours of their nation , with countries adorning team names as had been set out by Team China in 2010 , thus beginning a severing of the strong links the series had attempted to make by linking each team entry with a football club . As many as eight of the announced fourteen entries no longer had links with football teams . The season ended after just two of the scheduled rounds after a number of complications , which saw tracks not being ready in time for the series , and disagreements with race organisers .
Denmark ( Danish : Danmark , pronounced [ ˈtænmak ] ( listen ) ) , officially the Kingdom of Denmark , [ N 10 ] [ N 2 ] is a Nordic country in Northwest Europe . Denmark proper , which is the southernmost of the Scandinavian countries , consists of a peninsula , Jutland , and an archipelago of 443 named islands , [ N 2 ] with the largest being Zealand , Funen and the North Jutlandic Island . The islands are characterised by flat , arable land and sandy coasts , low elevation and a temperate climate . The southernmost of the Scandinavian nations , Denmark lies southwest of Sweden and south of Norway , [ N 11 ] and is bordered to the south by Germany . The Kingdom of Denmark also includes two autonomous territories in the North Atlantic Ocean : the Faroe Islands and Greenland . Denmark has a total area of 42,924 km2 ( 16,573 sq mi ) , land area of 42,394 km2 ( 16,368 sq mi ) , and the total area including Greenland and the Faroe Islands is 2,210,579 km2 ( 853,509 sq mi ) , and a population of 5.8 million in Denmark proper ( Danish egentlige Danmark ) ( as of 2020 [ update ] ) . The unified kingdom of Denmark emerged in the 8th century as a proficient seafaring nation in the struggle for control of the Baltic Sea . Denmark , Sweden , and Norway were ruled together under one sovereign ruler in the Kalmar Union , established in 1397 and ending with Swedish secession in 1523 . The areas of Denmark and Norway remained under the same monarch until 1814 , Denmark-Norway . Beginning in the 17th century , there were several devastating wars with the Swedish Empire , ending with large cessions of territory to Sweden . After the Napoleonic Wars , Norway was ceded to Sweden , while Denmark kept the Faroe Islands , Greenland , and Iceland . In the 19th century there was a surge of nationalist movements , which were defeated in the First Schleswig War .
France ( French : [ fʁɑ̃s ] ( listen ) ) , officially the French Republic ( French : République française , pronounced [ ʁepyblik fʁɑ̃sɛːz ] ( listen ) ) , is a country whose territory consists of metropolitan France in Western Europe and several overseas regions and territories . [ XIII ] The metropolitan area of France extends from the Mediterranean Sea to the English Channel and the North Sea , and from the Rhine to the Atlantic Ocean . It is bordered by Belgium , Luxembourg and Germany to the northeast , Switzerland and Italy to the east , and Andorra and Spain to the south . The overseas territories include French Guiana in South America and several islands in the Atlantic , Pacific and Indian oceans . The country 's 18 integral regions ( five of which are situated overseas ) span a combined area of 643,801 square kilometres ( 248,573 sq mi ) and a total population of 67.02 million ( as of July 2019 [ update ] ) . France is a unitary semi-presidential republic with its capital in Paris , the country 's largest city and main cultural and commercial centre . Other major urban areas include Lyon , Marseille , Toulouse , Bordeaux , Lille and Nice . France , including its overseas territories , has the most number of time zones of any country , with a total of 12 . During the Iron Age , what is now metropolitan France was inhabited by the Gauls , a Celtic people . Rome annexed the area in 51 BC , holding it until the arrival of Germanic Franks in 476 , who formed the Kingdom of Francia . The Treaty of Verdun of 843 partitioned Francia into East Francia , Middle Francia and West Francia . West Francia , which became the Kingdom of France in 987 , emerged as a major European power in the Late Middle Ages , following its victory in the Hundred Years ' War ( 1337-1453 ) .
Tristan Gommendy ( born 4 January 1979 ) is a French professional racing driver .
