Euroformula Open a candidate for F3 Light status

Eurformula Open, which currently admits Toyota-engined Dallara F312 cars, was previously known as Spanish F3 and, subsequently, European F3 Open.

The series changed to its current name when the FIA reserved the “F3” moniker solely for championships complying to the FIA F3 engine regulations.

However, the FIA has now indicated that Euroformula Open could get its F3 name back in future as part of a switch to the new F3 Light regulations.

Frederic Bertrand, the FIA's head of circuit championships, said: “Jesus [Pareja, boss of series promoter GT Sport] could be a good player for us, a South Europe F3 Light perhaps, why not?

“He’s doing a really good job. So it would be up to him to win the tender if he wants this.

Bertrand continued: “I really hope that we can create a big family [for F3 Light]. I think that today, if you look at the market, you wouldn’t have to create a new championship, just transform existing ones everywhere. I think the target for us is to create a big family, and not have anyone outside.

“If we identify a series that we think would be a good candidate, we will do our best to get their interest to tender.

“The local guys know their markets better than us in Geneva. On the other side, we need people to respect our conditions. That is the question mark. But this is the job we have in front of us for the next eight months, to start things up for 2017.

“I think we’ll be able to start a few in 2017 – we had some requests for this year and we postponed to 2017.”

“We want to add value, not destroy”

Bertrand insisted that the FIA's new F3 Light initiative was not meant to supplant local championships, but rather assist them.

Bringing up the case of the recent British F3 revival, born of the BRDC F4 series run by Jonathan Palmer, Bertrand said: “We did it with close cooperation. Jonathan has his business model and he has been sustainable for years.

“Imagine if we came and said ‘forget your way, do it our way’ – I’m not sure we’d do it better.

“Together, we can do it even better. We want to add value, not destroy it.”

Interview by Charles Bradley