Question marks have already been raised over the logistics of resuscitating the long-defunct Formula Two category, as was mooted during Wednesday's meeting of the World Motor Sport Council in Paris.
Following the reunion, it was announced that the
FIA planned to revive the grand prix feeder series as an ‘inexpensive platform to develop emerging driver talent for
Formula One' [see separate story –
click here].
Formula Two has not been in existence since it was usurped by International F3000 in 1985, and is now substituted by F3000's successor, GP2 – set up jointly by
F1 supremo
Bernie Ecclestone and
Renault managing director Flavio Briatore – which it would rival should its comeback reach fruition.
The sport's governing body said it would invite tenders for the new championship, which back in its heyday was claimed by such luminaries as Jacky Ickx, Ronnie Peterson, Jacques Laffite and René Arnoux amongst many others.
However, a report produced by
The Press Association has deemed such a proposal – which the FIA says will cost teams ‘around €200,000 a car per season' – ‘unworkable', adding: ‘A GP2 boss has confirmed it costs €190,000 to run their cars, without the considerable expense of engines.'
Fellow international news agency
Reuters, meanwhile, has suggested that GP2 budgets are considerably higher than that still, ‘with an estimated €1.5 million per car per season the current going rate'.
More than a quarter of the 2008 F1 grid is made up of GP2 graduates, including the last three series champions in McLaren-Mercedes star
Lewis Hamilton, former karting rival and
Williams ace
Nico Rosberg and
Toyota's
Timo Glock, as well as both Hamilton and Rosberg's respective team-mates
Heikki Kovalainen and
Kazuki Nakajima and Renault rookie
Nelsinho Piquet, who recently registered his breakthrough points in the top flight with seventh spot in the French Grand Prix at Magny-Cours last weekend.
