Full-time Euro Series entry for Epsilon

Michel Lecomte's team, who ran in the French series between 1988 and 2001 in a variety of guises, returned to F3 action under the Barazi Epsilon banner in the Euro Series at Barcelona last weekend. They fielded a single Dallara-Mercedes for Monagesque driver Stephane Richelmi.

The team plan to contest the remaining two rounds of this year's Euro Series with their single-car entry in preparation for a two-car assault on the full series in 2009.

"Epsilon have a great history in F3 and it's a good time for us to come back," Lecomte told Autosport. "The car only did 50 kilometres before we arrived here, but you learn a lot more by coming to a race than you do in testing."

Richelmi, who has been racing for Epsilon in the Formula Renault Eurocup this season, had a tough weekend. He qualified 29th and last, 2.5 seconds off the pace. In race one he kept out of trouble and finished 18th, but in race two he spun, stalled and was black-flagged after being push-started. He was fined €1000 and has a five-place grid penalty for the next round at Le Mans.

But Epsilon's toe-in-the-water campaign gives them the opportunity of securing a place on the 2009 grid.

Seven new teams are understood to have enquired about joining the series, while Autosport understands a third engine manufacturer has targeted a 2009 entry, although their identity has not been disclosed.

The current F3 team bosses met at Barcelona and agreed to keep the current 32-car limit. However, the registration deadline, when entry deposits must be lodged for 2009, has been brought forward to October 31.

Colin Kolles's TME outfit and leading Formula Renault team Motopark Academy are widely expected to join the current entrants with a brace of VW-backed entries.