GP2 set for green light

With the International Formula 3000 championship becoming stale, costly and sidetracked by most of the top drivers, a new series began to be considered during the 2004 season, and after months of organising, negotiating and hard graft, the GP2 Series is ready to offer Formula 1 the professionalism that F3000 lacked.

The Lola cars have been replaced by a state-of-the-art Dallara chassis with a six-speed semi-automatic paddle shift gearbox, carbon brakes, grooved Bridgestone tyres and a Mechachrome-prepared Renault 4-litre, 580bhp V8 engine that moves the series even closer to Formula 1.

While the car itself may seem impressive, the 12 teams and 24 drivers taking part in its inaugural season is quite simply gob smacking.

Multiple F3000 champions Arden International and Super Nova have been offered places, while new teams such as iSport, Hitech Piquet Sport and ART Grand Prix join the highly experience outfits such as DAMS, Durango and David Price Racing - a British team that is only it's second year since being revitalised in 2003.

Those are the teams, but the list of drivers is even more impressive. American Scott Speed leads the way with the No1 plate, but the iSport driver will have his work cut out with the likes of former F1 drivers Giorgio Panatano and Gianmaria Bruni and British F3 champion Nelson Piquet Jr amongst the 24 drivers taking part.

Other stars include Nico Rosberg and Matthias Lauda - sons of Formula One legends Keke Rosberg and Niki Lauda, plus up and coming stars Heikki Kovalainen, Neel Jani and Jose Maria Lopez - all of which have previously tested Formula 1 cars.

Britain is also well represented with five teams and two drivers. David Price Racing have brought Formula Renault V6 vice champion Ryan Sharp into the series, while British F3 star and occasional BAR Honda F1 test driver Adam Caroll joining the Super Nova outfit.

The Series, which is made up of eleven rounds featuring two races per round, will follow the Formula One World Championship throughout Europe before a stand-alone finale in Bahrain on September.