New cars to BARC Formula Renault

[Ian Sowman]

Take a look at this:

http://www.renaultsport.co.uk/champi...?ArticleID=821

Will this move help to revive the series?

[JohnMiller]

I'm feeling a new purchase coming on here!

And, more importantly, somewhere viable for less-well funded but ambitious and skilled club drivers to go to from FF1600/FVee/FF1800 etc.

Only thing is it seems a shame to use the 2004 spec cars. Why not go with the to-2003 spec bodywork etc. as there must loads of these lying around wasted that could be purchased cheaply?

[goughy]

With the future of the UK FFord championship looking poor, you cannot argure Renault have timed this with perfection.

Agree with John that 2003 spec would of been the way to go, but I'm sure it will be work all the same. A move onto the F3 package would help too and further to what John said it should also create somewhere for semi-professional teams to go.

[GolddustMini]

its still gonna be very pricey in a shunt tho isnt it? or have they substantially lowered the cost of wings, floors, corners etc, to fit in with the budget of the target audience?

[kartingdad]

[blossy]

Good news obviously travels fast. The reason the cars are going to run in 04 spec is because there is not all that much 03 bodywork around. also the 04 kit is the same price as the 03 stuff.

[skmanuk]

Good news for who....? certainly not for any of the existing drivers, the structure of the new arrangements will almost certainly put competing in the new cars out of the reach of most of the current competitors, probably yourself included. You were obviously an enthusiastic supporter of the new scheme... in your capacity as unelected "drivers representative" can you tell me on whose behalf you were making this case?

Perhaps you should now offer yourself for election by the current registered drivers along with anyone else who chooses to stand.

[kickstart]

So where are all the old pre 2000 spec Formula Renault cars going to race ? I am sure that for a season or two they will still be allowed to race in BARC but they will be a mile away in terms of speed and I imagine like 1700's before them they will fade away pretty quickly.
I hope we see the pre 2000 cars out in F4 (where they can run in the invitation class) or Mono as they are good value decent cars.

I would guess that this new series will spell serious competition for ARP F3

[skmanuk]

I think your right kickstart, they need the old cars for a year, maybe two, otherwise the grids will prob be dire. There will be no takers for the new cars from existing competitors because part of the "new deal" is a single source of supply for all bits and only Huger for engines, so R Sport will do great!

I'm out with the mono lot at Snetterton on Sunday, big grid, lots of fun.

[REALIST]

From what I've heard there's already a sizable group of the pre 2000 cars looking for somewhere else to play, so unless there's a good uptake of the later cars there ain't gonna be a series at all!! We'll see.
Anyone aware of any potential runners for the new class?

[blossy]

why wouldnt it be good news for the existing drivers then?
without the new cars there would not have been a championship. At least now you can run a car whether it is pre 2000 or not in a fairly high profile well supported championship.Also in my capacity as unelected drivers rep a vote was taken by the existing drivers as to whether the new cars should be allowed into the championship.The response to this was yes so you are obviously in a minority there then.Finally i was asked to be a rep for the drivers by BARC, if you have a problem with that you had better inform BARC (assuming you are staying with the series)or if you are not prepared to give it a chance it is irrelevant who is the representative anyway. I can see from the above comments that there are a lot of kneejerk reactions going on out there. If anyone wants to know exactly what is going to happen they should turn up at thruxton on the 10th october where Simon North from Renault Sport has kindly offered to attend to answer any queries. Finally in answer to Realists comments, i only know of one or two people not willing to run under the new format. There will be a championship as the permit has been authorised by the MSA

[blossy]

Oh and by the way skmanuk dont hide behind a stupid name why dont you send me a list of queries by e mail (address on the website) which is what you should have done before going into this forum and condemning a championship that you are obviously competing in. you can then let me know exactly what you think is wrong with me as a rep and i can let you know what i think of you as a driver.....

