World Series - more Va-va-voom for 2007

[Martin Haven]

The World Series by Renault’s flagship category, the World Series Formula Renault 3.5 is set to undergo some in-depth changes for 2007 in order to provide more overtaking opportunities. The car’s new “push to pass” feature and an inverted start grid will make the races even more exciting without taking anything away from the competitive side of the category.

Redesigned racing format

Each meeting will consist of a 20-minute qualifying session and two 45-minute races, except for Monaco, where there will only be one race.

The thirty drivers will be split into two qualifying groups. Each group will be positioned on one side of the start grid for race one.

Race one will include a mandatory pit stop during which at least two tyres must be changed.

The start grid for race 2 will be determined on the basis of the finishing order in race 1. The first ten drivers will start in reverse order (the tenth placed driver will start from pole and the winner will start from tenth position) and the other drivers will start in their finishing places from race 1.

The points system remains unchanged with 15, 12, 10, 8, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2 and 1 points going to the first ten and two points available for the fastest race lap. In order to encourage performance throughout the weekend, points will also be awarded during qualifying: 3, 2 and 1 points for the top three in each group.

Changes to the Formula Renault 3.5 including the “push to pass” system

The Formula Renault 3.5 will be equipped with the “push to pass” system, which will give drivers a boost to their car's power for 60 seconds per race.

Other changes will be made to the shock absorbers, the rear anti-roll bar, the gearbox and the steering system.

750,000 euros of prize money and a Renault F1 test for the champion

750,000 euros of prize money will be awarded to teams half-way through the year and at the end of the 2007 season.

And just as Robert Kubica did last year, the champion will get the opportunity to test with the Renault F1 Team.

Nine meetings on the 2007 race calendar

The World Series Formula Renault 3.5 will once again feature nine meetings in 2007. The seven World Series by Renault meetings will take in Germany, Belgium, France, Turkey, the UK, Portugal and Spain on their travels. In addition to these, there will be the now-traditional Monaco (May 24-26) meeting and one other meeting to be confirmed.

Off-season collective test schedule

November 8-9, 2006: Paul Ricard HTTTT
November 22-23, 2006: Vallelunga
November 29-30, 2006: Valencia
March 14-15, 2007: Spain
March 27-28, 2007: Portugal
April 5-6, 2007: France

[Martin Haven]

So...

"push to pass" without a turbo...

still in development but likely to mean 500 extra revs and a big does of fuel to boost the power

not a squirt of nitrous!!

They've watched GP2 and WTCC and like the reversed grid...

They want fast drivers who maybe get punted off to not lose everything, hence fastest three in qual get points

They also want teams to stick with it, hence half the cash mid-way, t'other half at season's end

They realise races can be a little processional at some tracks and are trying to enhance the racing, by trying to make passing more possible

I think the changes should make it more lively next year and will likely lead to an even bigger groupo of title possibles as the season progresses, especially as more than the top 8 or 6 get points (as in GP2)

What is encouraging, most of all, is that they've realised their series isn't perfect, looked around, seen what works in other championships and tried to get some of it for themselves.

Just like all other businesses do - but which is something that appears to be an admission of lack of manhood, for some reason, in motor-racing... as in, if someone else thought of it first, either it's not a good idea or we can't use it because it wasn't our idea!

[Bezzen]

Sounds good, except for the reversed grid-thingie which I'm not a bit fan of eventhough it does add to the overtaking excitement. The fastest drivers should be at the front, they've deserved it!

[chunterer]

Yeah, agreed. Seems fair enough to me.

I love Donington for example but other than the opening laps of the racers the cars get into the old dirty air cliche and passing is difficult (same with most overtly aero efficient formulas or like F1 and F3) so possibilities to aid drivers progress through the field is good.

Needn't have thought the top 10 needed reversing, but then there is a bigger field than in GP2 I suppose.

I think you're quite probably right about the chances of the title race being even more open now!!

Naturally we'll also see who the master overtakers as well, because they'll actually be able to prove it!!

Top!

[Suze]

Does sound good though like others have never been a fan of the reversed grid, nor am I a fan of the push to pass system though it does add another interesting tactical angle.

[Martin Haven]

Originally Posted by Bezzen

The fastest drivers should be at the front, they've deserved it!

If they're quick, they will be able to pass the slower cars in front of them...

Above all, the paying public - who fund the whole thing, after all, via tickets etc and buying products from the sponsors - deserve an exciting race.

Strategy, pit-stop passes... who needs it... leave that to F1 and give us real racing!

[Bezzen]

Yes, they paying public deserves good racing but I still don't like adding artificial excitement to a sport. Next thing we know it race winners will be force fed pizza (with extra everything) on race weekends to add penalty weight.

[Suze]

Am I missing something here - the public don't pay to go to WSR races....the tickets are free.

[bella]

they do pay if it's a non-renault weekend

sorry, but i think if you're gonna have free weekends to get the fans involved, adding all these complications is just going to be a turn-off. it's difficult enough to follow whats going on at most circuits anyway especially with the sunday race, so i don't understand how they expect their beloved fans to keep up.

but then again, most people just seem to go for a free day out and to sit in a traffic jam for 3 hours so they can moan about it, so i don't think it's too much of a hassle!

nope, i'm not very impressed. i actually do think it's pretty good at the moment, all things considered, and the things that aren't perfect aren't to do with what goes on on the track.

[Suze]

aha, thank you for that

I guess giving people something for nothing means they'll always be happy to get stuck in a queue and still moan!

[bella]

exactly - they didn't pay anything, so they'll be damned if they're giving up their time on a sunday to sit in a traffic queue that could have been avoided if the circuit had spent their non existant ticket fee on say, better traffic plans

[Martin Haven]

Originally Posted by Suze

Am I missing something here - the public don't pay to go to WSR races....the tickets are free.

mmm and who buys the cars that allow Renault to stay in business?

and the products the sponsors sell???

Ticket money goes directly to circuits, not sponsors or manufacturers supporting a series

It may not be perfect but then, they are trying to make it better - which has to be a good thing...

And, for the record, the flooded carparks at Le Mans (it's not just Silverstone, apparently, that has such problems) were empty inside 2 hours on Sunday afternoon...

Not bad for a crowd of 80,000 on the day (which excludes anyone camping overnight)

Crowd for Sat and Sun being calculated at 160,000 plus, apparently...

Apart from the funny-looking cars, on Saturday night, with all the campers, BBQ smoke, rain etc, it almost looked like the Le Mans I know...

[bella]

yeah, it was really really busy there the whole weekend, i was very impressed! not quite so with the circuit, it had l'air du giant public toilet...

i left the circuit at 3.30pm, and the only traffic i found was because there were some policemen controlling traffic on a roundabout to get to the a11 or something.

i don't believe the "it's not perfect, but they're improving it" line. i think as it stands, it's absolutely fine for the spectators. they should work on the rep of the series with the drivers, not the billys. all we need is to be able to hear the pa system better, and maybe one of those lights on the car that they have in the touring cars when a car has done it's pitstop.

oh, and big tellys. they were excellent, was it at zolder?