Imagine some of the most exotic V8 models racing in one category at Europe’s leading circuits, well this occurred more than a decade ago in the Italian-based Superstars Series.
A production-based category featuring wild aerodynamics, the Superstars Series started in 2004 featuring a modest entry list consisting of mainly BMW M5s and Jaguar S-Types split between five teams.
Solely racing at Italian circuits spread across six rounds it was Francesco Ascani in a BMW M5 winning the inaugural series as in 2005 it grew into a championship and Audi entered its four-wheel-drive RS6 saloon.
Tobia Masini gave Audi a debut championship victory as interest began to grow further from teams and manufacturers alike. New models such as Audi’s RS4 and BMW was represented by its 550i began to highlight the increased interest.
Former Formula 1 driver Gianni Morbidelli was the first star driver to join the series through the factory Audi squad and won the championship on his first attempt. Le Mans winner Rinaldo ‘Dindo’ Capello was another to sample the series.
For 2008, new manufacturers were beginning to be represented such as the Speedstar Team’s Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG, the Chrysler 300C developed by German squad Zakspeed, the Cadillac CTS-V of Santucci Motorsport and Maurer Motorsport entered a Chevrolet Lumina CR8 or HSV Clubsport R8.
This didn’t stop Morbidelli from going back-to-back as he completed a hattrick of titles in 2009 as Jaguar’s then new XF made its debut alongside a wild Maserati Quattroporte developed by Swiss Team.
Awarded FIA International status in 2008, South African circuit Kyalami hosted the season finale on two occasions as Porsche’s four-door Panamera saloon was added to the field constructed by Alfa Romeo’s former factory touring team N.Technology.
Morbidelli was joined by fellow ex-Formula 1 drivers such as Andrea Chiesa, Vitantonio Liuzzi, Johnny Herbert, Filipe Albuquerque and touring car legend Fabrizio Giovanardi among others.
In 2011, Lexus joined the fielding joining a field now boasting BMW, Chevrolet, Mercedes, Chrysler, Maserati, Porsche, Cadillac, Mercedes, Audi and Jaguar as the championship now raced in at Valencia, Portimao, Donington Park and Spa alongside the leading Italian circuits headlined by Monza.
Audi, BMW, Mercedes and Jaguar remained the consistent frontrunners as two-door coupes began to infiltrate the previous saloon-based series. For the 2012 season, Swede Johan Kristofferson was victorious in the factory Audi RS5 as the series was starting to lose consistent entries.
Big names were still attracted such as Mika Salo, Christian Fittipaldi, Christian Klien and Giancarlo Fisichella, but interest was starting to wane.
A new entry from Solaris Racing further stamped the category’s future coupe directive by replacing its Chevrolet Lumina CR8 with a Camaro SS.
Morbidelli won once again for Audi, but the Superstars Series folded after this season due to the promoter shutting down.
Although restarted as the EuroV8 Series for 2014, this only lasted a season and what was a promising championship ended too soon.
Check out some of the racing below.