JUNE 9, 2004

GP2 claims 30 cars

Bruno Michel, the man who represents the owners of the new GP2 series, which in 2005 will take the place of the FIA International Formula 3000 series as the main support series for Formula 1, says that the championship will launch next year with 30 cars. This is an impressive claim and we will have to wait until the start of next season to see whether Michel can deliver.

Several Formula 3000 team owner have said that the new series is too expensive and that prices need to be reduced as Formula 3000 failed to get a good field this year and they cannot see how a new series which apparently costs more money is going to do any better.

The obvious way in which Michel can be proved correct is if GP2 drops the prices of the car-engine package in order to attract more teams. The big question therefore is not whether Michel is being realistic in his claim but rather whether those behind the new series are willing to lower their profits in the short-term in order to build a stronger championship in the long-term.

If Michel gets his 30 cars we will know that the people behind GP2 are acting in the best interests of the sport.