Russian chassis maker facing F3 legality fight

The constructors of a new Russian car are pushing ahead with plans to contest the Formula 3 European championship despite legality concerns.

ArtLine Engineering is building its new Dallara challenger – the ArtTech P315 – with a central exhaust system, but it has run into a dispute with the FIA over the philosophy. ArtLine is in negotiation with engine builders NBE and ORECA, but both companies' units have been homologated in a format that was designed to fit the side-exhaust Dallara, and would not fit the ArtTech.

The NBE raced in this format with T-Sport in 2014, scoring a Macau Grand Prix podium with Nick Cassidy, while the Renault-badged ORECA was withdrawn on the eve of the season but is targeted for a return with Ma-Con Motorsport this year.

The FIA is willing to accept minor modifications to the exhaust primaries for installation purposes, but it will not accept the extended tailpipe that would be necessary to fit the ArtTech. While it is believed that studies by NBE have shown that there is no performance boost to the engine from the extended tailpipe, it is understood that the FIA feels that such a modification could theoretically offer an aerodynamic advantage.

ArtTech wants to stick to the central-exhaust concept, which featured on the Dallaras of the mid-to-late 1990s. It claims that the FIA's stance will force any constructor wanting to take on Dallara in the F3 market to produce a near-identical concept to the Italian giant.

In a letter to the FIA, the company said: "The current technical regulations are explicitly composed around the only existing Formula 3 chassis up to date – Dallara 314 – including the homologated dampers, gearbox casing and exhaust systems which are designed to fit only Dallara F312-314 chassis."

ArtLine project manager Egor Nazarov told AUTOSPORT: "We are planning to show up at the first meeting with the central exhaust and present the stewards with our arguments."

The company is negotiating with four drivers to fill its European F3 seats in 2015.

Originally on Autosport.com