GP de Pau is back for 2011

NaBUru38 · 25 Sep 2010, 16:58 (Ref:2764429)

The Pau government contacted Le Mans Series boss Patrick Peter to bring Formula 3 back to the streets of the city for May 22-23. It will be a non-championship just like the Zandvoort Masters, Korean Superprix and Macau Grand Prix - moreover, Pau could join them for the FIA F3 Cup. British F3 and F3 Euro Series teams are of course invited. French teams seem to be happy.

JamesRamone · 29 Sep 2010, 20:14 (Ref:2766827)

Excellent news, a big miss from the calendar without it.

NaBUru38 · 4 Nov 2010, 13:18 (Ref:2784892)

The weekend will feature F3, FR2.0, F4 and Clio Cup among others. More info here.

strider · 5 Nov 2010, 19:47 (Ref:2785527)

A Signature VW will win. Firm prediction.

skells22 · 5 Nov 2010, 19:52 (Ref:2785529)

my prediction is the hairpin will get blocked next year leading to a red flag and a rolling restart

NaBUru38 · 6 Nov 2010, 12:54 (Ref:2785770)

If I'm not mistaken, the F3 Grand Prix of Piriápolis in Uruguay (105km/h average pole speed) has a rolling start.

duke_toaster · 6 Nov 2010, 19:13 (Ref:2785950)

Quote:

Originally Posted by NaBUru38

The Pau government contacted Le Mans Series boss Patrick Peter to bring Formula 3 back to the streets of the city for May 22-23. It will be a non-championship just like the Zandvoort Masters, Korean Superprix and Macau Grand Prix - moreover, Pau could join them for the FIA F3 Cup. British F3 and F3 Euro Series teams are of course invited. French teams seem to be happy.

That is a good idea. Technically, if there were to be races in three continents, there could even be an FIA F3 World Championship. One thought I had recently is teaming up Macau, Pau, the Zandvoort Masters and another event as a Grand Slam of F3, if they picked either Kyalami (nice place to go for a race in January, perhaps) or Marrakech (supporting the WTCC), that could be an F3 World Championship as it's three continents - Europe, Asia and Africa. To make things more worthwhile instead of having one race at each there could be a knockout tournament system, even if everyone goes through (in which case, the quarter finals could just set the grid for the semi-finals for example).

ivanalesi · 6 Nov 2010, 22:55 (Ref:2786045)

These are all great ideas, but who's going to pay for all this? I thought Korea was a crazy idea in these times... Macau is OK, but the FIA should promote it a bit more as the World Cup and I would love to see the Italian, German and Euro Open champions racing there.
In order for F3 to be popular enough for a World Championship, the category must be much more attractive to viewers and sponsors. It needs more power

duke_toaster · 7 Nov 2010, 13:56 (Ref:2786366)

Quote:

Originally Posted by ivanalesi

These are all great ideas, but who's going to pay for all this? I thought Korea was a crazy idea in these times... Macau is OK, but the FIA should promote it a bit more as the World Cup and I would love to see the Italian, German and Euro Open champions racing there.
In order for F3 to be popular enough for a World Championship, the category must be much more attractive to viewers and sponsors. It needs more power

A lot of top teams go to Macau anyway, and the same with the Masters in Zandvoort. Marrakech would be a bit of a trip, but not too much harder than a trip to somewhere like Turkey. I agree with you that F3 needs to be more attractive to sponsors and TV viewers, and a new technical regulations package has to be part of that solution, but the problem is with junior single seater racing as a whole (in that there are too many series for the number of drivers, and to the extent that it makes it difficult for fans to follow).

Teretonga · 7 Nov 2010, 19:55 (Ref:2786618)

An international championship made up of non regional series races is a good idea but cost is a primary factor.
The Masters and Pau races may be a good idea if they were linked with Macau, Korea and a race on a third continent that does F3, like South America or Brazil.