Nelson Philippe ( born July 23 , 1986 in Valence , Drôme ) is a French race car driver .
Germany ( German : Deutschland , German pronunciation : [ ˈdɔʏtʃlant ] ) , constitutionally the Federal Republic of Germany ( German : Bundesrepublik Deutschland , listen ( help·info ) ) , [ f ] is a country in Central and Western Europe . It borders Denmark to the north , Poland and the Czech Republic to the east , Austria and Switzerland to the south , France to the southwest , and Luxembourg , Belgium , and the Netherlands to the west . Germany includes 16 constituent states , covers an area of 357,386 square kilometres ( 137,988 sq mi ) , and has a largely temperate seasonal climate . With 83 million inhabitants , it is the second most populous state of Europe after Russia , the most populous state lying entirely in Europe , as well as the most populous member state of the European Union . Germany is a very decentralised country . Its capital and largest metropolis is Berlin , while Frankfurt serves as its financial capital and has the country 's busiest airport . Various Germanic tribes have inhabited the northern parts of modern Germany since classical antiquity . A region named Germania was documented before AD 100 . Beginning in the 10th century , German territories formed a central part of the Holy Roman Empire . During the 16th century , northern German regions became the centre of the Protestant Reformation . After the collapse of the Holy Roman Empire , the German Confederation was formed in 1815 . The German revolutions of 1848-49 resulted in the Frankfurt Parliament establishing major democratic rights .
Maximilian Max Wissel ( born 24 November 1989 in Germany ) is a German racing driver . Since 2008 he has raced in the Superleague Formula and has raced for FC Basel 1893 in the 2008 season and 2009 season .
Greece ( Greek : Ελλάδα ) , officially the Hellenic Republic ( Greek : Ελληνική Δημοκρατία ) , historically also known as Hellas , is a country located in Southeast Europe . Its population is approximately 10.7 million as of 2018 ; Athens , the nation 's capital , is its largest city , followed by Thessaloniki . Situated on the southern tip of the Balkan Peninsula , Greece is located at the crossroads of Europe , Asia , and Africa . It shares land borders with Albania to the northwest , North Macedonia and Bulgaria to the north , and Turkey to the northeast . The Aegean Sea lies to the east of the mainland , the Ionian Sea to the west , the Cretan Sea and the Mediterranean Sea to the south . Greece has the longest coastline on the Mediterranean Basin and the 11th longest coastline in the world at 13,676 km ( 8,498 mi ) in length , featuring many islands , of which 227 are inhabited . Eighty percent of Greece is mountainous , with Mount Olympus being the highest peak at 2,918 metres ( 9,573 ft ) . The country consists of nine traditional geographic regions : Macedonia , Central Greece , the Peloponnese , Thessaly , Epirus , the Aegean Islands ( including the Dodecanese and Cyclades ) , Thrace , Crete , and the Ionian Islands . Greece is considered the cradle of Western civilisation , being the birthplace of democracy , Western philosophy , Western literature , historiography , political science , major scientific and mathematical principles , Western drama and the Olympic Games . From the eighth century B.C. , the Greeks were organised into various independent city-states , known as poleis ( singular polis ) , which spanned the entire Mediterranean region and the Black Sea . Philip of Macedon united most of the Greek mainland in the fourth century BC , with his son Alexander the Great rapidly conquering much of the ancient world , from the eastern Mediterranean to India . Greece was annexed by Rome in the second century B.C. , becoming an integral part of the Roman Empire and its successor , the Byzantine Empire , which adopted the Greek language and culture .
Stamatis Katsimis ( born May 30 , 1982 in Greece ) is a Greek racing driver . He has raced in junior motorsport category for most of his racing career , before driving in the 2008 Superleague Formula season for Olympiacos CFP in the final rounds .
