Formula 3 Budgets

[Bobby]

Originally Posted by Morcilman

Of course all that is a very relevant data to compare numbers, but a fact is that the engine cost per seasson in Spanish F3 is a LOT cheaper than for example in england, the tyres about the same, the salaries about the same or cheaper, the living cost cheaper, and the dallara parts excatly the same... the result is that is cheaper. Thre is nothing worng or good about it, is just a diffrent rule about the engines. The way the Scollarship class in england is the same way. Why do you think is that? I think that they are going "the Spanish way" with cheap engines and good price. but up to now Spain is still cheaper. One good question is to have a 225 HP engine, why should we spend so much money? every car make has a of the shelf engine with 225 HP, so why all those fortunes in engines? the answer to that is the Spanish rules to F3.

Just out of curiosity. Exactly what is the cost for the engine? How much does it cost to buy/lease the engine, how much is an average rebuild, and how many km can you run the engine between rebuilds (sensibly)?

[Coops]

So how much dose british F3 cost?
Ive been told around £400,000

[Bobby]

Originally Posted by Coops

So how much dose british F3 cost?
Ive been told around £400,000

As a rough estimate! British F3 Budgets, approx.
National Class: 200 000 GBP +/- 25000 GBP
Championship Class: 300 000 GBP +/(-) 50000 GBP

[Alfonso de Orleans]

We have run a Spanish F3 engine up to 14,000 km in one season. But I would not really do that. We usually put about 10,000 km on the engines per season which is the amount of Km the drivers will do with us. So it's one rebuild per season. The cost to buy the engine is around 30,000 euros since Toyota helps the teams with the engine costs. The rebuilds? Can't really say since we haven't recieved the new price list for them. But it's the cost of a normal rebuild. But since you only have one per year, well, the cost drops tremendously. The rest of the costs are the same as any F3 championship. But with the highly decreased engine costs, well, the season also decreases by as much. Plus, there is the prize money and the F1 test drive with Toyota, what more can I say. If a driver wants to make it to F1 with a reduced budget, this is the way to go.

[Bobby]

From the British F3 there was at least 5 drivers who had F1 tests last year and I can assure you that at least one of the drivers spent less money to do the Brit F3 than what you require for a Season in Sunny Spain... I would not go as far as saying that racing in Spain is the future way to F1 quite yet! After all more important is the environment you race in. Just as a comparison the National Class Mugen/Honda F3 engine costs a total of 27.000 GBP to operate for 30 test days and 22 races. And that’s a "real" F3 engine but with no ongoing development and is running with a more basic mapping.

Just to balance the discussion a bit! In British F3 you race in an environment of very good and experienced teams (and it's not only a few good teams) and some of the best drivers in the world. You race on a variety of tracks spanning from GP type tracks like Monza, Spa, Silverstone, Nurburgring to UK tracks like speedy Thruxton, classic Donington and tricky Knockhill to mention a few. You also race and test under though and very various weather conditions. All this make you a very complete driver, ready for bigger things. You might get what you need to prepare you as a driver in Spain as well but Brit F3 has a proven track record of "producing" world class drivers and teams.

[Russfeld]

That doesnt mean that anyone who does Brit F3 is automatically better than someone who hasnt.

[Morcilman]

I would go if I would have the budget to british F3, and to Carlin, in not is really difficult to win the Championship, but what is the cost for that? very big. I agree that is really nice to do all those tracks and to be in the famous british f3. but lets see a different perspective, imagine that you are a driver that do not have the budget to do A class, the option is to be a grid filler in england, race in a car that is not competitive... or move to Spanish F3 and do a full A class asault in a winning car, with a possible F1 test assured for the winner (you say that many f1 test happen for british f3, but that is not asured) and racing at Montmeló, Estoril, Valencia and Jerez, all actual F1 testing tracks. I would have my decission very clear. If you are triying to prove that the british f3 series is better, I comletelly agree with you. But the cost jump from a very good championship that is Spanish f3 to a competitive assault to the British F3 is Huge!!! see the budget used by the lasts F3 winners in England and Spain. If I could I would do BF3, and F1 if I could, but my argument is that if you cant the SF3 is a very very interesting opion.

[Roninho]

To ad to Morcilman's comment:
When you don't have the budget to be competitive in F3 UK you will also damage your reputation. Running F3 Uk or GP2 with limited budget and therefore scoring meager results won't help your career but damage it.
Imo a driver that dominates a class, whether it is UK F3, GP2, F3 spain or Superfund (well, that one probably not anymore) will always be considered. A guy who runs midpack or even subtop in UK F3 or GP2 won't.

[Morcilman]

I completely agree with that. no matter the category you should have at least the chance to win it.

[Alfonso de Orleans]

No one said that racing in Spain was like racing in England. Just like racing in England is nothing like racing in the Euroseries. But if you had a restricted budget, it's a place you can to do well, learn some top tracks and still get an F1 test with a top team if you are good enough. And the best part of if it is that you can do that all on talent alone and not with a fancy manager that needs to pull off some fancy deal. Here, if you are good, then you get the drive. Period. The underdog with talent gets the job, as simple as that.

[Roninho]

Anybody got a clue at what level the cost of the german F3 championship is? Same for the Italian?

[Miko]

the german budget is about 250,000 to 300,000 euros dependin on which team.