formula renault 3.5 - jerez

[bella]

go on then. who's going to take the title?

i can't see merhi stopping sainz at this point, barring some unforseen disaster involving godzilla and perhaps a tornado. he's 44 points behind sainz with 50 on offer... but stranger things have happened!

the weather forecast is ridiculous... http://uk.weather.com/weather/weeken...+SPXX0046:1:SP

[Biscuits In A Red Bull]

Not very good weather for Mr Sorensen Jr in his French F4 campaign though!

Comtec have pulled out for this round, due to "unforeseen circumstances" regarding Cameron Tynham. I hope it's nothing bad.

Seriously, can't see Merhi stopping Sainz either. Sainz regained the upper hand in terms of momentum at Paul Ricard and even if Merhi fights back, Sainz will surely still be there. He knows that there is a chance of F1 next season and will want it (although I guess you can argue the same for Merhi). Maybe Gasly can finally claim that win too.

Edit: Love that poll

[bella]

thought i'd add a special option for the fence-sitters out there

seriously though, i think you're right. barring a huge sainz-based brain fade and a retirement it's pretty much sorted at this point. a rubbish low-key for sainz means he's in the top 5 which would more than cover his back even if merhi won both races. let's hope for no frijns/bianchi "nothing to lose" final race mad lunges...

but this is motorsport, and as they're keen to tell us, anything can happen. except when it doesn't

[WSR Fan]

Originally Posted by Biscuits In A Red Bull

Maybe Gasly can finally claim that win too.

That's what I'm thinking as well - he's had real momentum since they started again after the summer break, and he does have a realistic shout of taking the runner-up spot from Merhi too so I think he'll be right on it this weekend.

I think Sergey Sirotkin needs a good weekend too after what's been a bit of a disappointing season, given that he was pretty much favourite for the title pre-season (along with Sainz Jr).

[chunterer]

Not been a bad year has it?

Good depth of quality but some serious question marks over some of the teams engineering as good drivers struggled yet seemed to do well in other categories. ..

Couple if excellent rookies came in although I don't count Merhu as a rookie because of his experience.

Gasly obviously the standout newcomer but how would Vaxiviere have fared without his injury?. He's come on pretty well late season..

Ghiotto caught my eye sometimes too although very erratic.

Surprisingly even Van Buuren seemed capable?

Sorry this isn't a season review thread is it!!!!

[Biscuits In A Red Bull]

Stevens leads a British 1-2-3 in R1 qually, ahead of Rowland and Buller! Fantin came 4th and was 0.088s behind Stevens!!! Merhi 10th, Sainz Jr 15th, potential for a great race and good finale!

[bella]

did anyone seriously expect sainz and merhi to be that far back? it's going to be a bit of a slog for merhi given he pretty much HAS to win this one. when was the last mass first corner shunt...?

a second covered give or take the entire field - it only takes fluffing a single corner and you're towards the back! can't ever work out if that kind of evenly matched pace at a circuit is a good sign or a bad one, though...

on the weather front it's due to get very warm again by mid-afternoon and it wasn't particularly warm during the session, so there's the potential for a completely different bunch of drivers to be quick in the race.

[Biscuits In A Red Bull]

Originally Posted by bella

when was the last mass first corner shunt...?

Catalunya last season. In the finale

Stranger things could happen.

[tux]

Theres your first corner crash

[bella]

whoops!

sainz wasn't exactly keeping it clean either!

[fergus_r]

Buller is totally out of his depth in FR 3.5, even in his British F3 days he was nothing special. Shame he had to get involved in the title fight in such a way.

[Biscuits In A Red Bull]

I can't watch! What's happened???!!!

[bella]

i didn't see that as being bullers fault specifically? it just looked like an act of 3 racing drivers wanting the same space.

plays into gasly's hands for the runner up spot if he can keep the fromt wing on surely?

[skells22]

i think Buller mistime his overtake on the black car and tag that then spun into the path of Merhi. Merhi needs to have a look at the replay before pointing blame to Buller as it might have been the black car fault that triggered the spin for Buller

[WSR Fan]

I've been watching the live timing as I've got no TV coverage - wow, 0.078s at the end, that's surely got to be the closest FR3.5 finish ever??

[Down F0rce]

That finish was almost a copy of Senna and Mansell at Jerez back in the day! Fun race. Well done to Sainz jr for the title.

[Biscuits In A Red Bull]

Merhi is trying to make amends for Buller yesterday (having seen the incident I don't know why he was so far to the left and still moving over when there was clearly one car there, even if he couldn't see Merhi!) and has claimed pole ahead of Rowland. Gasly is 3rd ahead of an impressive Latifi. Row 7, meanwhile, features R1 winner Will Stevens and champion Carlos Sainz Jr!!!!

[Biscuits In A Red Bull]

Well, Merhi was given a 3-place grid drop, and Rowland went on to dominate from pole. Merhi meanwhile suffered a mechanical DNF, and Gasly claimed 4th in the race and 2nd in the standings. Sainz Jr finished 11th!!!

[W.A Trichlorostyrene]

When was the last time we had two Red Bull juniors finishing 1-2 in a major junior single seater championship?

Would be very ironic if they both end up missing on the Toro Rosso seat I have to say!

[olev]

Originally Posted by W.A Trichlorostyrene

When was the last time we had two Red Bull juniors finishing 1-2 in a major junior single seater championship?

Would be very ironic if they both end up missing on the Toro Rosso seat I have to say!

I wouldn't bet any money on this happening