Formula 2 returning in 2009

In a surprise move, the FIA has announced plans to resurrect the Formula Two name in 2009 as a feeder series into F1.

At the latest meeting of the World Motor Sport Council in Paris, the FIA revealed its intention to bring in F2 as a low-cost series for young drivers making their way up the motorsport ladder although few details were revealed on exactly how the governing body intended to keep costs down to the level it is targeting.

"The FIA will invite tenders for a new feeder series for Formula One," an FIA statement read. "This championship, called Formula Two, would be launched in 2009 and used as an inexpensive platform to develop emerging driver talent for Formula One.

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"It is hoped this can be achieved within a budget of around �200,000 a car per season."

It remains to be seen what kind of machinery the FIA intends to be used in the series, with the budget to run a car in a number of the current junior formulae already exceeding the �200,000 marker.

The FIA has also made no comment on where F2 events would be run or where it would fit into the current motorsport ladder, although there has been nothing to suggest that it would be brought in as a replacement for GP2, despite increasing budgets in the series currently viewed as the closed thing to a Formula 1 feeder series.

Indeed, when contacted by Crash.net, one leading GP2 team owner admitted that he hadn't even heard anything about the plans prior to being asked for his reaction.

"Wow, that is news to us," he said. "The important point is that GP2 runs until the end of 2010, regardless of any other championships taking place - A1GP, World Series by Renault etc - so I don't think it's a real problem.

"We will be wherever there is a race to be raced and that is all that really matters in the end."

source: crash,.net