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F5000 versus F2

Started by Mallory Dan , Jan 26 2006 14:06

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12 replies to this topic

#1 Mallory Dan

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Posted 26 January 2006 - 14:06

From reading some early 1975 A/Sports, it seems that,in the opinion of the magazine at least, they thought that F2 was dying, and should be replaced by F5000. There is at least one editorial to that effect, and a number of interviews with various people invloved. Anyone any memories of the issue at the time, I was a bit young to have taken much notice of it then?

In particular Chris Witty seemed convinced that F2 was about to die, after a fairly dull 1974, poor prospective fields for '75, and with racing engines coming in for 1976. The 'house view' of the time was that 5000 was very much on the up, and that the FIA should scrap F2.

Given how the respective series went in 1975, I suspect there was a good deal of humble pie eaten in the offices later that year !

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#2 Ray Bell

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Posted 26 January 2006 - 14:10

When you say, 'racing engines,' I guess you mean the V6 quad cam things in F5000?

Weren't they the death knell of the formula in England?

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#3 Mallory Dan

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Posted 26 January 2006 - 14:30

No Ray, I meant the racing engines in F2 from '76, principally the Renault of course. A/S seemed to think that costs would go sky-high, so pricing privateers out of the formula. Didn't happen at all though, F2 entries from 76-81 were generally very good.

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#4 Stephen W

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Posted 26 January 2006 - 14:49

Whereas F5000 was falling by the wayside in Europe.

I suspect that Autosport were taking a rather provincial view as F2 wasn't that big a deal in Britain. However F5000 was more or less the top single seater formula with performances rivalling F1 on occasions.

I must admit I preferred F2 over F5000 especially with so many up and coming European drivers taking part. Mind you F5000 was one hell of a noisy spectacle, pity the racing wasn't that close.

:wave:

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#5 petefenelon

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Posted 26 January 2006 - 15:03

I was going to say pretty much the same as Stephen.

Certainly after the Energy Crisis and as the BMW became more and more expensive in F2 the formula seemed to concentrate itself in France, Germany and Italy; F5000 was much stronger in the UK and Netherlands. Can't underestimate the importance of FAtlantic in the UK, too - it occupied a position where it took a lot of good British (or visiting) national-level guys coming out of FFord and F3 who would otherwise have been mid-to-back of the grid F2 privateers were they French or Italian and diverted them from the F2 scene. It was effectively an affordable "F2.5".

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#6 BRG

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Posted 26 January 2006 - 15:12

Originally posted by Mallory Dan
A/S seemed to think that costs would go sky-high, so pricing privateers out of the formula.

In the slightly longer-term, they were absolutely right. Once Honda came into F2, the end was soon in sight.

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#7 petefenelon

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Posted 26 January 2006 - 15:18

I felt that 2.0l F2 'died' when ground effects and Hondas separately came into the formula. A lot of it became either chequebook or rulebook racing, rather than sorting it out on track. The last few years (forgotten man Corrado Fabi apart, and not forgetting AGS' brief flurry at the end) degenerated into "which Ralt driver's turn is it"? I think the formula peaked around '75-8, with a good selection of cars (particularly glorious-looking!), engines and drivers all in the mix.

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#8 Bondurand

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Posted 26 January 2006 - 15:50

In 1975 to 1980 formula 2 was a very attractive show. Races were short and often hard fought. Top drivers came from time to time in a non-championship entry to race alongside the regulars starters.

If taken separately, I must admit that a F5000 car was a show in itself, I remember that F2 races were much more interesting.

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#9 Vicuna

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Posted 27 January 2006 - 20:48

Originally posted by Bondurand
.

If taken separately, I must admit that a F5000 car was a show in itself, I remember that F2 races were much more interesting.

That's a pretty good summary of what I remember.

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#10 philippe charuest

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Posted 27 January 2006 - 20:56

Originally posted by Bondurand

If taken separately, I must admit that a F5000 car was a show in itself, I remember that F2 races were much more interesting.

it was the same in north america with the F5000 vs F-Atlantic

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#11 Ray Bell

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Posted 28 January 2006 - 01:48

Originally posted by philippe charuest
it was the same in north america with the F5000 vs F-Atlantic

And Australia...

However, when you had a good F5000 race you also had a good race. Now forgive me if I dream a little about KB and John Walker.

Side by side... through the corner onto the straight at Phillip Island. Does that bring a picture to your mind?

Now add the rain and the roostertails...

Dicing for the lead with just a few laps to go. Oh, and put them on slicks.

You get the idea?

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#12 philippe charuest

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Posted 29 January 2006 - 18:01

im pretty sure that the euro-british f5000 champ was a much better show. then the north american champ . 73-74 were good season . but most of the time the pack was very thin and of a very unequal level .but i wont go as far as José Rosinsky who said once( for the inaugural long beach race in 75 where tony brise did a good show) that they look like a pack of cows going slowly in line to the waterhole :lol: