Formula Two

[Henrique]

No F1 this weekend, but we'll see the start of the new Formula Two season. Formula Two is a low-cost version of GP2 and is supposed to give young drivers a chance to join F1.
The cars are designed by Williams and feature Audi engines. The championship features eight events and each event will have two races, with a mandatory pit stop on the second race. The champion will win a test with Williams and all the top three drivers will qualify for a superlicence.
Some notable drivers on the list:

Alex Brundle - Martin Brundle's son.
Armaan Ebrahim - the next Karthikeyan? Force India's big hope?
Henry Surtees - son of the great John Surtees, the only man who was champion in both two wheels and four wheels.
Natacha Gachnang - intends to become the first female driver to reach F1 in nearly two decades. Might be the next Amati, but she's probably closer to F1 than Danica Patrick.

Do you think this series will have some success? How many drivers may reach F1? Will we see more world champions or more rejects coming out of this?

An interesting fact: Formula Two was the highest level of racing Max Mosley reached as a driver, where his best result was an 8th place at Monza, in a non-championship race.

[RejectSteve]

Gachnang is also the cousin of Toro Rosso's Sebastien Buemi. She showed potential in Star Mazda and Spanish F3 but in the funnel to the top, she's been a little disappointing in the F2 tests. Another name worth mention is Jolyon Palmer, Dr. Jonathan's son, who has shown some skill. Dr. Palmer's MotorsportVision venture is running all the cars.

Because this series has FIA backing, though it still hasn't shown up on the FIA Championships website, it will survive for a few years at least. The absolute minimum of budgets will help, but I can't see anybody going straight from F2 to F1. GP2 is still the category you need to pass through to get into grands prix, though lots of budget can help.

Looking at the current F2 field, I can't say wether we have champions or rejects, especially as rejectdom is mostly down to luck these days with superior reliability and the emphasis on any pay driver to have buckets of talent before getting a race seat. I can't help but feel that not all of these drivers are of the level. There are quite a few British drivers are in the field, which is fine since the "F1 sons" seem to be on the pace. However, some of these drivers haven't been convincing in other championships. Its good to see some of these countries have a driver is a higher level series, like Lithuania, but Kazim Vasiliauskas has done very little in Italian Formula Renault 2.0. Andy Soucek has spent years in GP2 with limited success, I don't see this being a step forward for him. He might want to stick with Superleague Formula and start considering LMP entries.

[Fitch]

An interesting fact: Formula Two was the highest level of racing Max Mosley reached as a driver, where his best result was an 8th place at Monza, in a non-championship race.

Driving for Frank Williams (Racing Cars) Ltd. no less..............

[Faustus]

I watched one of the races on Eurosport, I think it was the first one of the two. Not bad at all, but I just can't get excited about another one-make series. Perhaps I should explain, I hate one-make series. I've worked on Formula Renault and GP2 cars and all I could think about was making structural changes to the cars. I've never liked one-make series. Being restricted to set-up changes is irritating and not being allowed to carry out further engineering is incredibly frustrating for an engineer. Now Formula 3000, pre-1996, now that was a racing series! Formula 3 is pretty cool to work on, as well.

[RejectSteve]

I watched one of the races on Eurosport, I think it was the first one of the two. Not bad at all, but I just can't get excited about another one-make series.

I caught the second race and it was entertaining motorsport, but I'll agree with you that there are far too many one-make series. Formula 2 took it a step further that there are no teams, the championship, run by Dr. Jonathan Palmer's MotorsportVision, operates and engineers all the cars.

Its good to see some of these countries have a driver is a higher level series, like Lithuania, but Kazim Vasiliauskas has done very little in Italian Formula Renault 2.0.

Well I was wrong about Vasiliauskas, he proved to be one of the quicker drivers though Robert Wickens looks to be the class of the series.

[DonTirri]

I watched one of the races on Eurosport, I think it was the first one of the two. Not bad at all, but I just can't get excited about another one-make series. Perhaps I should explain, I hate one-make series. I've worked on Formula Renault and GP2 cars and all I could think about was making structural changes to the cars. I've never liked one-make series. Being restricted to set-up changes is irritating and not being allowed to carry out further engineering is incredibly frustrating for an engineer. Now Formula 3000, pre-1996, now that was a racing series! Formula 3 is pretty cool to work on, as well.

I agree with you yet I don't agree with you.

One-make series are just bad, as the top-level series (hi indycar)

but as a feeder series its the most logical thing to do. Because what better way to prove your worth as a driver than beating everyone else without any other advantage than your skill.

[Faustus]

I watched one of the races on Eurosport, I think it was the first one of the two. Not bad at all, but I just can't get excited about another one-make series. Perhaps I should explain, I hate one-make series. I've worked on Formula Renault and GP2 cars and all I could think about was making structural changes to the cars. I've never liked one-make series. Being restricted to set-up changes is irritating and not being allowed to carry out further engineering is incredibly frustrating for an engineer. Now Formula 3000, pre-1996, now that was a racing series! Formula 3 is pretty cool to work on, as well.

I agree with you yet I don't agree with you.

One-make series are just bad, as the top-level series (hi indycar)

but as a feeder series its the most logical thing to do. Because what better way to prove your worth as a driver than beating everyone else without any other advantage than your skill.

