British F3 Silly Season 2009

[REDMANC]

Hwyell Lloyd has bought an international class car for 2009

[N.A-D.R]

Originally Posted by 08u05

Latest rumour is Ricciardo to Carlin F3, taking the Red Bull seat.
Tim Blanchard chasing a seat at Fortec F3.

Daniel will either go to British of Euro F3. Depends on where RedBull want him. I would think Euro would be better because he has learnt some of the tracks from Formula Renault this season. But then again he knows some of the British tracks.

[strider]

For as long as SRO have been holding Awards Dinners, they have used them as a platform to announce their plans for British F3/GT for the next season. This year's Dinner was last night, but not a word was said.

To some extent, this shouldn't come as a surprise because a provisional schedule has been out there for some weeks and is referred to earlier in this thread. However, there was a rumour sweeping the room that Monza, which was always listed as TBC, has actually been cancelled.

I do hope this is just a silly rumour. It would be a major disappointment to lose one of the Series' jewels in the crown.

[jondownunder]

It would be a disappointment to lose Monza, especially after Thruxton has gone.

In other news, VW to enter BF3 with T-Sport and another team, yet to be named:
http://www.britishf3international.co...ms%5Bid%5D=753
Has to be good for the series.

[strider]

It's good news for the Series and especially for T-Sport, but seems hard on NBE, who worked so hard with them this year to put them in the position where they are now, thanks to their excellent Mugen-Honda engines. Still, that's motor racing, I guess.

Wonder which the second team will be? Ultimate? Fortec?

Monza doesn't appear on the FIA GT calendar next year, so I reckon that's that for BF3 too, although it's always been said that it could if necessary run alongside the LMS in which Stephane Ratel also has an interest.

[Redracer77]

are the dates out for 09 yet?

[strider]

The provisional calendar was announced a while ago - see here.

Since then the FIA GT calendar has been announced and Monza is not on it, so it seems fair to assume that BF3 will not be going there either.

If I had to make an educated guess, I notice that the FIA GTs are on the GP circuit at Silverstone early in May and it seems logical that BF3 should join them there.

At least it's another F1 circuit, which is what the drivers want, but the downside is that it is just about the worst circuit in the world for exciting F3 racing, whereas Monza is the best.

Bring back Thruxton, I say!

[JohnMiller]

I think Silverstone GP is confirmed now for BF3?

[El_Gibleto]

The dates published had 6, yes SIX, clashes with BTCC weekends.

How is that helping to promote the sport? Every other major series has published it's schedule for next season, which assists the teams, technishal support, sponsors and media with their planning and budgeting for the season.

For some reason SRO despite publishing their dates last manage to clash with the other major British package on 60% of their dates. If the other series promoters are able to produce a firm calender before November, why are SRO incapable of producing dates and avoiding clashes?

[El_Gibleto]

F3 & BTCC dates 2009

You can see how there are 6 clashes.

BF3 BTCC
04/04/2009 Sat Brands Indy
05/04/2009 Sun Brands Indy

10/04/2009 Fri Oulton Park
11/04/2009 Sat Oulton Park
12/04/2009 Sun Oulton Park
13/04/2009 Mon Oulton Park

25/04/2009 Sat Donington Park Thruxton
26/04/2009 Sun Donington Park Thruxton

16/05/2009 Sat Monza ?? Donington Park
17/05/2009 Sun Monza ?? Donington Park

30/05/2009 Sat Snetterton Oulton Park
31/05/2009 Sun Snetterton Oulton Park

05/06/2009 Fri Hockenheim
06/06/2009 Sat Hockenheim
07/06/2009 Sun Hockenheim

13/06/2009 Sat Croft
14/06/2009 Sun Croft

23/07/2009 Thu Spa
24/07/2009 Fri Spa
25/07/2009 Sat Spa
26/07/2009 Sun Spa

01/08/2009 Sat Snetterton
02/08/2009 Sun Snetterton

15/08/2009 Sat Silverstone Knockhill
16/08/2009 Sun Silverstone Knockhill

28/08/2009 Fri Bucharest
29/08/2009 Sat Bucharest Silverstone
30/08/2009 Sun Bucharest Silverstone

19/09/2009 Sat Brands Hatch Rockingham
20/09/2009 Sun Brands Hatch Rockingham

03/10/2009 Sat Brands Hatch
04/10/2009 Sun Brands Hatch

[gomick]

Originally Posted by 08u05

Tim Blanchard chasing a seat at Fortec F3.

