At a recent media event attended by Pit Debrief, Bruno Michel, CEO of F2 and F3, addressed the affordability of the feeder series, in light of concerns over the increased investment required by young drivers seeking to compete in the series.
The cost of a seat in lower levels of motorsport has long been a topic of discussion for drivers, pundits, and fans alike. Many have raised concerns over the increased costs associated with a rapidly expanding, increasingly international calendar, and particularly vocal critics worry that these increased costs could discourage the participation of young drivers, who may seek alternative career paths in motorsport.
Nothing clear about potential return of V10 engines
Power unit requirements have played a major role in influencing the cost of motorsports, with increasingly advanced engines typically requiring increased investment from teams and drivers alike. However, over recent months, there has been talk about F1 returning to the V10 engines of previous generations. These talks have circulated throughout the world of formula racing, sparking excitement among team bosses, drivers and fans.
However, Michel believes that it is too early to confirm any potential return of the V10 engines. He acknowledged that while there had been rumours and discussion, nothing clear had come out.
“Well, it’s a very early question. I can’t tell you for the moment. There’s been rumours, there’s been discussion, but nothing really clear is coming out. So it’s quite difficult for me to say if F1 is going in that direction, this is where we want to go.”
“Honestly, I don’t know,” he summarised.
Michel wary of costs associated with return of V10 engines
With both F2 and F3 in a new cycle of regulations and fielding a new generation of cars, Michel believes that the return of V10 engines will not come easily. While he acknowledged that F2 and F3 will need to more seriously consider a return to the V10 engines if F1 moves in that direction, he reiterated that such a move would be complicated and that any talks about the matter were little more than speculation.
“We are now with this V6 turbo, which will make it home for the next cycle with F2 and with F3, and we are very happy with it. Let’s say that we haven’t taken at all the hybrid direction for cost reasons, and if F1 is going to a V10 engine, that is probably going to be more in line with what we’ve been doing so far.”
“But I think it’s very, very early to say anything about it, because changing engines is always something that is quite complicated.”
However, Michel acknowledged that F2 and F3 would need to consider the financial feasibility of such a transition, though he believes returning to V10 engines would cost less than developing the new generation of F1 engines.
“There’s a lot of cost included, and we need to be sure that we’re staying with some series, whether it’s F3 or F2, that are financially viable.”
“So, of course, an old V10 engine would be cheaper than what F1 is having now, but it’s not been decided at all, so I cannot really comment on that.”
“They don’t know really what they’re talking about” — Michel
With the cost of F2 and F3 being such a hot topic of discussion, especially after Zak O’Sullivan prematurely ended his 2024 F2 campaign due to financial constraints, Pit Debrief asked Michel about the overall affordability of the feeder series.
The F2 and F3 CEO described the issue as a “quite interesting subject” and criticised critics for speaking without having a proper understanding of the matter.
“Well, you know, it’s a quite interesting subject, because people are talking about costs in F2 and F3, and generally when they talk about costs in F2 and F3, they don’t know really what they’re talking about.”
“Because they are the costs, and there [is] the price. After that, the teams are selling the seasons to the drivers, which might be different. That’s number one.”
Drawing on his extensive experience in motorsport, Michel claimed that the actual cost of a seat in F2 or F3 had not risen significantly in recent decades.
“Number two, if you talk about costs, and if you talk about actual costs, if you look at what has been the inflation of the cost over the last 25 years, 30 years, and I’ve been in this business for quite a long time to know that. For instance, at the beginning of the year 2000, the season in Formula 3 at that time, which was Euro Formula 3, was about 650-700,000 euros. So we’re not talking about costs that are so different from the ones that F3 is having now.”
Task of following closely F1 car development under a budget
Michel added that F2 and F3 had done “whatever we can” to keep costs as reasonable as possible.
“So I’m quite clear about the cost. I think we’ve done whatever we can, and we continue to do whatever we can.”
However, he explained that, despite their efforts, more advanced cars and increased safety mechanisms had resulted in increased costs. He claimed that these costs were unavoidable, as the series sought to remain as similar to F1 as possible.
“What you need to understand as well is that we are having cars that are more and more advanced and as close as possible, when I talk to F2, as close as possible to what F1 is. The safety of the car increased the cost quite heavily.”
Michel explained that increased technological advancements in the sport, and especially improvements to the cars, had further pushed up the cost of seats in F2 and F3.
“All the systems that are on the cars and are allowing to have the marshalling systems, the DRS, all these systems also, those cars are more and more advanced technically.”
Despite this, Michel insisted that the costs of F2 and F3 were “quite reasonable” and stated that F2 and F3 had been working to keep those costs as low as possible.
“But we are still, I think, in something that is quite reasonable compared to what it has been over the last 20 years, and I really insist on that, and that’s why I appreciate your question, because I think there are a lot of things being told and being said about the cost of the junior categories, but we are doing whatever we can to keep them as low as possible.”
F2 and F3 working with teams to keep costs as low as possible
Michel also addressed the financial strain that a season could place on F2 and F3 drivers. Throughout a season, it is not unusual to see drivers cut short their season due to financial constraints.
Even drivers supported by F1 teams have not been immune to such challenges, despite these driver development and academy programs playing an increasingly vital role in cultivating upcoming motorsport talent. This was the case of Zak O’Sullivan, who, despite being a member of the Williams Driver Academy, withdrew after the 11th round of the 2024 season.
While Michel acknowledged that such situations were not unheard of in the sport, he claimed that this was not the fault of F2 or F3, reiterating the series’ commitment to helping minimise the costs to drivers, even through helping the teams financially.
“So it’s always interesting, because people are talking about costs, and it’s so difficult, and it’s difficult to pay for them. But the costs, we’ve been extremely careful to try to limit the extension of those costs, whether it’s in F2 and in F3, over the last 20 years, and before in GP2 and in GP3.”
“And the question before about the engines, of course, is quite a relevant question about cost as well, and we want to continue to do that. We’re helping the teams as much as we can financially.”
Lack of budget beyond the control of F2 and F3
He explained that situations like O’Sullivan’s were not related to the costs of the series, but rather the driver’s own difficulty in maintaining their funding and budget due to reasons beyond the control of F2 and F3.
“Now, you always have drivers in the middle of the season that don’t find the money to finish the season, and it’s always been the case in GP2, in GP3, in F3 in the past, in F3 and in F2 now, and that’s what happened to Zak [O’Sullivan] last year.”
“They commit to pay for a season towards the team, and in the middle of the season, they don’t have the money anymore, and that’s something that happened many, many times, and it’s not related to the cost, but it’s related to the fact that for some drivers, it’s more difficult to find money.”
Co-Author: Karishma Persad
