There's too much emphasis on European level single-seater racing. Discuss.

[Mathias]

Saw it was just Russfeld and me browsing this forum and felt like picking a fight.

What d'you reckon, Russ? GP2 AND Superfund, plus a reincarnated French F3 Cup - the death knell for the Euroseries?

[Suze]

Oi, and me!

If you want my opinion...I reckon Euroseries will keep going for one more season, and then GP2, Superfund etc will spell the end of it for the 2006 season.

[Mathias]

You and Bobie appeared while I was writing that!

Yeah, I think that's a fair assessment.

[Suze]

Originally posted by Mathias
You and Bobie appeared while I was writing that!

Men. Always full of excuses.

[Kicking-back]

GP2's replacing the existing F3000 - and will pick up some teams from the departing Dallara Nissan.

Superfund (an unnecessary series) is replacing the Euro 3000.

Euroseries F3's biggest threat is the revamped Renault V6 series - which is of more of a similar level to it, rather than the 600+ bhp of GP2.

[Bobie]

After Superfund released their plans yesterday I can't wait to see what GP2 have planned. Then all the gossip will start about which teams and drivers are going to GP2 and which will go to Superfund which at the moment I think has the edge as regards to package, value and TV.

Next season, there will be a total of $1 million prize money to race for with $100,000 at stake each race weekend.

In a change to the current weekend schedule, there will be a new format for Qualifying. The top seven drivers from Saturday’s fifty minute session will race in reverse order for one lap during the Sunday morning Warm Up to determine pole position. Each race will start at 15:30 on Sunday afternoon over a distance of 200km or 150km for street races.

Friday: Free Practice (45 mins)
Free Practice (45 mins)
Saturday: Free Practice (30 minutes)
Qualifying (50 minutes) with 2 new sets of tyres
Sunday: Warm Up (15 minutes)
Race
Their goal for the new season is to bring the series to the public by creating an exciting and interactive entertainment package for the fans. They will be the main event of the weekend with all our cars using the pits but there will also be support series, truck demonstrations, celebrity races and around-the-clock music to create a fun-filled, all-encompassing speed weekend for the spectators. The new Qualifying format will mean even more on-track excitement with a dynamic Warm Up session building up to the race on Sunday. With race-by-race action being broadcast live in 15 countries around the world and over 500 hours of global television coverage, we aim to bring the 2005 series directly to the public both at the race weekend and also in their own homes.

Sounds good to me, now lets see what GP2 have to say!

[Kicking-back]

Most of the Superfund story so far is PR talk.

GP2 has the F1 link which is an intangible benefit.

I'd rather be under the nose of F1 than headlining an obscure race weekend.

[Bobie]

Being under the nose of F1 did not fo International F3000 much good albeit some godo drivers have come from there bit as a series it was a bag of ****! (Pardon my french)

Single Seaters is an expensive sport as we all know and unless you are wealthy you need backing, to get backing you need a good series with good sponsors benefits and to me the Superfund series is hitting the right button for drivers to get sponsors whether it is under the nose of F1 or not.

F1 Team owners will not just look at GP2 for their drivers they look everywhere (Kimi was in FRenualt and he got a drive)Therefore the Superfund series is as good as any to get noticed as winning a championship is winning a championship.

My point is that for drivers and the sport to keep going it needs sponsors and it needs TV coverage for the fans and that is what Superfund has aimed at, yes it all PR and press releases at the moment but the same will be with GP2.

We will only know which is the best in 12 months time when the 1st season has ended.

[Kicking-back]

True

I don't see the series necessarily as direct competitors.

GP2 will be managed and promoted in a way F3000 never was.

I expect serious drivers will go there, and the lesser-funded ones and playboys will go to Superfund.

[Bobie]

The costs for drivers seem the same from what I have heard, however for teams you have to buy the package in GP2 but with Superfund you can lease it which helps for those wanting to make the leap to a higher class series.

Kicking-back you say serious drivers will go to GP2 yet it looks as thought Susie Stoddart is going there, need I say anymore (no offence SS).

The sport seems to be lacking the PLAYBOYS, Eddie Irvine in my view was the last one.

[Kicking-back]

Eddie Irvine wasn't a playboy, he was a top-class racing driver.

I'm talking about limited ability older men with money.

[Bobie]

Eddie was both and the sport needs people like him.

Ahhh if that is your definition then I don't think that kind Playboy will be in Superfund.

[Bobie]

Eddie was both and the sport needs people like him.

Ahhh if that is your definition then I don't think that kind of Playboy will be in Superfund.

[Mr Jinxx]

I'm with Bobie on this one. I don't think Superfund series will attract playboys at all - any more than F3000 does/did, or GP2 will.

It's setting itself out to be a serious championship, at least as much so as GP2 - just a different set of parameters.

Whilst I resesrve judgement about the apparently "gimmicky" aspects of the proposed regulations, it is obvious that thesse have been mooted in response to the popular notion that single seater racing is boring, that F1 is boring, and that the Show needs to be livened up to attract the public. You have to applaud that concept, and then scrutinise the final proposals.

We haven't had GP2's final proposals yet, I don't think, so both series will get a chance to crib off each other for a while, perhaps?

If you were a team owner, looking what to do next year in either of these classes, you would need to look at the costs of both, and then see if one of them stands a better chance of attracting funded drivers. And to get those drivers, they in turn will need to see which championship affords them the best chance of raising backing/sponsorship. And that looks like it will be a tough call - to me, the Superfund series starts off behind GP2, with its F1 slot, but so far, its own package looks like it could overtake GP2 through the other advantages of costs, TV, promotion, exciting racing prospects, etc. They are serious folk - they'll have done their homework. It just depends what the final proposals are from both series

[Mr Jinxx]

Not forgetting Superfund's prize money, of course - $1 million. That might also serve to attract talented and underfunded drivers to race for a few meetings, to see if they can earn enough to keep racing

[Kicking-back]

It just seems that many people are biased against GP2, and very pro Superfund, for some reason.

[Mr Jinxx]

I can't see how anyone can be biased one way or the other yet, until we see the details - seems a damn close call to me so far

[Kicking-back]

I don't mean you, Mr Jinxx, you'll make whichever decision is best, but it's an impression I get from some quarters.

[Bobie]

The reason Superfund is at the top of the pecking order rather than GP2 is becuase Superfund have released plans and GP2 have not done so YET!

Come the end of the month when both are launched I think it will be very very close as regards to picking where to go.

[foreversideways]

Been to two superfund races this year and not seen too many older playboy types taking part (plenty in the paddock chasing after the superfund girls).If this is going to be the case an instant promotion from FF1600 could be on the cards for me. Mr Jinxx i am appointing you as my manager.