India ( Hindi : Bhārat ) , officially the Republic of India ( Hindi : Bhārat Gaṇarājya ) , is a country in South Asia . It is the seventh-largest country by area , the second-most populous country , and the most populous democracy in the world . Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the south , the Arabian Sea on the southwest , and the Bay of Bengal on the southeast , it shares land borders with Pakistan to the west ; [ e ] China , Nepal , and Bhutan to the north ; and Bangladesh and Myanmar to the east . In the Indian Ocean , India is in the vicinity of Sri Lanka and the Maldives ; its Andaman and Nicobar Islands share a maritime border with Thailand and Indonesia . Modern humans arrived on the Indian subcontinent from Africa no later than 55,000 years ago . Their long occupation , initially in varying forms of isolation as hunter-gatherers , has made the region highly diverse , second only to Africa in human genetic diversity . Settled life emerged on the subcontinent in the western margins of the Indus river basin 9,000 years ago , evolving gradually into the Indus Valley Civilisation of the third millennium BCE . By 1200 BCE , an archaic form of Sanskrit , an Indo-European language , had diffused into India from the northwest , unfolding as the language of the Rigveda , and recording the dawning of Hinduism in India . The Dravidian languages of India were supplanted in the northern regions . By 400 BCE , stratification and exclusion by caste had emerged within Hinduism , and Buddhism and Jainism had arisen , proclaiming social orders unlinked to heredity . Early political consolidations gave rise to the loose-knit Maurya and Gupta Empires based in the Ganges Basin . Their collective era was suffused with wide-ranging creativity , but also marked by the declining status of women , and the incorporation of untouchability into an organised system of belief .
Kumar Ram Narain Karthikeyan ( born 14 January 1977 ) is a racing driver who was the first Formula One driver from India . He has previously competed in A1GP , and the Le Mans Series . He has won multiple races in A1GP , British F3 , World series by Nissan , AutoGP , Formula Asia , British Formula Ford & Opel series in his single-seater career . He won the British Formula Ford Winter Series in 1994 & Formula Asia Championship in 1996 . He also finished fourth overall in British F3 in 2000 & the World Nissan series in 2003 . He made his Formula One debut in 2005 with the Jordan team , and was a Williams F1 test driver in 2006 and 2007 . Like several other former F1 drivers , Karthikeyan moved to stock car racing and drove the No . 60 Safe Auto Insurance Company Toyota Tundra for Wyler Racing in the 2010 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series . In 2011 he returned to F1 with the HRT team , continued with the team in 2012 and was expected to drive for them in the 2013 season as well . However , HRT was not included in the FIA 's 2013 entry list , and thus Karthikeyan was left without a drive . From 2014-2018 , Karthikeyan raced in Japanese Super Formula series . In 2019 he ended his single-seater career by joining SuperGT series in Japan .
Italy ( Italian : Italia [ iˈtaːlja ] ( listen ) ) , officially the Italian Republic ( Italian : Repubblica Italiana [ reˈpubblika itaˈljaːna ] ) , is a European country consisting of a peninsula delimited by the Alps and surrounded by several islands . Italy is located in south-central Europe , and it is also considered a part of Western Europe . The country covers a total area of 301,340 km2 ( 116,350 sq mi ) and shares land borders with France , Switzerland , Austria , Slovenia , and the enclaved microstates of Vatican City and San Marino . Italy has a territorial exclave in Switzerland ( Campione ) and a maritime exclave in the Tunisian Sea ( Lampedusa ) . With around 60 million inhabitants , Italy is the third-most populous member state of the European Union . The capital and largest city is Rome ; other major cities are Milan , Naples , Turin , Palermo , Genoa , Bologna , Florence and Venice . Due to its central geographic location in Southern Europe and the Mediterranean , Italy has historically been home to myriad peoples and cultures . In addition to the various ancient peoples dispersed throughout what is now modern-day Italy , the most predominant being the Indo-European Italic peoples who gave the peninsula its name , beginning from the classical era , Phoenicians and Carthaginians founded colonies mostly in insular Italy , Greeks established settlements in the so-called Magna Graecia of Southern Italy , while Etruscans and Celts inhabited central and northern Italy respectively . An Italic tribe known as the Latins formed the Roman Kingdom in the 8th century BC , which eventually became a republic with a government of the Senate and the People . The Roman Republic initially conquered and assimilated its neighbours on the Italian peninsula , eventually expanding and conquering parts of Europe , North Africa and Asia . By the first century BC , the Roman Empire emerged as the dominant power in the Mediterranean Basin and became a leading cultural , political and religious centre , inaugurating the Pax Romana , a period of more than 200 years during which Italy 's law , technology , economy , art , and literature developed . Italy remained the homeland of the Romans and the metropole of the empire , whose legacy can also be observed in the global distribution of culture , governments , Christianity and the Latin script .