If the other location was say, the Surfers Paradise street race then you could have a genuine 'World Championship'...

Stephen H · 8 Nov 2010, 19:35 (Ref:2787204)

Quote:

Originally Posted by NaBUru38

The Pau government contacted Le Mans Series boss Patrick Peter to bring Formula 3 back to the streets of the city for May 22-23. .

Think the date should be 21-22, as I think the 23rd is a Monday, and I cannot see there is a Bank Holiday in France on the Monday.

Shame this clashes with the European Rallycross at Essay , which has moved back 2 weeks in 2011 to the same weekend.

Bodysnatcher · 8 Nov 2010, 19:50 (Ref:2787209)

It will be 20-22 May, got my hotel booked already.

if you read French
http://www.larepubliquedespyrenees.f...pau,163015.php

Stephen H · 12 Nov 2010, 02:54 (Ref:2788941)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bodysnatcher

It will be 20-22 May, got my hotel booked already.

if you read French
http://www.larepubliquedespyrenees.f...pau,163015.php

thanks for the link - any advice for the first time spectator - thinking of trying to do the historic weekend before - sorry if this should be in trackside.....

but I was wondering what the spectating is like - I guess there are large sections of track you cant get to view?

But is it possible to walk round and spectate at different corners, or is it a case of having to sit in a grandstand in one place all day?

Grateful for any advice thanks

Peat · 12 Nov 2010, 08:22 (Ref:2788994)

+1.

Did Macau a few years ago so HAVE to do Pau next year!

duke_toaster · 12 Nov 2010, 14:12 (Ref:2789139)

It is a bit of a shame the WTCC won't be going, though.

**bella** · 12 Nov 2010, 14:23 (Ref:2789143)

did pau a couple of years ago, couldn't be arsed to go and find spectator points but iirc it's a grandstand monaco type job though you could probably find vantage points where you could just about see a car going around. macau has a lot more tall structures to view from which helps no end, and pau doesn't really have that. it doesn't have the hills monaco does either to the same extent.

that's from vague memory so it isn't gospel.

META4 · 12 Nov 2010, 14:54 (Ref:2789167)

Quote:

Originally Posted by bella

did pau a couple of years ago, couldn't be arsed to go and find spectator points but iirc it's a grandstand monaco type job though you could probably find vantage points where you could just about see a car going around. macau has a lot more tall structures to view from which helps no end, and pau doesn't really have that. it doesn't have the hills monaco does either to the same extent.

that's from vague memory so it isn't gospel.

For your information , the Grand Stand of the Pau circuit in the Start/finish line have been taken down some weeks ago

http://www.sudouest.fr/2010/10/25/pa...21633-4344.php

Bodysnatcher · 12 Nov 2010, 15:30 (Ref:2789183)

but it will be replaced..

I'm told many locals use the Parc Beaumont for viewing, or the boulevard above. It'll be my first time marshalling Pau, but I'll be with a bunch that know it well.

Stephen H · 13 Nov 2010, 03:43 (Ref:2789461)

Thanks for the information everybody.

The loss of the Grandstands is that an eyesore gone or the loss of a piece of racing history?

Peat · 20 Dec 2010, 10:50 (Ref:2806476)

Are tickets on sale yet? I am looking to book flights/hotels over the festive period.

NaBUru38 · 19 Apr 2011, 13:32 (Ref:2866456)

The 2011 F3 Grand Prix de Pau will have Yokohama as tyre supplier. So neither British or Euroseries entries will have an advantage for using theirs.

runshaw · 22 Apr 2011, 01:16 (Ref:2867911)

Quote:

Originally Posted by NaBUru38

The 2011 F3 Grand Prix de Pau will have Yokohama as tyre supplier. So neither British or Euroseries entries will have an advantage for using theirs.

Good! So it won't be the farce that is the F3 Masters of recent years with ridiculous advantage going to the Euroseries.

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