[strider]

It's not too difficult to identify that driver. In a memorable quote given at the very first F3 meeting last year his Dad said he had learnt more in the 7 or 8 days of pre-season testing than in his whole career to date which, as you say, included a year in FPA and another in F2. It is a big step for drivers to realize that if they force themselves to take a fast corner faster than their gut instinct tells them is safe the downforce will actually help them get around it safely. You need somewhere like Paul Ricard with lots of safe run-off, although Copse is pretty good now.

Engines are the most expensive item in an F3 budget, so this really does need to be addressed. Chassis are not so bad and the updates are not excessively expensive.

I think you'll find that most drivers now see Renault 3.5 as the next step and they know that F1 teams will take drivers from that, so GP2 is becoming too expensive an option.

I agree about different chassis manufacturers. It was a shame that Lola and Mygale dropped by the wayside. They were both good enough to win races in BF3.

I can't say too much about the engine situation, but I do believe that some sort of common basic engine will come into force. The fact that the FIA is pushing F3 will ensure that. There was an idea a few years that I liked and that was that some reputable engine builder should put together an engine which could then be passed on to manufacturers, who could play around with it within reason and badge it as their own.