Feasibility study is commissioned for F3 Middle East Cup series

Anthony Fernandes 21:16 22/03/2015
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  • European F3 product: Dubai-based Edward Jones raced in the F3 series before moving to Indy Lights in the US.

    Motorsport’s world governing body has commissioned a feasibility study into holding a FIA Formula 3 Middle East Cup in 2016, a move that was endorsed by the World Motor Sport Council during its meeting in Geneva, Switzerland on March 20.

    The proposed new cup will be in addition to the FIA Formula 3 European Championship, which comprises of 11 race weekends with two races per weekend.

    The European F3 championship is considered the perfect platform for making the leap to the top categories of motor racing – particularly as its race weekends are held as support programmes of top-class motor racing events.

    Formula 1 newcomer Max Verstappen raced in the European Formula 3 top category which represented an important step on his way up the racing ladder.

    Likewise, Dubai-based Briton Edward Jones too raced in the F3 series before making a move to the Indy Lights championship in the US this year.

    Jones will open his Indy Lights campaign at the St Petersburg Circuit in Florida this weekend.

    While details of the proposed F3 Middle East Cup are still sketchy, it has emerged that the FIA is actually resurrecting a proposal from last year, where motorsport’s world governing body had already set in motion the wheels to make the proposal a reality.

    On July 4 last year, the FIA had issued a tender for an expression of interest from parties desirous of acting as promoters of the F3 Middle East Cup.

    It was proposed that the cup would comprise of two race weekends of three races each and, in addition to the several stringent conditions, a prospective promoter would be required to provide a bank guarantee to the tune of €1 million (Dh3.97m).

    It is also understood that the July 2014 expression of interest tender had also included a provision to expand the cup to a maximum of six race weekends, with a total of 18 races making up the series.

    According to the proposed calendar drawn up last year, the first three races had been pencilled in for the weekend of January 9-10, 2015 and the next three races for the weekend of January 16-17, 2015.

    According to the 2014 expression of interest tender, the two race weekends were to be hosted by the Bahrain International Circuit, but the series never took off for reasons that are still unclear. This despite the fact that the FIA had secured the track costs for the first season.

    The FIA’s latest move to commission a new feasibility study suggests that the world governing body for motorsport might perhaps have not been able to find a promoter for the cup last year.

    And, while the FIA has not set a specific deadline for submission of the F3 Middle East Cup feasibility study report, sources suggest that it could be tabled at the World Motor Sport Council’s next half-yearly meeting on July 10 in Mexico City, Mexico.

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