[ianpearson]

That was a bit of belt tickler!

no it was'nt me, & what you think of me as a driver could'nt be put into words

Whats with the bit where Renault wont let these cars race at rockingham in it current configuration? Did they fail the FIA crash test that you need for ovals? & now they are a bit nervous about using even 1 oval corner. I suppose the risk of hitting the wall there after you've damaged your tub rattleing over the kerbs at the chicane, you could end up looking like poor old zanardi with your mangled limbs hanging out the front of your super safe carbon tub.

have you got thruxton sussed yet martin? i bet you've done that many laps in your car in your lunch break it will know where its going on its own!! he he

Had many calls on your car yet?

[andy97]

Despite the PR speak this will undoubtedly raise the costs of BARC F Renault, for everyone, IMHO. So, unless a driver is seriously looking at the "new" Renault formula as part of a career ladder, the Pre 2000 F Renault runners should take a look at Monoposto 2000 and 750MC F4 for good old fashioned cost effective clubman/ enthusiast racing. All are welcome!!!

[terje]

At least now the BARC series has got back its identity; a stepping-stone into higher formulas of single-seaters which has always been its purpose, a purpose that has been forgotten in recent years.

[blossy]

Thats all very well Andy97 but the cars are nowhere near competitive for mono. Besides all the mono runners i know are probably spending more than we are. Also there is no reason why competing in a pre 2000 car will be any more expensive than it currently is. Renault certainly want to keep them running as long as possible.

[andy97]

There are plenty of runners in Mono that don't spend a fortune.

Nigel Edwards seems to have done OK in a F Renault in 750 MC F4.

Is the F Renault lack of competiveness in Mono, thus far, down to the cars or the drivers? I know that the ride height has to be raised to 40mm (as it does for the F3 cars that are now starting to appear) but I suspect that a decent driver in an FR could still be very competitive in Mono and F4.

[kickstart]

Andy97 last years winner of BARC F Renault i think came third or fourth in one race in mono last year maybe at Castle Combe if I remember fright but he was still a way of the pace of Mr Lewis etc
You must remember that the Renault is an 8v engine and will always be down on power compared to a 16v engine
I am sure that with a quick driver a pre 2000 F Renault would go okay in mono maybe top 6
However in F4 the car goes very well if you were quick enough I think you could win in F4

What sort of money are the post 2000 F Renaults as I dont remember seeing any advertised

[skmanuk]

The reality is that virtually no current BARC Renault competitor can afford or would want to spend the amount of money req to run the new cars under the proposed rules framework. If I was free to source my own parts, fix the engine etc I would consider it.
Renault want to keep us running because I suspect that without the pre 2000 cars the grid will be very small.
With regard to running in mono, I did the snetterton rounds last weekend and managed 8th and 9th despite the 8v engine beating a lot of vaux 16v cars (and I would be considered a pretty average driver in BARC Renault). Also what a change to have grids of 25+ cars.

Kickstart, you could prob get hold of a tidy car for 8k'ish, bit more with spares.

[DSM]

I found it interesting to hear the 'new' BARC FR talked about purely as a feeder to UK FR using the same cars, during the commentaries on TV Sunday.

As far as skmanuk's comment:

'Renault want to keep us running because I suspect that without the pre 2000 cars the grid will be very small.'

I guess there's some truth in that but it cuts both ways because there is unlikely to be a good grid of either class, so both are needed.

Personally, I suspect the real reason for the changes is the launch of an all new FR in the next year or two, hence some market creation. Nothing wrong with that but it might have been better to do more to reduce the potential running costs of the new cars. The purchase cost will naturally fall if a new car is launched but it will put people off buying early if the running costs are kept high.

BTW, I think Kickstart wanted the cost of a 2004 spec car not the pre 2000, which you seem to have given. If you can get the later one for 8k'ish, I'll have 2!

[skmanuk]

Originally posted by DSM
[BTW, I think Kickstart wanted the cost of a 2004 spec car not the pre 2000, which you seem to have given. If you can get the later one for 8k'ish, I'll have 2! [/B]

Your right, I misread, I am getting figures of 16-20k, however there seems to be very few cars available.