Euroformula Open organisers have rescinded an article within the technical regulations that permitted female competitors to run at a lighter weight than their male counterparts.

By Juan Arroyo

The decision by the series on 31 August voids a series of amendments to the technical regulations related to the minimum weight of entries. From this weekend’s Red Bull Ring round onwards, all entries must adhere to a minimum weight of 586 kg, inclusive of both car and driver with full safety equipment on board.

A lower car weight allows for faster acceleration and limits understeer and oversteer. Together, these factors can – directly and indirectly – improve a driver’s lap times considerably.

In a written statement to Feeder Series on Tuesday, Euroformula Open organisers GT Sport explained that the decision to nullify the previous amendments was an “adjustment of the technical commission after reviewing times and results”.

The first amendment to the weight rules in the technical regulations was introduced ahead of the season’s opening round at Portimão at the end of April. That amendment set the minimum weight for female-driven cars at 560 kg, while all other competitors had to adhere to a minimum weight of 580 kg.

Ahead of the next round at the Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps a month later, the minimum weight defined in the technical regulations was raised from 580 to 586 kg. The exemption for female competitors, however, was kept at 560 kg, increasing the difference between male and female competitors to 26 kg.

The rules were then amended again ahead of the series’ most recent round at Le Castellet in July to permit female competitors to run only 15 kg lighter.

The rescission of the prior decisions will directly affect Noda Racing’s Juju Noda, the only female entry in this year’s championship. No other competitors’ minimum weights have been adjusted. At the time of writing, Noda is fifth in the championship, having taken a win at Le Castellet and two further podiums from 12 races this year.

Noda’s father Hideki Noda, who is also the team principal of the single-car Noda Racing team that oversees her entry, declined to comment on the change. 

Timo Rumpfkeil is the team manager of Motopark, which, together with its satellite outfit CryptoTower Racing Team, runs six of the eight full-time entries in the series.

“There’s been reasons why there was a certain allowance given in the beginning of the year,” Rumpfkeil told Feeder Series when asked about the weight rules. “[Noda’s] driving level at the beginning of the year was probably not as it is now. Juju, she really developed a lot and is driving at a very good pace. So I think it’s really not needed at all and not justifiable at all to give her that advantage over the competition.

“I’m a strong believer that any kind of technical regulation should always be the same for all competitors. I’m sure that she will be in podium contention with the same weight than the others, so I really trust that she’s managing that.

“That will as well give her proper credibility to her results because now everybody has this earmark of this weight advantage to her results, so achieving podiums and potential wins now will definitely raise her credibility a lot. So I’m happy that this is for the overall competition, but also I trust it’s good for her as well.

“I think in today’s world – where everybody’s striving for equal rights, equal measures and equal opportunities no matter what gender, orientation and so on – [the regulation is] giving advantage to certain genders, which I think is not needed and not the right signal,” Rumpfkeil continued. 

“Overall, I’m really happy [about the repeal], and I think it’s a very positive thing for everybody involved.”

Header photo credit: Euroformula Open