The new F2/F3 format abandoned in 2022?

Inaugurated at the start of the season, the new format which is prevalent in Formula 2 and Formula 3 could it not be renewed in 2022? During the mid-season press conference, the boss of the two series Bruno Michel did not in any case close the door to this possibility. “We are looking at what we want to do in terms of format for next season. The decision should come quickly, to allow teams to know how many rounds and how many races there will be to establish their budgets.

As a reminder, since this year, F2 and F3 are still supporting the F1 but do not take place on the same weekends. Last winter, the decision was taken to reduce the number of meetings per season but to increase the total number of races per weekend from two to three, with two of these races on reverse grids. The main reason ? Reduce the operating costs of the teams and, in turn, those of the drivers. “As before making any decision, we always look at the positive and negative points, explains Bruno Michel, when asked about the new format. First, it is clear that costs have been reduced, with less travel and therefore fewer logistics costs”, he noted, even if the teams we contacted reported a very relative drop, or in any case insufficient. “The format also allowed us to increase the number of Grands Prix during which we supported F1. Formula 3 has gained visibility by becoming the star support category for the weekends it supports, and the main race of Formula 2 is now the Sunday curtain-raiser to F1, which is another positive point in radiation terms. Finally, the sporting objective that we had set for ourselves was also fulfilled, namely the spectacle on the track, with great performances from the drivers in the middle of the grid” he concluded when drawing up a list of positive points. 

A first contrasting assessment

But all these successes did not prevent Bruno Michel and his teams from objectively analyzing the situation. The promoter admitted that everything was not perfect. “If we look at the situation objectively, there are also disadvantages, he admitted. For example, there is too much time between rounds. The feedback we have from fans is obvious: it is difficult to be involved in a championship when the meetings are separated by two months. When we arrived at Silverstone, they had forgotten Baku. They no longer knew who was leader, where Piastres... It's something we have to look at because we don't want to lose fans because of this. We also have to recognize that the format is a little more complicated to understand. And we have to explain it constantly. Clearly, having races every month and a half doesn't help us in our teaching either. And finally, people want to have F2 and F3 together again. I would also add that for F2 teams, three races per weekend is something very difficult to manage. » In short, the time has come for discussions with the FIA ​​and F1. “It’s going to be a difficult decision to make. The format works on track, but does it really make sense in terms of calendar? We're going to have to decide." he concluded. 

Like the Piastri-Verschoor battle, Bruno Michel is satisfied with the spectacle in F2 and F3. © Xavi Bonilla / DPPI

As for the drivers, it is more the two sprint races which have left people doubtful since the start of the season. In order not to compromise their weekend from an accounting point of view, they generally attack races 1 of each meeting with the objective of not leaving the top 10 (top 12 in F3), particularly the fastest drivers. qualifying, forced to start from the soft underbelly of the grid. On the team side, it is more the sporting consequences of the drop in costs that raise eyebrows. By separating F2 and F3, the promoter wanted to allow its clients invested in the two championships to use only one technical staff for the two series. The only problem is that the top teams are not really inclined to reduce their numbers, for fear of paying it sportingly on the track. From this point of view, the equation seems almost insolvable. In the event of a new change in format, it was not specified whether it would be a return to the old model or a move to a new one. But for the moment, nothing has been decided yet.