Privateer (motorsport)

In auto racing, a privateer is usually an person or race team that enters a race on their own. They are not directly supported by an automobile manufacturer. Privateer teams often build and maintain their own vehicles.

In the early years of Formula One, privately-owned teams would race using a race car built by another team or constructor. Many privateer entrants compete for the enjoyment of the sport, and are not paid to be racing drivers.

The modern F1 Concorde Agreement now requires teams to build their own cars. In modern F1 terms, privateer is more often used to refer to a team who are not at least part-owned by large corporations, such as WilliamsF1.

Related pages

• Contrast: Factory-backed