Davide Rigon ( born 26 August 1986 ) is an Italian professional racing driver . Rigon is currently part of the Scuderia Ferrari Formula One test driver team .
Alessandro Pier Guidi ( born December 18 , 1983 ) is a racing driver from Italy . He drove two races for the Italian A1 Team . Ferrari factory driver since 2017 , he won LMGTE-PRO 2017 FIA World Endurance Championship and 2019 24 Hours of Le Mans Pier Guidi drove a Ferrari 430 GT in the Spanish GT Championship and Italian GT Championship in 2005 and 2006 , for the Scuderia Playteam . He won the 2005 Italian title , but missed out on the Spanish crown due to missing one race alongside team owner Giambasttista Giannocaro . In 2007 he moved to the FIA GT Championship , driving a Maserati MC12 . He has also driven in the Italian Formula 3000 Championship . In 2008 he drove the Galatasaray SK car in the Superleague Formula , scoring three podium finishes and taking the team to eighth overall in the final standings . In 2014 , driving a Level 5 Motorsport Ferrari F458 Italia , he won the GT Daytona ( GTD ) class at the Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona , one of the premier motor races in the American Tudor United SportsCar Championship . In 2017 , Ferrari reached a technical and racing agreement with Alessandro Pier Guidi . The Italian driver competed in the 2017 season of the FIA World Endurance Championship ( WEC ) pairing up with James Calado in the 488 GTE no . 51 managed on the track by the AF Corse team . Currently competing in the FIA World Endurance Championship for AF Corse , he is the current World Champion , alongside his fellow James Calado , in LMGTE Pro class , after winning the 2017 FIA World Endurance Championship .
Enrico Toccacelo ( born 14 December 1978 in Rome ) is an Italian auto racer with karting , GT and Formula 3000 experience . He won three F3000 events and briefly led Vitantonio Liuzzi in the 2004 championship before Liuzzi went on to win the next three races . He finished runner-up , but , unable to land a Formula One seat , raced in the World Series by Renault series in 2005 . From the 2005 Turkish Grand Prix he was the third driver with Minardi , appearing in Friday practice sessions for three Grand Prix weekends . He raced in the inaugural season of A1 Grand Prix with A1 Team Italy , also appearing as a guest driver for A1 Team Pakistan after they were unable to find a driver at the South African round at Durban . In the second season of A1GP , Toccacelo was replaced by Alessandro Pier Guidi for the first two rounds , before appearing at the Beijing race , where he won the Feature race . He is also racing in the World Series by Renault . He was the driver of the A.S. Roma car in Superleague Formula for 2008 in rounds 1 to 3 and driver of rounds 4 to 5 for Borussia Dortmund .
