26/01/2009
NEWS STORY
GP2 Series organizers have put together a plan designed to effectively and immediately face the current economical crisis.
This afternoon (Monday), they issued the following:
As the economical and financial situation also hits motorsport and becomes increasingly delicate for everyone, the GP2 Series have decided to take both technical and sporting actions in order to effectively help the championship's actors, but also make sure that the level of excitement and action drama stays the same in 2009. The plan designed to do so has been submitted to GP2 teams.
The technical actions include, among other things, a significant decrease in the cost of some parts thanks to Dallara's contribution. Some important modifications in the technical regulations have been decided also to induce the diminution of overall costs and the interruption of all seven post rig and wind tunnel testing has been settled.
In terms of sporting regulations, along with staff limitation to thirteen people from now to midseason and then to twelve members after that, it has been decided that no official tests will take place after the first race of the year.
On top of that, the GP2 Organisation will also contribute to the cost saving plan for 2009 by allocating an exceptional credit in spare parts for teams.
GP2 Series organiser Bruno Michel said: "We cannot ignore the world's financial crisis that affects us all. We need to make sure we can go through the present delicate time by finding solutions both in the technical and sporting areas. However, we did not want to change the standards of quality that have been the assets of the success of GP2 since 2005. The balance is therefore very difficult to define, but we are trying to find the right level to keep the series as successful as ever. We have been looking at all the areas of our business and we have come up with the different steps that we will implement as of now. We are confident that our plan will help everyone go through the difficult period we are in and will have a very significant economic impact on teams' P&L already in 2009."