Heard that due to the economic down turn Tim is looking at racing V8's in Australia next year which is disappointing to a certain extent

[strider]

Carlos Huertas is staying with Raikkonen Robertson Racing next year, moving up to BF3 from their FBMW team. Story here.

[GroupOfOne]

Originally Posted by strider

Carlos Huertas is staying with Raikkonen Robertson Racing next year, moving up to BF3 from their FBMW team. Story here.

Drove past the Double R transporter today on it's way out from Woking presumably to the motorway. Is there any F3 testing happening this week?

[strider]

Rockingham tomorrow and Wednesday, but Double R have a great affinity with Pembrey, so they may be going there.

[N.A-D.R]

testing today? Is there any times or confirmation on which drivers will be there?

[pericu]

Ricciardo, Tom Mun (Honda engine??) and Oakes with Carlin, Victor GarcÃ*a (last year in spanish f3 with Tec Auto) with Fortec.

http://www.crash.net/motorsport/late...2/content.html

[08u05]

Wayne Boyd tested with T Sport in Perez's old car.

[strider]

Although I don't think he has tested yet, but there is good news in that Andy Meyrick has returned to race fitness ready for next season. Story.

[N.A-D.R]

Originally Posted by pericu

Ricciardo, Tom Mun (Honda engine??) and Oakes with Carlin, Victor GarcÃ*a (last year in spanish f3 with Tec Auto) with Fortec.

http://www.crash.net/motorsport/late...2/content.html

any times from the test?

[strider]

Originally Posted by pericu

Ricciardo, Tom Mun (Honda engine??) and Oakes with Carlin, Victor GarcÃ*a (last year in spanish f3 with Tec Auto) with Fortec.

Don't read too much into a bunch of photographs, although thanks for putting names to them.

Tom Mun was driving Carlin's National Class car, which explains why it had a Mugen-Honda engine. Oliver Oakes was driving his own Eurotek car, although it was being run by Carlin.

Victor Garcia may well be a possibility for Fortec next year.

Finally, two pieces of pure gossip. Picking up on a story elsewhere, it says (last but one paragraph) that all Red Bull drivers will be using Volkswagen engines next year. That would leave Carlin in a tricky position, because last year they ran two Red Bull drivers, but four others as well, two in BF3 and two in F3ES. They are also tied in with HWA Mercedes and I can't see HWA being happy for Carlin to run both engines. Still if anyone can sort that one out, it's Trevor Carlin - he could sell snow to eskimos!

The last story, which I have only heard from one source is that Marcus Ericsson, who was expected to switch to Carlin and lead their attack next year, has secured a TOM's drive in Japan. If that's true, he's a very lucky boy, although he might have to go head-to-head with Kunimoto (Macau winner).

[Go_For_Pole]

I did remember reading somewhere that Toyota wishes to send Kunimoto to Europe after his win.

[strider]

That would make more sense, come to think of it. He needs to get experience outside Japan.

[El_Gibleto]

I've just been told that the Rockingham round of the series has moved to the last weekend in May, so it mow clashes with the BTCC @ Oulton Park.

I don't know when the Snetterton round has been moved to.

SRO don't seem to think it's important to let people know, but based on the calender so far, they will arrange the Snetterton round to clash with a round of the BTCC.

Can someone please explain how that helps to promote the series and the sport in the UK?

[ivanalesi]

Do they both get full grandstands? If BTCC is full, GT and F3 is also full, then it's not bad at all The only problem would be if the timing of the broadcasting is the same.

[kipper]

Originally Posted by ivanalesi

Do they both get full grandstands? If BTCC is full, GT and F3 is also full, then it's not bad at all

The BTCC package tends to a much larger number of spectators than the F3/GT events. However, I suspect that some of this is down to touring car style racing having a wider appeal than F3s (and indeed GTs). I guess the TV coverage the BTCC gets also helps build up a following.