F3000 to be made compulsory for F1 hopefuls !! Options

[E.T]

I'm being brief here,but in a nutshell I think your points are well made.
I'll just add something I read on grand prix:

Quote:[We have been hearing in recent weeks of moves to restrict the access for young drivers in Formula 1 by forcing them to go through the International Formula 3000 series. This is expected to be discussed by the F1 Commission before the next meeting of the FIA World Council. The move would, of course, bolster Formula 3000 grids which have been falling because of the excessive costs of the series.
It is unlikely that there will be a blanket ban on drivers jumping straight into F1 from Formula 3 as many of the great drivers have done that in the past, notably Nelson Piquet, Alan Prost, Ayrton Senna, Mika Hakkinen and others. However insisting that drivers compete in F3000 means that top drivers from the American series, notably CART, would be unable to go straight into F1. This would be foolish given that F1 wishes to expand in the United States.

We would therefore anticipate a rule which allows the F1 Commission leeway to agree to a Superlicence for any driver if it his candidature is proposed to them. This would, in effect, be the same as the current legislation.
We hear, incidentally, that the German Formula 3 series is to merge with the French series next year but we are also hearing stories of a new European Formula 3 Cup which would also provide a good launch pad for young talents.]

[Tinci]

it would be silly to do so. how many current F1 driver did ever drive a F300 anyway?

[Bealzbob]

Originally posted by Nipponita:
Well I think it would be a good idea, preventing people like Sato jumping in with little experience

Interesting you didn't use Raikkonen as your example, or would that not have suited your statement (IMG:http://www.linksheaven.com/forums/style_emoticons/default/rolleyes.gif)

:confused: :confused: Fisichella is generally regarded as one of the top 3 or 4 drivers on the grid and this Sato guy has out-qualified him more times in half a season than Button could manage in the whole of last season. This is the same Button who put it up to Ralf Moanmacher in his rookie year also despite skipping F3000. For whatever reason, the sun still goes in for Frank Williams and Dave Richards everytime Button sits down.

Jenson Button, Takuma Sato, Felipe Massa and Kimi Raikkonen all skipped F3000 and with the exception of Button they found there way into smaller teams in their rookie year and have, in my opinion, made a mark and justified their chance. They were better than the talent on offer in F3000 with the exception of Wilson, who as I have already said, got screwed by F1 car size regulations.

Sato has been over-eager, and has only now grasped that he doesn't have to drive @ 110%. There is no doubting he has the speed. Give him a season to learn. He's already done well enough, pity he has no points to show for it.

On one hand you say we should pass the law so that we can no longer take a Raikkonen from F3, then you admit that if he doesn't have a rich daddy he may not cut it in F3000 due to an uncompetitive drive. Thus removing potential starlets from the pool of talent. Making F3000 a cheaper series is easier said than done, and rest assured it'll take longer to do than passing this law will.

Fact is if a driver can do it he can be spotted quickly. Only reason Bernie wants F3000 compulsory is because it's high profile and it's popularity is flagging, and I have a feeling that it somehow affects his pocket if F3000 doesn't do well.

[Bealzbob]

I just read this @ F1i.com

Sources close to the FIA have revealed that plans are afoot to make the International Formula 3000 series a compulsory stop before Formula One.


The news comes in the wake of recent contoversial signings of drivers with very little car racing experience behind them. If the planned move goes ahead, it would be very good news for Formula 3000 as grid numbers have fallen recently with rival less expensive formulae such as the Euro F3000 and the new Super Formula Nissan series.

The FIA F3000 series has had mixed success in recent years with graduation to F1 for Juan Pablo Montoya, Nick Heidfeld, Fernando Alonso and Mark Webber. However, last season's champion Justin Wilson was bypassed for an F1 drive, and Czech Tomas Enge was forced to rejoin the series after making his F1 debut last season.

Similarly, had the plans been enforced earlier neither Jenson Button, Takuma Sato, Felipe Massa or Kimi Raikkonen would have been able to make their F1 debuts before taking time to complete F3000 first.

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So, do you think this is a good idea ? Or do you think, like me, that F1 bosses should be able to do what they think best for their team and hire starlets like Raikkonen before the big boys get their greasy hands on them.

This would remove the "scouting" prowess of people like EJ and Peter Sauber and make it far more obvious to the big teams who is worth getting. It makes it EVEN HARDER for the smaller teams to redress the gap in performance.

Something else to note. If these plans had been put in place for last year, I doubt we would have had Justin Wilson in an F1 car anyway, because Ecclestone is currently too lenient on the minimum size of an F1 car. Therefore the designers had already pencilled a car specifically designed for a shortarse.

If F3000 is made mandatory (and I suspect it will) then they need to change the rules regarding the minimum dimensions of the F1 cockpit so that a team would not be disadvantaged if they took a person like Wilson on board. This change only needs to be made now because the pool of talent available to F1 teams is to be reduced so dramatically.

I'm against the change :smile:

[Bealzbob]

So what's the point in passing new law that is effectively the exact same as the existing one ? They have to go through F3000 unless the FIA say it's OK !! That's what's happening now. I dunno, maybe they're underworked in there and some bored person came up with this.

[JustBringIt]

I think that if a driver is good enough to be in F1 then he (or she) should be able to drive in F1, regardless of the previous categories they have raced in. And if they try and they aren't good enough, that's the problem for the person who hired them.

On the other hand, there should probably be a greater test of driver ability to stop hopeless pay-drivers from driving in F1. The 107% rule kind of does that but that is still very dependent on the quality of the car.