Renault to back new F2!!!

[SALEEN S7R]

SOURCE:Autosport Magazine

Renault looks set to put its weight behind the ailing Formula 3000 International series and support the offical feeder category to grand prix racing. Motorsport bossess from the French car manufacturer are said to have met with Formula 1 Supremo Bernie Eccelstone at Hockenheim last weekend to discuss a deal.

If Renault does choose to back the series, it is likely to favour coming in for 2005, but it is belived Eccelstone prefers a deal starting as early 04. F3000 also looks certain to revert to the Formula 2 moniker that was abondend at the end of 1984.
Renault would maintain the Categories one make philosophy by supplying that is expected to push out around 650BHP. A hike in power from the 450BHP V8s currently supplied by Zytek.

F3000's Supply deals with Zytek, chasis builder Lola and control tyre maker Avon all run out at the end of next year making 2005 the most likely start date for a new forumla. Speculation has hinted that the current Lola B2/50 chasis could be uprated and adopted in a bid to save team costs, with Dallara also likely to be a contender for the chasis deal.

F3000 has struggled for survival this year, with grids dropping to just 16 cars in the past 2 rounds. Four years ago, attracting more than 40 entries. New competition from the DALLARA NISSAN WORLD SERIES and Renaults own V6 Eurocup has also hurt F3000. A Renault deal would be expected to streamline the junior single seater ladder. Although Nissan is owned by Renault the WORLD SERIES could carry on because it is run Independantly from Spain.

The V6 Eurocup could be broken up into National series to avoid clashing with the new F2. No Comment was available from Renault as AUTOSPORT went to press.

ENDS:/

Now this is EXACTLY what F3000 needs. The question is could the SWS close because of it? Well it certainly isnt beyond possiblty is it. It would also be good to have Formula Renault V6 Eurocup become National for each country I think. Still either way its looking good for F3000.

[Daisy]

Very interesting news. I hope F3000/F2 is getting better next year with a grid from at least 20 (I hope more!) cars. Their is a rumour that Draco will join the grid next season, to replace Den Bla Avis, but Draco was also linked at the beginning of the season to the Nissan World Series. And maybe some Renault V6 and Euro 3000 teams can take the step to F2?

[alonso11]

Great to hear that the one make system isn't in danger!
To significantly boost the power of the engine is a very good and wanted idea,so is to keep and upgrade the Lola chasse and allegedly the Renault V6 already owns the most developed electronics among all the ladder series so its just going to be a GREAT F2 package.

By the way I don't think,and Im not affraid of that Renault will favour the RDD drivers.Why would they want to have drivers that are only able to win with a 'dirty little help' from the company...

[cos]

So how exactly will Renault support F2 other than presumably supplying engines? If that's all they are going to do then FRenault V6 and the SWS will continue to compete for the same level of teams and drivers and the same problem will remain, won't it?

[SALEEN S7R]

I think that Renault will be a title sponsor Cos. Or at least thats what Id imagine happening. In my orignal post the story says "if Renault does choose to back the series" this to me suggests a little more involvment than just a engine deal.

[flor]

i read some weeks ago that they will put their badge on the judd v10

[SALEEN S7R]

U mean the engine Premier 1 Grand Prix was going to use? The 4.0ltr V10, if this is so the engine will produce around 750bhp. I hope this is the case.

[gomick]

i presume the Premier 1 Grand Prix series has been canned

if renault does f2/f3000 and frenault v6 goes to being a national series (ie:french, german, british etc) does that mean formula renault as is now ends.... silly question

[JR Ewing]

The current Tatuus spec will be pretty tired then won't it, so they'll be able to can it...

Premier 1, what a laugh that was.

[BootsOntheSide]

Those 4 Litre V10 engines seem to be about the right level of power for the second-tier series, and this would unboubtedly be better use of them than the whole Premier 1 thing. F3000 does need some works backing to regain its status, really it'd be good to see Renault fund a few teams. Only worry is aconflict of intrerest with the Super Nova team who they suse as a junior team.

[SALEEN S7R]

I think we all just forgot one thing for a moment. If Renault are going to back the series why would they have Judd V10 engines? Woudnt they have Renault V10's instead? Just occured to me, it dosent make any sense to have Renault in the series unless they are supplying engines too. Still if they are re-badging them as Renaults I guess its cheaper for them to do it that way.

Bootsontheside is right though, the Judd V10s push out about as much power as the cars should have. Id say 650bhp is acceptable, but 750bhp would be better..

[Mathias]

It is great that someone is taking an interest in F3000's future, and great that it's someone with as high a profile as "the french équipe". Also it's great that they're putting "F2" so high on the agenda - it makes the whole series so much more credible.

All the debate about this lends a lot of weight the the argument that the MSA are putting in Britain that the whole structure of racing championships needs looking at seriously. There are, of course, some great serieseseses out there, but it's not always clear what represents a good career path for an aspiring F1 driver (apart, obviously, from being a former F1 driver's son).

It would, of course, be a shame if the new F2's (hopeful)success put FDallaraNissan and the like out of business, but then, why should F2 be a single-make championship, necessarily, when neither F3 nor F1 are?

Hmmm...,

[cos]

It won't make a blind bit of difference whether the engines are Judds, Renaults, Zyteks or whatever. Unless Renault start subsidising the series it will still be too expensive and grids will continue to wane.

[FIRE]

Why not rename Formula Renault V6 to F2?

[Daisy]

All F3000, Euro 3000 and Renault V6 teams in one championship, would be nice

[DanFlag]

There's nothing about this on Renault's website yet