Autodynamics Grand Prix

Autodynamics Grand Prix, currently competing as BOC Autodynamics GP, is a British-based, Australian-owned racing team that competes in the Formula 1 Rejects World Race Series. The team operates under a duel Australian-British racing licence owing to the team's main ownership being predominantly Australian despite being based in the United Kingdom. Initially the team was heavily backed by energy drinks company Red Bull, but in 2016 a long-term agreement with BOC Gases was signed which resulted in the team being rebranded to its current guise. For the current 2016 F1RWRS season the team's drivers are Jean-Vincent Albertini and Nicolas Steele.

2015 Season
In the team's debut season of 2015, Dean O'Lauchlan was signed to spearhead Autodynamics' campaign, and was originally going to be partnered by fellow Australian Dale Hamilton. Senior management, however, backed out of signing the rookie who, while the older brother of Jason Hamilton, didn't have a superlicense. The team chased after ex-SOTL driver Damon Cannon as a replacement for Hamilton, but he was initially denied a superlicence also after failing to meet any of the criteria having failed to qualify for every race in 2013. At the end of 2014 however, Cannon was able to quell fears within the team that he would be unable to drive when he finished third in the non-championship Luxembourg Grand Prix while driving for Mecha Grand Prix, thus ensuring he was eligible for the licence.

The season proved to be a tough one for Autodynamics though, Cannon brought the team its only race start in the United States from which he retired in a crash which saw him injured for the following race in Canada. O'Lauchlan filled in for the Briton having himself been demoted to test and reserve driver after only a single race. He'd been replaced firstly by Sebastian Groves but the Frenchman lasted just two races himself before making way for Finnish pay driver Miko Fäkkinen. After Cannon's heroics at Long Beach, Autodynamics would fail to make the grid for the rest of the year. All attention switched to the following season to concentrate on delivering better results.

2016 Season
The worked paid off for the team as the 2016 season marked a sea change in Autodynamics' fortunes. A new engine deal with Gillet, an all-new driver line-up and renewed confidence served to deal a sensational first race of the year at Adelaide where Jean-Luc Schiller finished in third place and on the podium, with teammate Jean-Vincent Albertini also finishing in ninth. A rules shake-up had served to turn the form-book upside down and Autodynamics were one of the teams to capitalise most on the changes. Whilst Schiller departed for MRT after the second race, his replacement Nicolas Steele, dumped by Aeroracing, proved to be just as able and double points finishes in Italy and Austria, alongside a fifth place for Steele at the US South GP cemented Autodynamics as a regular points scorer. Failures to qualify still haunted the team on occasion though in an ultra-competitive midfield but the highlight of the season was undoubtedly an emphatic 1-2 in the Netherlands, delivering the team its first victory.

After the highest of highs came the lowest of lows. A double retirement in Monaco also saw Albertini hit with a two race ban, following his antics in the F2RWRS race, and in the short turnaround between that race and the following one in Belgium, the team was unable to source an available replacement driver, and whilst Steele took to the track, his efforts were in vain as the team were hit with a disqualification for fielding only a single car. By the next race in Mexico, Daniel Melville was in the vacant seat but his and Steele's efforts weren't enough to pass pre-qualifying and the team failed to make it past Friday for the third time in the season.

Complete F1RWRS Results

 * * Season in progress
 * † Driver did not finish the Grand Prix, but was classified as they completed over 90% of the race distance.