2006 British F3 Calendar Unveiled!

[Gaz]

British F3/GT calendar

April 15/16/17 Oulton Park
May 6/7 Silverstone (with FIA GT)
May 20/21 Donington Park
June 3/4 Pau (F3 only)
June 24/25 Mondello Park
July 15/16 Snetterton
July 29/30 Spa (F3 with Spa 24 hrs)
Aug 13/14 Croft (F3 and GT3 class only)
Sep 2/3 Brands Hatch Grand Prix
Sep 16/17 Imola (F3 only)
30 Sep/Oct 1 Thruxton

Courtesy of motorsportvision.co.uk

What do we reckon? No trip to Knockhill which is a shade disappointing but the links ups with some top international meetings looks very tasty and the Pau F3 race is one of THE races and is a fantastic boost for our series.

Can anyone tell me any info about Pau? Getting there, were to stay etc as I've never been put I'm really planning on branching out and doing some of these European trips next year. Would it be best to fly or drive considering I live in Chester and I'm a good 4-5 hours from any port over to France.

[mcurtis26]

Air France via Paris would probably be around 200 quid to Pau from Manchester. You could also go via Stanstead with Ryanair, gonna be cheaper, but you have to get down to Stanstead.

[strider]

The Croft and Thruxton dates still have to be confirmed, as has Pau to a lesser extent. It's ace to be back at Oulton Park, and Brands Hatch GP - with A1GP . Never been to Pau myself, but it's definitely one not to miss from what I've heard.

[Kicking-back]

I'm appalled it won't be at Knockhill.

The "British" F3 Championship and all the UK races are in England.

[strider]

I think a few other people will regret the loss of Knockill, too, but it may be only temporary. The plan seems to be that it will alternate with Mondello. In my view Knockhill is a better circuit for racing and also as part of the education of young drivers.

[ascarmarshal]

Originally Posted by Kicking-back

I'm appalled it won't be at Knockhill.

The "British" F3 Championship and all the UK races are in England.

Just like the Wales Rally Great Britain is all in Wales

[Kicking-back]

Originally Posted by foxy mole

I think a few other people will regret the loss of Knockill, too, but it may be only temporary. The plan seems to be that it will alternate with Mondello. In my view Knockhill is a better circuit for racing and also as part of the education of young drivers.

Indeed - and it's in Britain, rather than another foreign round.

[Rob29]

Originally Posted by Kicking-back

I'm appalled it won't be at Knockhill.

The "British" F3 Championship and all the UK races are in England.

Pau has got to be an improvement on Knockhill? I have been to Pau 4 times in the past,and can certainly recomend it.Looks like its the weekend after Monaco again next year,so it will be possible to incorporate both into a holiday,which I did in 1981.

[ScotsBrutesFan]

For any British series not to come to Knockhill is disgraceful, likewise if there was a suitable circuit in Wales.

Perhaps the F3s and GTs should rename as the English and Overseas F3 & GT championships.

I see that Jonathon Palmer has has splashed the cash to make sure that all his circuits get visited this season. Also the modestly titled Formula Palmer Audi will be joining F3/GT touring circus.

[Kicking-back]

I don't object to quality circuits like Pau being on the calendar and Spa perhaps has a place.

I can live without Mondello and Imola though

[rdjones]

Originally Posted by Kicking-back

I can live without Mondello and Imola though

I can see where you are coming from about Imola, but not Mondello, at the end of the day both the British Superbike's and the BTCC both visit the track, so why shouldn't it be part of the F3/GT Calander.

[Ian Sowman]

It is no more in Britain than Imola is though.

[Kicking-back]

Exactly.

Anyway, I hope to be putting these points to Knockhill tomorrow, and will report back

[rdjones]

Ture, but wasn't it call the British International Formula 3 Championship this year.

[Ian Sowman]

British F3 International Series, I think.

[bella]

it's not a championship because it visits more than one foreign track.

i don't like mondello either, it's slow and boring and narrow. knockhill is at least a bit more hectic. but k-b, i don't understand why you're throwing your toys out of your pram, it's not like you made the effort to go in 2005, it may as well have not been there for you. if i recall correctly, the crowd wasn't exactly huge either.

[Kicking-back]

I have been to an F3 meeting at Knockhill, and thoroughly enjoyed it, although I wasn't available to go this year.

Anyway, whether I go or not is totally irrelevant, I still believe a) it's a better venue than Mondello for F3 and b) the series should have at least one UK round that's not in England

As for crowd sizes, I see F3's organisers doing very little to promote the series anywhere, in contrast to the TOCA roadshow that's promoted several rounds of its package at Croft, Knockhill etc. The F3 meetings at most tracks tend not to be very busy.


Toys and prams? Nah.

[rdjones]

Originally Posted by Kicking-back

As for crowd sizes, I see F3's organisers doing very little to promote the series anywhere, in contrast to the TOCA roadshow that's promoted several rounds of its package at Croft, Knockhill etc. The F3 meetings at most tracks tend not to be very busy.

At the end of the day the only F3 round which get a good crowd is Castle Combe and that is mainly down to good promotion. I expect that to change now that they going back to the MSV track's, from what was said at the press conferance those meeting are going to be heavly promoted events. I would think that the other tracks will follow suite.

[Kicking-back]

So the question then is - did the TOCA displays in Newcastle, Milton Keynes and the Forth Bridge get paid for by TOCA or by Croft, Silverstone and Knockhill?

If it was TOCA, that makes sense - but raises the question - surely F3 organisers should be doing more to promote their series rather than relying on the vagaries of individual circuits.

[strider]

Surely it's relevant that the gate receipts go to the circuit owners, not the series organisers?

[rdjones]

From what I understand it was TOCA that but on the displays in Newcastle, Milton Keynes and on the Forth Bridge. I also understand they are talking to several other cities about doing simaller things next year.

But IMO both SRO and the circuits should be doing more to raise the profile of both the F3 and GT's to the causal putter, as use hardern race spectators already know about them and the causal putter doesn't.

It also worth remembering that TOCA does live prime TV coverage and that will also pull in the causal putter, oh that looks good is in on near me etc, where as the F3/GT package doesn't it only has highlights package, and that on at 7am on Sunday morning....

[Kicking-back]

Originally Posted by foxy mole

Surely it's relevant that the gate receipts go to the circuit owners, not the series organisers?

True, but I'm not sure that's always the case with TOCA - maybe some lessons to be learned from them that would mutually benefit the circuits and F3GT

[jminsh]

Originally Posted by Gaz

Can anyone tell me any info about Pau? Getting there, were to stay etc as I've never been put I'm really planning on branching out and doing some of these European trips next year. Would it be best to fly or drive considering I live in Chester and I'm a good 4-5 hours from any port over to France.

Gaz

Ryanair is by far the most reasonabley priced way of getting there but book v v early as there is only one flight a day from stanstead.

It's only a 10 min taxi ride to the circuit / town centre (same thing really )

Mega track good to view at especialy by the Foche memorial chicane (wild lines)

Book your accom early too as it's mega busy on a race week end (try now if you can it gets that bad).

If planning on driving we took the plymouth- santander ferry and drove 3 hours up from Spain to get there .

Jase.

[bella]

blimey jase, what are you doing here? don't you know we throw ff1600 people who venture in here to the lions

i'm not sure where the organisers would get the money from for these promotional events.

[jminsh]

Originally Posted by bella

blimey jase, what are you doing here? don't you know we throw ff1600 people who venture in here to the lions

Try it Hun and just watch the lions run (ooh almost a poet !!)