Racing is about much more than just drivers. This series exists SOLELY for the promotion of drivers from lower series to the series above it, whereas some other series exist (or existed) as separate entries. Formula 3000 was it's own championship, that while existing as a staging ground for drivers, also prepared teams, mechanics and engineers for graduation to other series. Same thing with Formula 3.

[Faustus]

I watched one of the races on Eurosport, I think it was the first one of the two. Not bad at all, but I just can't get excited about another one-make series.

I caught the second race and it was entertaining motorsport, but I'll agree with you that there are far too many one-make series. Formula 2 took it a step further that there are no teams, the championship, run by Dr. Jonathan Palmer's MotorsportVision, operates and engineers all the cars.

The truly staggering and incredible thing is the number of different series that exist between Formula Renault and Formula 1. Absolutely incredible and all of these have half-decent grids and in some cases, full grids of 24-26 cars! All the various national F3 championships, the F3 Euroseries, Renault World Series, GP2, F2, Formula Masters, Superleague, A1GP plus all the other ones that I forgetting right now. If you are a driver with a good budget, the choice is endless. And that doesn't include all the other series in the States and Asia.
The career path for a driver, engineer and mechanic, or team for that matter, is no longer clear in any way. There are so many different ways to reach the top, that it becomes completely incomprehensible or the average viewer.
Loads of different ways to the top, but if this year is anything to go by, none of them particularly viable, as evidenced by the presence of one rookie driver in Formula 1.

[crazydude1992]

Kazim, my country man, might become Lithuanias one and only F1 Reject!

[thehemogoblin]

I watched one of the races on Eurosport, I think it was the first one of the two. Not bad at all, but I just can't get excited about another one-make series.

I caught the second race and it was entertaining motorsport, but I'll agree with you that there are far too many one-make series. Formula 2 took it a step further that there are no teams, the championship, run by Dr. Jonathan Palmer's MotorsportVision, operates and engineers all the cars.

The truly staggering and incredible thing is the number of different series that exist between Formula Renault and Formula 1. Absolutely incredible and all of these have half-decent grids and in some cases, full grids of 24-26 cars! All the various national F3 championships, the F3 Euroseries, Renault World Series, GP2, F2, Formula Masters, Superleague, A1GP plus all the other ones that I forgetting right now. If you are a driver with a good budget, the choice is endless. And that doesn't include all the other series in the States and Asia.
The career path for a driver, engineer and mechanic, or team for that matter, is no longer clear in any way. There are so many different ways to reach the top, that it becomes completely incomprehensible or the average viewer.
Loads of different ways to the top, but if this year is anything to go by, none of them particularly viable, as evidenced by the presence of one rookie driver in Formula 1.

I beg to differ... there is one clear career path:

Money.

[Henrique]

Robert Wickens is a Red Bull Junior and he won the first two races. We may be looking at a next year's Red Bull/STR driver.
Watch out, Bourdais

[tristan1117]

Robert Wickens is a Red Bull Junior and he won the first two races. We may be looking at a next year's Red Bull/STR driver.
Watch out, Bourdais

But he has to change his name to Sebastian first.

[dr-baker]

Robert Wickens is a Red Bull Junior and he won the first two races. We may be looking at a next year's Red Bull/STR driver.
Watch out, Bourdais

But he has to change his name to Sebastian first.

I'm surprised nobody has referred to Vettel's teammate at Sebastien Webber yet...

[Faustus]

I caught the second race and it was entertaining motorsport, but I'll agree with you that there are far too many one-make series. Formula 2 took it a step further that there are no teams, the championship, run by Dr. Jonathan Palmer's MotorsportVision, operates and engineers all the cars.

[/quote]

The truly staggering and incredible thing is the number of different series that exist between Formula Renault and Formula 1. Absolutely incredible and all of these have half-decent grids and in some cases, full grids of 24-26 cars! All the various national F3 championships, the F3 Euroseries, Renault World Series, GP2, F2, Formula Masters, Superleague, A1GP plus all the other ones that I forgetting right now. If you are a driver with a good budget, the choice is endless. And that doesn't include all the other series in the States and Asia.
The career path for a driver, engineer and mechanic, or team for that matter, is no longer clear in any way. There are so many different ways to reach the top, that it becomes completely incomprehensible or the average viewer.
Loads of different ways to the top, but if this year is anything to go by, none of them particularly viable, as evidenced by the presence of one rookie driver in Formula 1.[/quote]

I beg to differ... there is one clear career path:

Money.[/quote]

Absolutely right!

[Fitch]

Robert Wickens is a Red Bull Junior and he won the first two races. We may be looking at a next year's Red Bull/STR driver.
Watch out, Bourdais

But he has to change his name to Sebastian first.

I'm surprised nobody has referred to Vettel's teammate at Sebastien Webber yet...

Thought has crosses my mind of referring to him as such in an E-nail to the guys...but I've not been able to watch the last 2 race so I've had no real reason to e-mail them.........

I do call STR, Sebastien Toro Rosso though

[Waris]

Kazim, my country man, might become Lithuanias one and only F1 Reject!

I've always wondered how a Lithuanian could get the first name 'Kazim'...