Euro 3000 has had somewhat of a shaky past. Its position in the
single-seater hierarchy has never really been established. Born out
of the popular Italian F3000 series in 1999, the series uses former
International F3000 Lola-Zytek machinery. It is keen to be seen as a
serious launch pad into Formula One, and never more so than in 2004. Of
the current crop of F1 drivers, both Felipe Massa and Gianmaria Bruni
emerged from the Euro 3000 ranks.
To be honest, the current connection between Euro 3000 and F1 is based
on the series' relationship with Minardi. Euro 3000 has a new title
sponsor for 2004, Superfund. "Superfund is one of the world's top
performing hedge funds," say the press releases. In my world a hedge
is a plant boundary; in Superfund's it involves money. Superfund has
compiled a motorsports sponsorship portfolio which includes, among
others, the Minardi F1 team.
Drivers are being lured to the Euro series with the promise that the
Euro 3000 champion will get a coveted Superlicence and the opportunity
to test an F1 car. It is a very small stretch of the imagination
to suggest that the test will be with Minardi. If the three-year
relationship between Minardi and Superfund can also aid young Euro 3000
drivers, then more power to them. Minardi has long been vocal on its
desire to help up and coming drivers. Thank goodness someone does.
And then there is the matter of the prize fund. Superfund is keen to
display a little splash, so the winner of each race will now be handed a
cheque for 10,000 Euros (just over $12,000 US). There is room for this:
in the past Euro 3000 has struggled to make its mark with fans, despite
some promising drivers. Also, at times the grid has been worryingly
small, something the promise of a big payout might alleviate.
This year we are promised a minimum of 20 cars. A new regulation
allowing teams to field unlimited numbers of cars has resulted in one
team pledging four and another three.
We hope this much-needed revamp positively affects media coverage for
the series. Coverage in 2003 was at best poor. The 2003 official web
site was haphazard, often with results updates appearing long after
the event. The new web site for 2004 looks far more promising and
comprehensive. In 2003 press coverage was fair to middling, as was
television coverage -- that's if you could find it. The 2003 season's
coverage was in no way a true reflection of the series. Superfund has
announced it will actively strive to improve this as well.
Despite the small numbers some exciting racing happened in 2003. I
attended one of the races, held in appalling conditions, and was
genuinely impressed. The cars, despite their age, still looked and
sounded good.
In the past, Euro 3000 highlighted the fact that it visited many
circuits on the F1 calendar. Many series say the same, and I have never
quite understood why it should excite me. Racing drivers are adaptable
creatures by nature, so there is little weight to the argument that it
helps younger drivers learn F1 circuits. There is life in motorsports
beyond Formula One; you heard it here first, folks! And anyhow, by
the time the 3000 drivers make it to F1 goodness knows where F1 will
actually be taking place.
I say that the fact Euro 3000 visits many "forgotten" tracks is a bonus.
It excites me to see circuits such as Estoril in Portugal, Jerez in
Spain, Donington in Britain, Dijon in France and Zolder in Belgium on
the schedule. These are exactly the places I would like to see the young
guns prove themselves. It also breathes life into circuits across Europe
where the grassroots first sprout.
With the first scheduled round in Bahrain cancelled, the series will now
open on May 2, 2004 at Pergusa, Italy. Bahrain was cancelled because
it was deemed more important to prepare the circuit for its inaugural
Formula One race in April. Shunting the start date forward by two months
will now give the series more time to prepare. Whilst the majority of
drives remain to be confirmed, one of the season's favourites has been
announced. Fabrizio Del Monte, 2003 runner-up, has been confirmed at GP
Racing.
"My opinion of the team both on a professional level and on an
individual level is great, so I never had any doubts," says Del Monte on
his signing with GP Racing. "My objective this year is obvious, I want
to win. To make this happen we need to work hard and this doesn't scare
me."
Del Monte will be partnered at GP Racing by Matthias Lauda, son of
former Formula One champion Niki Lauda.
Another team confirming its lineup is the Italian group ADM Motorsport,
who will field Austrian Norbert Siedler. Siedler is himself a Superfund
partner. This alliance has already benefited Siedler who, with
Superfund's backing, secured a test drive in a Minardi F1 in December
2003. In 2004, he will be joined by Brazilian Allam Khodair. Khodair
comes to Europe as reigning Brazilian Formula Renault champion. His
arrival is taken as a good sign that Euro 3000 is being accepted as a
credible route to the higher echelons of motorsport.
A common test is planned for Vallelunga at the end of March, so make a
mental note to check back with Euro 3000 this year. You just might be
pleasantly surprised!
