By GMM

The press has questioned the feasibility of the FIA's stated intention this week to set up Formula Two as a low-cost feeder series for F1.

Following Wednesday's meeting of the World Motor Sport Council in Paris, F1's governing body said it will invite tenders for the new series, "to develop emerging driver talent" for F1", which would presumably be run in 2009 in competition with the Bernie Ecclestone-organised GP2 category.

A report published by The Press Association, however, dismissed as apparently "unworkable" the FIA's desire for an approximate per-car annual budget in the region of 200,000 euros (CAN $315,000).

"A GP2 boss has confirmed it costs 190,000 euros (CAN $300,000) to run their cars without the considerable expense of engines," the news agency's report said.

The news agency Reuters, meanwhile, said GP2 budgets are actually much higher than that, "with an estimated 1.5 million euros (CAN $2,370,000) per car per season the current going rate".