Williams are to design the new Formula Two car to be used when the series makes its return next year.
Jonathan Palmer, who won the penultimate F2 championship in 1983, has won the tender to supply chassis and engines via his company, MotorSport Vision (MSV).
MSV have commissioned Williams to design a car that will be built to Formula One level safety standards and will be powered by a 1.8-litre Audi engine.
The first prototype is scheduled to makes its test debut in November, with the 16-race, eight-event series to begin next May.
Formula Two was revived in June by FIA president Max Mosley as a cheaper alternative to F1’s existing feeder series, GP2.
The series is to have fixed annual race budgets of no more than 250,000 euros (£205,000) per driver - a figure rather less than those required to be competitive in either GP2 or even Formula Three.
Mosley said: “The objective is to make top-level international single-seater racing available to drivers who at present have difficulty in raising enough money to demonstrate their talent.
(Max, let me correct that misprint: The objective is to lesson the importance of GP, a series wholly supported by Bernie Ecclestone. There, that’s better - ed.)
“Formula One, and other major championships, will benefit by being able to draw on a far larger pool of drivers, while competitors from countries which do not yet have an established motor-racing structure will find it easier to make progress.
“We hope to reveal talent that might otherwise never have emerged, and we look forward to seeing drivers coming into Formula One with super licences gained in Formula Two.”
Palmer’s MSV organisation currently own and operate five circuits in the UK and have run the Formula Palmer Audi racing championship for the last 11 years.
peterg wrote,
Several Euro F3/F3000 team owners have stated that they believe the budget is unworkable. BTW, Max has not been forthcoming in where the series is actually going to race. What series is it going to support.
Further, Bernie’s - shhhh Briatore’s - new F3/GP3 (nee FMaster) has had no problem in getting tenders. 10 (3 car teams)Euro F3/F3000 big hitters have put their hands up. F1 is finally going to have a real ladder to climb, racing at all the F1 Eoro events.
BTW, Williams might design this new F2 car, but who is going to build it, I can’t see Dalarra or Lola tendering. The original FPalmer was a Van Diemen. Also that little 1.8 Audi that powers the FPalmer is not going to be able to compete with the horsepower you finf in WSbR or GP2….so how is this an substitute for F3000?
Remeber the collapse of the “FIA” F3000 series in 2004.
FPalmer Audi when first launched was a brilliant series, its demotion to club level was through no fault of its own. Rather, drivers refused to drive under its unique even playing field rules. Shared engines, free & open sharing of all data & telemetry was not popular. Some drivers wasnted superior performance for their money, others wanted to purchase some excuses. With no teams, just the one FPalmer organisation it proved unpopular. Despite this being a great shame, Palmer could not change the expectations of young drivers……& their backers.
Link | September 16th, 2008 at 3:26 pm