The Netherlands ( Dutch : Nederland , [ ˈneːdərlɑnt ] ( listen ) ) , informally Holland , is a country in Northwestern Europe with some overseas territories in the Caribbean . In Europe , it consists of 12 provinces that border Germany to the east , Belgium to the south , and the North Sea to the northwest , with maritime borders in the North Sea with those countries and the United Kingdom . Together with the Caribbean Netherlands - Bonaire , Sint Eustatius and Saba - it forms a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands . The official language is Dutch and a secondary official language in the province of Friesland is West Frisian . In the north and east of the country , Low Saxon is also spoken , and in the southeast , Limburgish . In the Caribbean Netherlands English and Papiamento are recognised languages . The five largest cities in the Netherlands are Amsterdam , Rotterdam , The Hague , Utrecht and Eindhoven . Amsterdam is the country 's most populous city and nominal capital , while The Hague holds the seat of the States General , Cabinet and Supreme Court . The Port of Rotterdam is the busiest seaport in Europe , and the busiest in any country outside Asia . Amsterdam Airport Schiphol is the busiest airport in the Netherlands , and the third busiest in Europe . The country is a founding member of the EU , Eurozone , G10 , NATO , OECD and WTO , as well as a part of the Schengen Area and the trilateral Benelux Union . It hosts several intergovernmental organisations and international courts , many of which are centered in The Hague , which is consequently dubbed 'the world 's legal capital ' .
Yelmer Evert Frans Buurman ( born 19 February 1987 ) is a Dutch professional racing driver . He was 3rd in the Blancpain Endurance Series in 2013 , and second in the FIA GT1 Championship in 2012 . Besides achieving victories in those categories , also won several races in the Superleague Formula , and was second in the 2013 24 Hours of Nürburgring .
Robert Michael Doornbos ( Dutch pronunciation : [ ˈroːbərt ˈmɑikəl ˈdoːrnbɔs ] ( listen ) ; born 23 September 1981 ) is a Dutch racing driver who also competed with a Monégasque licence . He has been test and third driver for the Jordan and Red Bull Racing Formula One teams , as well as driving for Minardi and Red Bull Racing in 2005 and 2006 . Doornbos then drove for Minardi Team USA in the 2007 and final season of the Champ Car World Series . He competed in the Superleague Formula racing series in 2008 , and drove for the Netherlands team in A1 Grand Prix 's 2008-2009 season . In 2009 , Doornbos competed in the IndyCar Series . He began the season with Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing , but switched to HVM Racing after the race in Kentucky Speedway .
New Zealand ( Māori : Aotearoa [ aɔˈtɛaɾɔa ] ) is a sovereign island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean . The country has two main landmasses - the North Island ( Te Ika-a-Māui ) , and the South Island ( Te Waipounamu ) - and around 600 smaller islands . It has a total land area of 268,000 square kilometres ( 103,500 sq mi ) . New Zealand is about 2,000 kilometres ( 1,200 mi ) east of Australia across the Tasman Sea and 1,000 kilometres ( 600 mi ) south of the Pacific island areas of New Caledonia , Fiji , and Tonga . Because of its remoteness , it was one of the last lands to be settled by humans . During its long period of isolation , New Zealand developed a distinct biodiversity of animal , fungal , and plant life . The country 's varied topography and its sharp mountain peaks , such as the Southern Alps , owe much to the tectonic uplift of land and volcanic eruptions . New Zealand 's capital city is Wellington , and its most populous city is Auckland . Sometime between 1250 and 1300 , Polynesians settled in the islands and developed a distinctive Māori culture . In 1642 , Dutch explorer Abel Tasman became the first European to sight New Zealand . In 1840 , representatives of the United Kingdom and Māori chiefs signed the Treaty of Waitangi , which declared British sovereignty over the islands . In 1841 , New Zealand became a colony within the British Empire and in 1907 it became a dominion ; it gained full statutory independence in 1947 and the British monarch remained the head of state .
Christopher Jason van der Drift ( born 8 March 1986 ) is a New Zealand racing driver of Dutch descent .
