FV8 3.5: Tech 1 and Pons teams withdraw

The Tech 1 and Pons teams have pulled out of the Formula V8 3.5 series less than a month before the start of the season.

French squad Tech 1, twice a teams' champion and a regular race winner during the championship's Formula Renault 3.5 era, will be replaced by Durango, which is present at this week's pre-season test with a single car for Giuseppe Cipriani.

Pons has withdrawn citing its focus on competing in MotoGP's Moto2 class, which it has competed in alongside FR3.5 for several years. The Spanish team had already signed Beitske Visser and Alex Bosak for 2016, and it has released both drivers, with Visser joining Strakka for this week's test at Barcelona.

The changes mean 17 cars are in action in testing this week, with Durango's sole entry joined by two cars each from Fortec, Lotus (Charouz), Strakka, Arden, AVF, RP, SMP and Teo Martin.

Originally on Autosport.com