Just nine places remain to complete the 24 car F2 grid

The significantly upgraded Williams JPH1B F2 car

Following a very successful maiden season, interest in F2 has been high with over 40 drivers hoping to join the 2010 FIA Formula Two Championship. Fifteen drivers have now been confirmed and they will be announced daily over the next two weeks.

Drivers will once again be competing for the superb prize of a full test with the Williams F1 team, whilst the championship top three will become eligible for an FIA Superlicense – required to compete in Formula One Grands Prix.

The F2 field can also look forward to piloting a significantly advanced Williams JPH1B F2 car, after substantial upgrades were implemented by both MotorSport Vision and Williams F1 over the winter period. The car has already proved it will be around three seconds per lap faster than its 2009 predecessor, now offering similar performance to Formula Renault 3.5 for half the budget.

Jonathan Palmer, Formula Two Series Director, said: “F2 had a great start in 2009, with a full grid of cars and some exceptional driver talent. The difficult economic climate is certainly continuing, and it has been clear to every championship that many drivers have struggled to raise the budgets more this year than previously. However the fact that F2 is far more affordable than any other comparable championship and is now similar in performance to Formula Renault 3.5, is making F2 a compelling choice for many drivers. F2 will also benefit from a season’s maturity and a lot of hard work over the winter in the pursuit of our objective of 100% reliability in 2010 as the inevitable teething problems of a new series are ironed out.

“Fifteen drivers are now confirmed for the 2010 FIA Formula Two Championship, leaving just nine slots available. Over the next few weeks we will certainly see more drivers secure their F2 budgets, whilst we are also seeing a surge of interest from drivers who had looked at other series but are realizing that they will not achieve the budget required to run with a team capable of winning. In F2 of course, uniquely every driver has that opportunity, with every car being identically prepared."