Junior Formulae Combined

[Nevsky]

Hi,

I am preparing a presentation about junior formulae all over the world and what they could do to a young drivers career. I am doing research on them, but some are harder to find info on, than the others.
I am trying to find out how much each series roughly costs(with a front runner, minimum testing included), and also try to get a laptime on the same track for as many of them.

Any comments regarding competion, car setups, and general quality of series is welcome.

If you guys can write a couple of comments on each, that would be greatly appreciated.

NA:
Indy lights
Atlantics by Cooper
StarMazda
F2000 Pro Series
Skip Barber National
Formula BMW
Ontario Formula Ford

Europe/Worldwide
GP2
WSR
F2
F3 Euroseries
F3 British
F3 German
F3 Italian
F3 Spansh
Superleague Formula
Formula Master
Formula BMW
Formula Renault British
Formula Palmer Audi
Formula Renault WEC
Formula Renault NEC
Formula Ford Britain


Asia
Formula Nippon
Japan F3
Asian F3
Asian Formula ReanultJu

[JOWT Blog]

This might help with your North American junior formula research: Junior Formula 101. Good luck, it sounds like you have quite a few hours of research ahead of you....

[Mekola]

Argentina:

(Sudam F3) - only in theory, since there aren't Argies running now
Argentine F. Renault
F. Renault Plus
F. Renault Interprovincial
F. Metropolitana, F. 1000 and Regional F. Renaults

(and still is a regional Argentine Mechanical Formula 1, with almost an F. Libre rules, with chassis varying from '70s local Formula 1, to mid-1990s F3 ones).

An interesting characteristic of Argentinian F. Renaults is that they're run by local build tubular fiberglass chassises, like the Tito 02 (on Argentine F. Renault) or second-hand Crespis (in the rest of lower F. Renaults).

[duke_toaster]

Here are some of my views, some series are a bit under my radar. Budgets isn't my expertise but here are some general comments.


NA:
Indy lights Doesn't have a formal engine supplier, interesting looking chassis
StarMazda Unusually uses a Wankel engine
F2000 Pro Series I think it's club primarily
Skip Barber National Mix of pay drivers/amateurs and "pros" IIRC, like FPA but slower with "tea tray" wings.
Ontario Formula Ford See comments about British Formula Ford

Europe/Worldwide
GP2 Replacement for F3000, but with larger engine. Two race format doesn't suit it, two tyre only pitstops are a bit wacky aswell.
WSR Clear third tier series at the moment, but having more series muscling in, not a good situation for the health of the sport
F2 Formula Palmer Audi style single team series, little more than FPA+. Too early to tell.
F3 Spansh No longer called Spanish F3, single chassis and engine. Not really F3.
Superleague Formula V12 cars, F1 levels of power but chassis that needs to appear on The Biggest Loser (700kg I heard!?) means that it's pretty slow. Surprisingly expensive supposedly.
Formula Master Cobbled together by the WTCC commercial rights holders as a support
Formula BMW I don't think scrapping the national series and going for one F1 support was a good idea for costs. Surprisingly low power for a 1300cc bike engine.
Formula Renault British Gets national TV coverage on ITV4
Formula Palmer Audi One team running all the cars, alu honeycomb chassis, looks ugly, series for the budget scrapped and odd pay driver, Lord Drayson did it IIRC.
Formula Ford Britain I don't think we will see any F1 grade drivers coming out of Formula Ford now, it's becoming more of a club formula.


Asia
Formula Nippon Nice new car, allegedly faster than GP2 gear. One chassis builder but Honda or Toyota V8 engines.
Japan F3 I think different chassis and engine builders appear more in JF3 than other series, I don't think many people are using Mercedes units but I could be wrong here
Asian F3 I think it's like Spanish F3 as well.

[jondownunder]

Originally Posted by duke_toaster

Formula Palmer Audi One team running all the cars, alu honeycomb chassis, looks ugly, series for the budget scrapped and odd pay driver, Lord Drayson did it IIRC.

I actually still think the ancient (1998) FPA Van Diemen is quite a nice looking car. Certainly better looking than the new Williams F2 chassis, which despite being 11 years younger somehow looks more agricultural.

Also, Asian F3 doesn't exist anymore.