WHAT'S NEW?

By the end of 2005 there will be a number of new formulae of cars looking basically the same and aiming loosely at identical markets. As mentioned above, GP2 replaces F3000 at the start of the season, using Dallara chassis and Mechachrome V8 engines and gearboxes. One could see this as a Renault marketing exercise. There certainly must be concern that budgets are likely to be 50 per cent more than those in F3000 (€1.2 million has been suggested for a season) - and to what end? At least initial gearbox problems in testing seem to have been overcome. Thirteen teams are expected to contest the first season.

At one point it was thought that the international F3000 cars would filter down to join their elder brethren in the Euro F3000 series. However, this has not proved the case and Superfund, the backer of the Euro series has introduced its own formula. A new British operation, Force 10 Technology, has produced a car, thought to be based on the G-Force Formula Nippon design. Motivation is provided by the Judd V10 that had its roots in the Yamaha F1 engine. The car is described as very quick by its test drivers but, given its dated origins and the fact that the formula does not enjoy FIA sanction, there must be a question as to whether it will succeed in an already overcrowded market. As the influential boss of the Arden International squad Christian Horner puts it “the market is submerged by too many series.” By contrast, fellow team entrant John Village sees it as a viable alternative to working in the “F1 environment” of GP2.

There is a chance that the old F3000 Lolas (perhaps both international and Euro - ways are being examined to make them equal) will find a home in an eight round Italian national series that will resurrect the old F3000 Italia name. This must be good news for Lola and its suppliers, which will be able to continue providing spare parts and Zytek, which is now able to sell, rather than just lease, its ultra-reliable KV engines. Organiser Paolo Coloni has said that there may even be a race in the UK.

There are more “second division” formulae to come and we still have not got as far as Formula Three. In addition to being behind GP2, the Renault group has canned its Formula Renault V6 Eurocup, while its World Series by Nissan has metamorphosed into the World Series by Renault. However, the cars are just 425bhp Solution F engined revisions of the 2002/04 World Series Dallaras. Renault, after all, owns Nissan. There should be no shortage of starters in this formula once the season starts. As many as 27 teams applied to join, 15 being chosen from the ranks of existing Formula Renault V6 and World Series contenders, meaning a potential total of 30 cars. If this sounds of little cheer for British suppliers, it should be pointed out that the gearboxes do come from Shoreham-headquartered Ricardo.

In Japan Formula Nippon has just a year to last under its present guise and Lola is already talking with its organiser, Japan Race Promotion (JRP) to maintain its dominant presence there. This is one of the few opportunities left at this level, the other single-make deals all seemingly having been sewn up.

To the above can be added both Sheik Maktoum Hasher Maktoum Al Maktoum's initiative, A1 GP for national teams competing in a winter series, and the Grand Prix Masters series for former Grand Prix stars. As yet the Zytek Masters car has not taken physical shape but it is now thought that the series will not get under way until 2006. Zytek chassis division boss Trevor Foster points out that his company is not yet locked into any particular suppliers for the car. Yet heroes of the calibre of Alan Jones, Rene Arnoux and Johnny Herbert have already signed up for the series.

The A1 GP series is unusual in that, as the Sheik points out, the money is already in place to back the championship. As he observes, series such as the abortive Premier 1 championship too often founder because of insufficient funding. A different idea - and the thinking behind Premier F1 was to link teams with major football clubs - is just not enough. At the time of writing 13 different national franchises had been announced for A1 GP ranging from the obvious like the UK and Australia to emerging nations such as Lebanon, Pakistan and China. It could lead to a vast difference in driver potential. Three cars have already been built and testing is underway.

Confused by all the above formulae? You ought to be - and we have not yet mentioned the US “open-wheel” rivals CART (where UK-built cars have ruled for many years) and IRL (an Italy versus USA battle following the sale of originally UK-based G-Force to the Panoz empire), or even got as far as Formula Three.

The latter sees mainly safety related changes being made for 2005, giving rival manufacturers the chance to challenge the Dallara domination. Lola and Dome have already proved that in collaboration they can win races during 2004. However, this Anglo-Japanese partnership has now ended, leaving the two companies to produce their own individual chassis for 2005. Despite its nationality, Dome has targeted Europe, as well as its domestic market, for sales.

Lola reports that, following wind tunnel testing, its version will be totally different to the Lola-Dome F106/03. Some of the design cues, particularly around the side pod, have been taken from Formula One. At least four Lolas are expected to run in each of the 2005 Euroseries, British and Spanish F3 championships. On the international stage, to Lola and Dome may be added the French companies Ligier-Martini, Mygale and Signature, the latter with UK involvement, some development work having been carried out by Oxfordshire-based Ralt. There is even a chance that the intermittently seen Ralt F302/3 may make a return in the British National class.

Further down the scale, assistance from Ford of Europe should mean a new Formula Ford 1600 in 2006. The current generation Zetec 1800cc engined cars are to be carried over into 2005. However, for cost reasons this has never attracted the same support as in the heyday of FF. The thought is that it will be replaced, perhaps in the nick of time, by a return to FF1600 with a Ford Duratec or Sigma powered formula.

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