Formula Renaults are prettier IMO... but I see what you mean about the jump in cost
Don't really care what it looks like from the outside when you're on the track hehe.
What kind of power outputs and weights are the FF2000 and FR2000?
I can tell what I'm going to be spending most of this weekend reading about!
Have any vids worth watching?
The FF2000s are 130bhp, 440kg. It may not sound much, but they are respectably quick. What circuits have you driven cars at? A laptime comparison will probably give you a better idea.
More importantly though, they're well sorted cars that have been racing for nearly 30 years now! The reason is that they're great fun to drive and easy/relatively cheap to run.
There are several different types of Formula Renault. In the UK series they are 210bhp and 505kg, with a lot of aero - very quick cars! However a competetive drive will cost you £300k+ :O
There is also a BARC renault series, that has a number of classes for the various older Formula Renaults pre 2006 I think. The later cars are still sophisticated carbon tub cars and I hear £30-50k is the ballpark to be run in one!
I think they have a club class, but I'm not sure exactly what the spec of the cars are. You'd be running around the back of the main BARC grid in one though.
Older Formula Renault 1700s are closer to the FF2000s in pace and cost to run, but don't really have anywhere to race other than monoposto.
I'm certain some of the current FF2000 drivers don't spend more than about £5k a season. However, they will no doubt be doing all the work on the cars themselves at that price. One of the best thing about the series is that the tyres don't degrade too much. Last years champion did the season on 2 sets of tyres at something like £500 a set. Other series you don't stand a chance without fresh rubber! Equally, if you rented a car and got a team to run you it would obviously cost significantly more. £10-15k I'd image.
Of course you don't have to do a whole season, I'll just be doing a handful of races until the budget runs out!
FF1600s are very similar, except they run the same treaded tyre wet or dry use the 1600cc kent engine and don't have wings. They are about 3secs a lap slower than the 2000s but are great fun and there are races almost every weekend of the year that you can race one in!
I'll send you a pm in a bit