Earl Anderson Bamber ( born 9 July 1990 ) is a professional racing driver from New Zealand , currently competing as a factory driver for Porsche Motorsport in the WeatherTech SportsCar Championship GTLM class . He is the 2014 Porsche Supercup and double Porsche Carrera Cup Asia champion , . He is a double Le Mans 24 Hours winner , having won the 2015 24 Hours of Le Mans with Nico Hülkenberg and Nick Tandy and the 2017 24 Hours of Le Mans with Timo Bernhard and Brendon Hartley . The trio was also joint winner of the 2017 FIA World Endurance Championship for Drivers .
Portugal ( Portuguese : [ puɾtuˈɣal ] ) , officially the Portuguese Republic ( Portuguese : República Portuguesa [ ʁɛˈpuβlikɐ puɾtuˈɣezɐ ] ) , [ note 5 ] is a country located mostly on the Iberian Peninsula , in southwestern Europe . It is the westernmost sovereign state of mainland Europe , being bordered to the west and south by the Atlantic Ocean and to the north and east by Spain . Its territory also includes the Atlantic archipelagos of the Azores and Madeira , both autonomous regions with their own regional governments . Portugal is the oldest nation state on the Iberian Peninsula and one of the oldest in Europe and the world , its territory having been continuously settled , invaded and fought over since prehistoric times . The pre-Celtic people , Iberians , Celts , Carthaginians and Romans were followed by the invasions of the Visigoths and Suebi Germanic peoples . After the Muslim conquests of the Iberian Peninsula , most of the territory was part of Al-Andalus until their expulsion . Portugal as a country was established during the early Christian Reconquista . Founded in 868 , the County of Portugal gained prominence after the Battle of São Mamede in 1128 . The Kingdom of Portugal was later proclaimed following the Battle of Ourique in 1139 , and independence from León was recognised by the Treaty of Zamora in 1143 . On 12 December 2017 , the Portuguese Navy commemorated the 700th anniversary of its official creation by King Denis of Portugal . Tracing its origins back to the 12th century , it is the oldest continuously serving navy in the world . In the 15th and 16th centuries , Portugal established the first global empire , becoming one of the world 's major economic , political and military powers .
Pedro Petiz ( born 29 October 1986 in Porto , Portugal ) is a Portuguese racing driver . He was the 2007 champion of the Renault Eurocup . Since 2009 he has raced in the Superleague Formula and has raced for Sporting CP in the 2009 season .
Álvaro Parente ( born 4 October 1984 ) is a Portuguese professional racing driver . He is currently under contract with McLaren racing their GT cars for several customer teams .
Spain ( Spanish : España [ esˈpaɲa ] ( listen ) ) , officially the Kingdom of Spain ( Spanish : Reino de España ) , [ a ] [ b ] is a country in Southwestern Europe with some pockets of Spanish territory across the Strait of Gibraltar and the Atlantic Ocean . Its continental European territory is situated on the Iberian Peninsula . Its territory also includes two archipelagoes : the Canary Islands off the coast of Africa , and the Balearic Islands in the Mediterranean Sea . The African enclaves of Ceuta , Melilla , and Peñón de Vélez de la Gomera make Spain the only European country to have a physical border with an African country ( Morocco ) . [ h ] Several small islands in the Alboran Sea are also part of Spanish territory . The country 's mainland is bordered to the south and east by the Mediterranean Sea except for a small land boundary with Gibraltar ; to the north and northeast by France , Andorra , and the Bay of Biscay ; and to the west and northwest by Portugal and the Atlantic Ocean . With an area of 505,990 km2 ( 195,360 sq mi ) , Spain is the largest country in Southern Europe , the second largest country in Western Europe and the European Union , and the fourth largest country in the European continent . By population ( about 47 million ) , Spain is the sixth largest in Europe and the fifth in the European Union . Spain 's capital and largest city is Madrid ; other major urban areas include Barcelona , Valencia , Seville , Zaragoza , Málaga and Bilbao . Modern humans first arrived in the Iberian Peninsula around 35,000 years ago . Iberian cultures along with ancient Phoenician , Greek , Celtic and Carthaginian settlements developed on the peninsula until it came under Roman rule around 200 BCE , after which the region was named Hispania , based on the earlier Phoenician name Sp ( a ) n or Spania . At the end of the Western Roman Empire the Germanic tribal confederations migrated from Central Europe , invaded the Iberian peninsula and established relatively independent realms in its western provinces , including the Suebi , Alans and Vandals .
