The Future of F3

[Richard B]

Originally Posted by strider

Agreed. If you look at any major (or lesser) championship or series in the world you will find drivers who learnt their trade in F3.

Looking at qualifying for the Belgium GP there were 3 drivers in the top 9 with recent British F3 experience, Alguersuari, Senna and Perez. Ricciardo was further back,but surely it proves F3 is the university of motorsport.

[Go_For_Pole]

or that there wasn't another option until recently

[strider]

According to Autosport this week, there's now a strong possibility that the new Dallara chassis will not be introduced next year after all, which would mean that the present chassis will have had a 5-year span, with updates of course.

Whilst will save the teams money next year, it also means that in 2013 they will have the double expenses of new chassis and new engines. I would have thought better to spread the financial burden.

[davyboy]

The underlying problem here is that there are just too many junior single seater series. Most of them require budgets in excess of GBP300K/season and there's a finite number of drivers that can conjure up that kind of cash - a situation exacerbated by the current economic climate. The result is that that group of people is dispersed across all of these series and many of the series look very weak. There will be casualties and I suspect F3 could be even more fragile if this new chassis is introduced. We've seen the effect of a new car introduction on Formula Renault UK.

The FIA need to get a grip on the series situation and rationalize things so that there's a clear roadmap for aspiring drivers, where they're able to compete with the best of the peers at national and/or international level.

[Go_For_Pole]

Originally Posted by davyboy

We've seen the effect of a new car introduction on Formula Renault UK

It is not a matter of a new car, it is a matter of British series not being competitive with European equivelants. Like I said in the case of British FR for EU drivers the budgets when you include VAT are higher than those of the Euro series (where EU residents don't have to pay VAT). Same more or less applies with BF3 vs GP3. So where would you rather race given the choice? British series have to slash budgets if they are to attrack European drivers.

[EastonNeston]

It is easy to say budgets should be cut, but exactly how do you propose to reduce the costs?

Most teams that I deal with are working on very thin margins, and do not waste money.

[davyboy]

Originally Posted by Go_For_Pole

It is not a matter of a new car, it is a matter of British series not being competitive with European equivelants. Like I said in the case of British FR for EU drivers the budgets when you include VAT are higher than those of the Euro series (where EU residents don't have to pay VAT). Same more or less applies with BF3 vs GP3. So where would you rather race given the choice? British series have to slash budgets if they are to attrack European drivers.

Before the introduction of the new car, the UK series had reasonable [if not fantastic] numbers and the cheaper BARC series was in fine fettle. The more expensive new car has killed the premier series stone dead. There's a very high risk that something similar could happen in F3.

[Go_For_Pole]

Originally Posted by EastonNeston

It is easy to say budgets should be cut, but exactly how do you propose to reduce the costs? Most teams that I deal with are working on very thin margins, and do not waste money.

I am not talking margins (i.e. I am not accusing teams of ripping drivers off) but anything that adds to the cost of racing. In the case of Formula 3 it's a million of things on the car, the unlimited engines, fees, circuit hire, whatever. In the case of BFR one could argue about the value of racing with the BTCC given that teams can't attract sponsors (in contrast with other support series on the same package). One could even wonder if the BFR can ever be competitive again given the Euro series has better circuits, better price and better prize for the champion?

On the other hand for F3 it's ironic how everybody recognized that F3 should change yet progress has been non existant. Of course anyone is free to close their eyes and start signing the "we are the university of motorsport" tune

To get back to your question I don't have the numbers so I can't say. I just made a few educated guesses, right or wrong. However that wasn't my point and since I sense that you are more aware of facts and figures allow me to ask you back: do you reckognise that there is a problem and if so how would you restore British junior championships as the most desirable in Europe?

[Go_For_Pole]

Originally Posted by davyboy

The more expensive new car has killed the premier series stone dead

how come the euroseries has blossomed with the same car then?

[chunterer]

Originally Posted by Go_For_Pole

how come the euroseries has blossomed with the same car then?

You mean the F3ES?

It's hardly what one would term blossoming at the moment - smaller entries than Britain for a start, lack of depth of driver quality.

Is it too expensive or something?

[Robbe]

I think he means the Formula Renault Eurocup.

[chunterer]

Thanks, yes I see now. This is a thread about F3 though guys!

[Valker]

The introduction of the new Formula 3 engine has been postponed until 2013. I heard Piedrahita was the only tuner planning to build an engine for the new rules...

[E46]

GT Sport just confirmed today European F3 Open adopts Dallara F312 for next year.

[JohnMiller]

Originally Posted by E46

GT Sport just confirmed today European F3 Open adopts Dallara F312 for next year.

With DRS system (as per new FR3.5) and new FIA-spec paddle-shift (if it's ready) too.