Martin Galpin | Racing Driver | number66.net

Another year, another new series. Is that what we really need? The World Touring Car Championship (WTCC) in 2007 will have a new addition to its bill: International Formula Master. Its organisers are confident, as are the 17 teams signed already signed up for the series. The question is, why should you care about International Formula Master?

Let’s start off by setting the background. For the first time in 18-years, 2005 saw the FIA have a real World Touring Car Championship. Perhaps learning from mistakes made by its predecessors (during 1987 and 1993-1995), nearly every major motor manufacturer pledged its support to the series, underlining its importance to the global automobile industry. Thankfully, after two successful years, the WTCC is healthy and prosperous worldwide. Overall, it is held in incredibly high regard and throughout the motorsport industry it is seen as the second most important circuit-racing championship organised by the FIA (second only to Formula One). What was largely missing, however, was youth.

The best touring car drivers come from single seaters, fact. To support this, you only need to look at the 2006 top-five: Andy Prialux (British Formula Renault, Formula Three), Jƒ¶rg Mƒ¼ller (German Formula Three Champion, Macau Winner), Augusto Farfus (Italian Formula Renault Champion, European Formula 3000 Champion), Yvan Muller (British Formula 2 Champion), Gabriele Tarquini (Formula One). Up until now, the WTCC had no connection to a particular single seater series.

Enter International Formula Master. Beginning this year, it will be a pan-European championship spanning all eight WTCC weekends in Europe. The problem is, that’s already a tightly occupied space.

The Formula Master car uses a carbon Tatuus chassis, Yokohama rubber and a 2-litre 250BHP engine of unannounced origin. It therefore enters in direct competition to both Formula Renault Eurocup and also the Formula Three Euro Series. In order to evaluate how the new Formula Master series weighs up against the two already established series’, let’s start with a brief technical comparison.

Demonstrating a further relationship with the WTCC and its manufacturer’s priorities, Formula Master is, as far as I’m aware, the first single seater series outside of Formula One to explore hybrid technology. Using a combination of regenerative braking and electric motor boost, it could be introduced as early as 2008.

Like Formula Renault, Formula Master uses a carbon fibre Tatuus chassis, made to the latest Formula Three safety regulations. It’s too early to say whether the chassis have any deeper similarities as do Formula Renault and New Zealand’s Toyota Racing Series. The wheelbase is substantially larger than a Formula Renault, so I suspect not.

Engine wise, they’re looking aggressive with more power than both Formula Renault and Formula Three (even if you assume the Mercedes power plant has slightly more than 200BHP) and less weight. Although we don’t know the manufacturer at this point, N.Technology, the series organisers, are best known for developing Alfa Romeo’s WTCC cars. Couple this with Alfa Romeo expressing its desire to introduce its own carbon-friendly technologies into touring cars, it is definitely suggestive. On the other hand, the engine tuner, Heini Mader Racing Components have also previously developed for Metachrome (Renault), BMW, Ford and Honda. All of which are potential suppliers although each seem equally preoccupied with their own programmes.

From photographs you can see that the aerodynamic package is more similar to Formula Three than Formula Renault. Being more aerodynamically efficient, it will almost certainly offer more cornering grip than a Formula Renault and with more power, produce performance closer to Formula Three.

This is, of course, interesting but a car seldom ensures the survival of a series. Look at Formula Superfund. What is more important is the economics of the series and this is where it really stands out.

Now, for another comparison, this time showing the calendar of each championship.

The Formula Renault Eurocup is part of the World Series by Renault tour and therefore visits seven European countries. Similarly, International Formula Master visits eight through every European WTCC round. By contrast, Formula Three Euro Series appears to have an overwhelming Germanic influence and sees the majority of rounds being held on its nation’s circuits. That being said, it also has the busiest schedule with 11 weekends over six different countries.

Just how important is the calendar anyway? If you compare Formula Three Euro Series to Eurocup Formula Renault, the potential demographics of each championship are distinctly different, largely a result of the Euro Series’ German slant. This immediately gives German drivers a commercial advantage and conversely, makes it significantly more difficult for a non-German driver to sell the series. It is therefore positive that the new International Formula Master really is a pan-European series.

Now let’s take a look at the promotional package for each championship.

Having been to the World Series by Renault meeting at Donington Park in 2006, I have to say that the physical promotion was better than anything I’d experienced before. Renault pour millions into the World Series because, after all, it only serves one purpose. Unfortunately though, the Eurocup does not benefit from the substantial European TV coverage that Formula Renault 3.5 (World Series) has and therefore its overall global presence is much lower.

The Formula Three Euro Series championship is covered live in Germany, Finland, Russia and France. According to the Euro Series website they received “more than 75 hours of television time in Germany” with “a cumulative weekend audience of 3.26 million”. Figures outside of Germany are more difficult to come by.

And then we have International Formula Masters trump card: Eurosport. Eurosport will provide live coverage of every single round at a top audience time (1200 on Saturday and 1315 on Sunday) and is guaranteed by a five-year broadcast contract. Eurosport is available to 108 million homes and has more than 23 million daily viewers. Add that to the obligatory magazine summaries which will be syndicated worldwide and its inclusion on an FIA World championship package, I suspect the overall reach for International Formula Master will far surpass both the Formula Three Euro Series and also Eurocup Formula Renault.

Now for the final comparison, cost. As you would imagine, exact figures are impossible to find and typically vary between teams. For Formula Master, I have made estimates based on the official website and some common sense. For the others, I have based them on my knowledge of the UK equivalents.

Refreshingly, Formula Masters has introduced some unique cost cutting guidelines from the offset. These include amortising capital costs over several seasons, limiting one engine change or rebuild each season, allowing just three sets of gear ratios which are not interchangeable and limiting private testing to seven engine hours (monitored by ECU). Obviously, like Formula Renault, a combination of a single engine and chassis manufacturer has its economic benefits. However it is the restrictions and new initiatives that make Formula Master most encouraging.

So let’s get back to the original question. Do we really need another new series? Market saturation is only good if it is temporary and if through it comes long term change. International Formula Master appears to offer Formula Three performance on a Formula Renault budget but with a far greater presence and a much larger pan-European reach. In 2008, it could be the first carbon-friendly single seater series in the world and actively promote hybrid technology, securing its future alongside the WTCC manufacturers. Finally, to attract the young superstars it will also feature a 250,000EUR prize-fund and possible Formula One test for the series champion (think BMW).

In answer to the question, I think we do, if only to bring a much needed change. If I were the Formula Three Euro Series, I’d be more than just a little concerned.

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