Adrián Vallés Escortell ( born 3 June 1986 in Teulada , Alicante ) is a Spanish race car driver .
Borja García ( born 15 December 1982 in Valencia ) is a Spanish racing driver . He last competed in the NASCAR Whelen Euro Series , having last driven for Alex Caffi Motorsport in a part-time effort in 2018 . He was the 2004 Spanish Formula Three champion , and raced in the inaugural GP2 Series season .
Andy Christian Soucek , a.k.a . Souček ( born 14 June 1985 ) is a professional racing driver .
María de Villota Comba ( 13 January 1980 - 11 October 2013 ) was a Spanish racing driver . She was the daughter of former Formula One driver Emilio de Villota , and sister of Emilio de Villota Jr. , who similarly competed in Formula Palmer Audi . Prior to her death , De Villota was recovering from serious head and facial injuries , sustained during an accident in straight-line testing as the Marussia Formula One team test driver .
Switzerland , officially the Swiss Confederation , is a country situated in the confluence of western , central , and southern Europe . [ note 4 ] It is a federal republic composed of 26 cantons , with federal authorities seated in Bern . [ note 1 ] Switzerland is a landlocked country bordered by Italy to the south , France to the west , Germany to the north , and Austria and Liechtenstein to the east . It is geographically divided among the Swiss Plateau , the Alps , and the Jura , spanning a total area of 41,285 km2 ( 15,940 sq mi ) , and land area of 39,997 km2 ( 15,443 sq mi ) . While the Alps occupy the greater part of the territory , the Swiss population of approximately 8.5 million is concentrated mostly on the plateau , where the largest cities are located , among them the two global cities and economic centres of Zürich and Geneva . The establishment of the Old Swiss Confederacy dates to the late medieval period , resulting from a series of military successes against Austria and Burgundy . Swiss independence from the Holy Roman Empire was formally recognized in the Peace of Westphalia in 1648 . The Federal Charter of 1291 is considered the founding document of Switzerland which is celebrated on Swiss National Day . Since the Reformation of the 16th century , Switzerland has maintained a strong policy of armed neutrality ; it has not fought an international war since 1815 and did not join the United Nations until 2002 . Nevertheless , it pursues an active foreign policy and is frequently involved in peace-building processes around the world . Switzerland is the birthplace of the Red Cross , one of the world 's oldest and best known humanitarian organisations , and is home to numerous international organisations , including the second largest UN office . It is a founding member of the European Free Trade Association , but notably not part of the European Union , the European Economic Area or the Eurozone .
Neel Jani ( born 8 December 1983 ) is a Swiss professional racing driver . His father is from India and his mother is German-speaking Swiss . He achieved his greatest success winning the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2016 after first joining Porsche 's LMP1 programme for the 2014 season driving in the WEC . Previously , Jani drove for A1 Team Switzerland in A1 Grand Prix , helping them win the 2007-2008 title and finishing runner-up in 2005-06 and 2008-09 . He raced for PKV Racing in the North American Champ Car series in 2007 . He is also a GP2 Series race-winner and former Formula One test driver . He joined Formula E 's Faraday Future Dragon Racing squad for the 2017/2018 season but left the team after one weekend . For the 2019-20 Formula E season , he returned with his home brand Porsche with teammate Andre Lotterer .
