F2 + F3 World Championships?

[orrmate]

I was just wondering, in the long winded history of Formula One, if the idea of having Formula Two and Formula Three World Championships to support F1, using the same calendar F1 uses, has ever crossed the minds of the governing body?

They use a similar system in MotoGP, with 250cc and 125cc. I think its brilliant personally, it gives the fans more racing and provides a proper career ladder for the top category.

They've already gone halfway with GP2 (which would presumably become F2), in my opinion a World F3 championship would help provide a good link between the various regional F3 series and F2/GP2.

Has the idea ever been mooted?

[Asa]

I agree that MotoGP has got it right with the 250cc and 125cc supporting the main event.

I think Bernie is only interested in promoting F1 and F1 alone. He never cared about support races, except selling the race slots for ludicrous amounts of money to the support race promoters.

The advantage of good support races is that it will help bring in a bigger crowd I think, but gate receipts are not Bernie's business so I guess he is uninterested.

[Mekola]

Not so sure. Bernie is in into the Briatore/Michel business about GP2 Series.

[Alex K]

Can you imagine cost of F3 entry in 18 weekend all over the world calendar? Not to mention GP2.

[orrmate]

Originally Posted by Alex K

Can you imagine cost of F3 entry in 18 weekend all over the world calendar? Not to mention GP2.

It could bring the added benefit of live TV deals though, possibly on channels like Eurosport, which could bring in more sponsorship.

[bluelite]

Sure. But no driver will find a budget of €1 million or more for a seat in Formula 3! Some drivers already have difficulties to find 400.000 to drive in the Euroseries, which have TV coverage.

[Mekola]

Originally Posted by Alex K

Can you imagine cost of F3 entry in 18 weekend all over the world calendar? Not to mention GP2.

In that way, they could limit the presence of F3 to European races plus Turkey and Bahrain, as they did with GP2. And the link could be F1 + GP2 Series + F3 Euroseries.

[Mekola]

Originally Posted by bluelite

Sure. But no driver will find a budget of €1 million or more for a seat in Formula 3! Some drivers already have difficulties to find 400.000 to drive in the Euroseries, which have TV coverage.

Agree completely. Even there are drivers that are struggling to find the € 1 million budget for GP2 Series.

[JohnMiller]

Who is offering Euroseries F3 at that price? Or is that for half a year?

[Alex K]

You sound sarcastick John ;-) F3 ES isn't Spanish F3.

[Pingguest]

Originally Posted by orrmate

I was just wondering, in the long winded history of Formula One, if the idea of having Formula Two and Formula Three World Championships to support F1, using the same calendar F1 uses, has ever crossed the minds of the governing body?

They use a similar system in MotoGP, with 250cc and 125cc. I think its brilliant personally, it gives the fans more racing and provides a proper career ladder for the top category.

They've already gone halfway with GP2 (which would presumably become F2), in my opinion a World F3 championship would help provide a good link between the various regional F3 series and F2/GP2.

Has the idea ever been mooted?

Great idea, but in that case I'd prefer the Formula 2 not as a spec series.

[orrmate]

Originally Posted by Pingguest

Great idea, but in that case I'd prefer the Formula 2 not as a spec series.

Definetely, If it did happen I'd like to see it in the same way as F3 as an open Formula. I don't like Spec Series, except for some junior categories like Formula Renault. Doesn't work well for the bigger series, imo.

[duke_toaster]

What about making F2 basically F3 Turbo?

[Jackman]

Originally Posted by Pingguest

Great idea, but in that case I'd prefer the Formula 2 not as a spec series.

I don't know where you expect to find teams with the budget and experience for that.

[Mr Pink]

Originally Posted by Jackman

I don't know where you expect to find teams with the budget and experience for that.

Don´t you think any of the chassibuilders would be interested in building a chassi for a F2 class?

[Jackman]

Originally Posted by Mr Pink

Don´t you think any of the chassibuilders would be interested in building a chassi for a F2 class?

One of them does: Dallara. They do it because they have a contract for the whole field. Why would anyone else take a punt on the possibility that, maybe, they'll make a little money if they can somehow manage to get enough teams to use their chassis when the likelihood is that they'll actually lose money? Racing isn't charity.

[Alex K]

There are few companies with enough resources to challenge Dallara, Swift, Lola, Dome, but like you said, in reality you need to have contract with the series to support every team with chassis, other than that it's not worth it.

[Asa]

GP2 already costs a lot, if it is not run a spec formula the cost will rise even higher.

Secondly, if one chassis turns out to have even a small advantage over the others, then every team/driver will want to use that chassis, eventually you are back to everyone using the same chassis and a spec formula...

I really cannot see GP2/F2 becoming a non-spec formula.

[Mekola]

Originally Posted by Alex K

There are few companies with enough resources to challenge Dallara, Swift, Lola, Dome, but like you said, in reality you need to have contract with the series to support every team with chassis, other than that it's not worth it.

But they could do something like tyre manufacturers did with F1 around 2001 when Michelin and Bridgestone commited to support to at least five teams on the grid. When the Ferrari-Bridgestone relationship tightened it later changed, but this rule could be applied in order to help manufacturers like Lola or Swift (why not G-Force?) to enter in the series.

[Mekola]

Originally Posted by Asa

Secondly, if one chassis turns out to have even a small advantage over the others, then every team/driver will want to use that chassis, eventually you are back to everyone using the same chassis and a spec formula...

That's exactly what happened with Formula Nippon on its last period when they allowed different makes of chassis. They had Reynards, Lolas and G-Forces in 1999, but on the next year, almost all cars were Reynards.

[Pingguest]

Originally Posted by Jackman

I don't know where you expect to find teams with the budget and experience for that.

With a good set of rules, that wouldn't be a problem. The FIA could introduce regulations to cap the prices for the chassis, engine and tyres.

[Alex K]

But really Pingguest why messing? It's cheapper to have single chassis/engine formula, plus the bill for overatlantic/Pacific journeys would be enormous, it's good like it is now, although GP2 should be a bit cheapper IMO. We don't need GP2 World Series Championship on every circuit F1 compete.

Guys, do you know how tough it is to find backing for driver, not to mention hole team?

[Jackman]

Originally Posted by Pingguest

With a good set of rules, that wouldn't be a problem. The FIA could introduce regulations to cap the prices for the chassis, engine and tyres.

Each of which currently have a single manufacturer, and therefore and automatic 'cap' on price. What makes you think the FIA knows pricing better than a product manufacturer?

[Pingguest]

Originally Posted by Jackman

Each of which currently have a single manufacturer, and therefore and automatic 'cap' on price. What makes you think the FIA knows pricing better than a product manufacturer?

Just take a look at the IRL for example. They don't have a standard chassis, but there is a price cap specified by the series.

Apart from that, the FIA could introduce futher rules to reduce the costs for both teams and suppliers. An example would be production-based engines with technical restrictions, such as the a minimum weight, CoG and a mandatory rev-limiter.

[Alex K]

Oh man, IRL is spec series this days, Panoz is out of competition.