The World Motor Sport Council met today in Paris in order to deal with routine business such as the 2009 calendar, but a further announcement has caused some consternation and confusion in motor sport circles.
To quote the official statement:
“The FIA will invite tenders for a new feeder series for Formula One. This championship, called Formula Two, would be launched in 2009 and used as an inexpensive platform to develop emerging driver talent for Formula One. It is hoped this can be achieved within a budget of around €200,000 a car per season."
In addition to such mundane topics as Magny Cours being granted a provisional spot on the 2009 calendar – behind rather than ahead of the British Grand Prix, presumably to accommodate the clash with the Wimbledon tennis final – the confirmation of Abu Dhabi at the close of the season, and sketchy announcements about looking at how the sport is governed, the proposal of a new Formula Two has taken the spotlight.
Especially at the proposed cost.
Autosport.com has a quote by a team boss from the current feeder series – GP2 – saying:
“Our cars actually cost €190,000, and that's without the engines. If it's a junior formula, like Formula Ford or something, then fine, but you cannot run anything substantial for that kind of money. For example, a Formula BMW costs just under €300,000 to run per car in Europe, and that's with zero margin.
"I can't think what cars they expect to run for €200,000, because there are people spending that kind of money in karting in Europe."
This is, of course, no secret, hence the proposal of a genuine feeder series at a cost below that of Formula BMW is being treated with some suspicion.
The move is clearly a broadside by Max Mosley and the FIA in their ongoing battle with Bernie Ecclestone and commercial rights holders CVC – an attempt to co-erce the Ecclestone party into believing the FIA would be willing to branch out on their own against any alternative breakaway series.
We say the announcement should be taken with a pinch of salt, as it is difficult to see not just how it would come into fruition, but exactly who would be willing to commit at a time when GP2 is that acknowledged feeder and F1 support series.
We will be watching developments with interest, and some amusement.
Written: Wed, 25 Jun 2008 13:34:16
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