The United Arab Emirates ( UAE ; Arabic : الإمارات العربية المتحدة al-ʾImārāt al-ʿArabīyyah al-Muttaḥidah ) , sometimes simply called the Emirates ( Arabic : الإمارات al-ʾImārāt ) , is a country in Western Asia at the northeast end of the Arabian Peninsula on the Persian Gulf , bordering Oman to the east and Saudi Arabia to the south and west , as well as sharing maritime borders with Qatar to the west and Iran to the north . The sovereign constitutional monarchy is a federation of seven emirates consisting of Abu Dhabi ( which serves as the capital ) , Ajman , Dubai , Fujairah , Ras Al Khaimah , Sharjah and Umm Al Quwain . Their boundaries are complex , with numerous enclaves within the various emirates . Each emirate is governed by a ruler ; together , they jointly form the Federal Supreme Council . One of the rulers serves as the President of the United Arab Emirates . In 2013 , the UAE 's population was 9.2 million , of which 1.4 million are Emirati citizens and 7.8 million are expatriates . Human occupation of the present UAE has been traced back to the emergence of anatomically modern humans from Africa some 125,000 BCE through finds at the Faya-1 site in Mleiha , Sharjah . Burial sites dating back to the Neolithic Age and the Bronze Age include the oldest known such inland site at Jebel Buhais . Known as Magan to the Sumerians , the area was home to a prosperous Bronze Age trading culture during the Umm Al Nar period , which traded between the Indus Valley , Bahrain and Mesopotamia as well as Iran , Bactria and the Levant . The ensuing Wadi Suq period and three Iron Ages saw the emergence of nomadism as well as the development of water management and irrigation systems supporting human settlement in both the coast and interior . The Islamic age of the UAE dates back to the expulsion of the Sasanians and the subsequent Battle of Dibba . The UAE 's long history of trade led to the emergence of Julfar , in the present-day emirate of Ras Al Khaimah , as a major regional trading and maritime hub in the area .
Andreas Andi Zuber ( born 9 October 1983 in Judenburg , Austria ) is a motor racing driver . An Austrian by birth , he once raced under a licence issued by the United Arab Emirates .
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland , commonly known as the United Kingdom ( UK or U.K. ) or Britain , [ note 11 ] is a sovereign country located off the north­western coast of the European mainland . Existing under its current name since 1921 , the United Kingdom includes the island of Great Britain , the north­eastern part of the island of Ireland , and many smaller islands . Northern Ireland shares a land border with the Republic of Ireland . Otherwise , the United Kingdom is surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean , with the North Sea to the east , the English Channel to the south and the Celtic Sea to the southwest , giving it the 12th-longest coastline in the world . The Irish Sea separates Great Britain and Ireland . The total area of the United Kingdom is 94,000 square miles ( 240,000 km2 ) . The United Kingdom is a unitary parliamentary democracy and constitutional monarchy . [ note 12 ] The current monarch is Queen Elizabeth II , who has reigned since 1952 , making her the world 's longest-serving current head of state . The United Kingdom 's capital and largest city is London , a global city and financial centre with an urban area population of 10.3 million . Other major cities include Birmingham , Manchester , Glasgow , Leeds and Liverpool . The United Kingdom consists of four constituent countries : England , Scotland , Wales , and Northern Ireland . Their capitals are London , Edinburgh , Cardiff , and Belfast , respectively .
Ryan Dalziel ( /diˈɛl/ ( listen ) DEE-el ; born 12 April 1982 ) , is a British professional racing driver . Dalziel has seen the most success in his career in the United States , racing in the American Le Mans Series GT1 class and the Champ Car World Series , and winning the 2010 24 Hours of Daytona .
Craig Dolby ( born 31 March 1988 in Melton Mowbray , Leicestershire , England ) is a British racing driver . He has raced in Formula Renault series around the world for most of his career , winning the Formula Renault 1.6 Belgium championship in 2006 . Since 2008 he has raced in the Superleague Formula and has raced for R.S.C . Anderlecht in the 2008 season and Tottenham Hotspur in the 2009 season . [ citation needed ]
Duncan Tappy ( born 26 June 1984 in West Ewell , Surrey ) is a professional racing driver from the United Kingdom .