British F3, Round 4, Snetterton

strider · 30 May 2007, 23:09 (Ref:1925043)

After the delights of Bucharest, BF3 returns to more familiar territory at Snetterton this weekend.

It's the usual format. Some test sessions on Friday (despite the teams having tested there for about a month already!), qualifying on Saturday and 2 races on Sunday. Results, and probably live timing, available from MST as usual.

This is one that Stephen Jelley has to win if he's to slow down Marko Asmer's march to the title. Maro Engel also needs to show who's boss amongst the Carlin boys.

kipper · 31 May 2007, 17:11 (Ref:1925535)

I'd agree that Jelley (or indeed anyone else) needs to make a decisive move ASAP if anyone is to stop Asmer taking the title. That said I suspect that Asmer will come out on top at Snetterton, although I expect some strong performances from Sam Bird, which may not bode too well for Engel.

macsport · 1 Jun 2007, 17:41 (Ref:1926423)

Stephen Jelley was the fastest today, with Marko only 6th fastest.
Jelley - Mustonen - Bird - Engel - Kennard - Asmer - Mansell G - Valerio
However that was testing, tomorrow's qualifying will probably be different again.
CLICK HERE for the drivers best times from todays three sessions

runshaw · 3 Jun 2007, 12:01 (Ref:1927453)

Breen has won race 1 with Bird and Valerio making it a Carlin 1-2-3. Jelley was 4th and Asmer didn't score, Mustonen dropped to the back. Niall Breen is doing very well, one to watch I reckon.

runshaw · 3 Jun 2007, 12:33 (Ref:1927484)

Max Chilton finished 11th, does anyone else think he is excelling himself? I think he is doing a great job.

Lam Pak · 3 Jun 2007, 13:49 (Ref:1927571)

Quote:

Originally Posted by runshaw

Max Chilton finished 11th, does anyone else think he is excelling himself? I think he is doing a great job.

Maybe the championship is too easy

Sorry runshaw but I had to say.

runshaw · 3 Jun 2007, 17:38 (Ref:1927756)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lam Pak

Maybe the championship is too easy

Sorry runshaw but I had to say.

Don't worry, if you think Formula Master has much better driver's than British F3 and is a better championship then not many people are going to take you seriously, you're the one who is being laughed at. I suppose you think Rodolfo Avila could have been running in the top 2 today at Snetterton like he was in IFM, enough said!

Go_For_Pole · 3 Jun 2007, 20:54 (Ref:1927895)

That said runshaw I have just seen the two races at Bucharest and I am not really sold on this year's BF3 grid. I mean this first lap on the 2nd race was really comedy stuff.

Lam Pak · 3 Jun 2007, 21:23 (Ref:1927914)

Quote:

Originally Posted by runshaw

Don't worry, if you think Formula Master has much better driver's than British F3 and is a better championship then not many people are going to take you seriously, you're the one who is being laughed at. I suppose you think Rodolfo Avila could have been running in the top 2 today at Snetterton like he was in IFM, enough said!

Maybe my countryman no but Juho Annala could ... if he had those massive master budgets to pay for a Raikkonen or Carlin factory Mercedes engine.
Its all about the money , enough said!

**bella** · 3 Jun 2007, 21:29 (Ref:1927920)

i think the good (?) thing about the bf3 grid this year is they're mostly rookies, and all the rookies have limited racing experience. which explains why asmer has come in and soundly thrashed everyone. except when he hasn't. so of course there's going to be a bit of muppetry...

runshaw · 3 Jun 2007, 22:17 (Ref:1927963)

Quote:

Originally Posted by bella

so of course there's going to be a bit of muppetry...

As there is in every series in Europe. I think the BF3 grid this year is quality, even the rookies. If you want to see muppetry you can see it all the way up to GP2, in fact if there was a prize for muppetry GP2 would get it!

strider · 3 Jun 2007, 22:26 (Ref:1927971)

Quote:

Originally Posted by runshaw

Max Chilton finished 11th, does anyone else think he is excelling himself? I think he is doing a great job.

Yes, I do. Also he has picked up enough upgrade signatures now to get an International B licence, so from Monza on he will be racing in the Championship Class. It should be interesting. He was getting quite racy in the second race today, even though the result wasn't so good.

The results of the second race still haven't been confirmed, mostly because of what went on during the re-start after the Safety Car. Certainly there was a bunch of midfield runners who crossed the line in a cluster, rather than single file so some overtaking before the line may have occurred.

There was also an suggestion that Asmer may have misbehaved. If so, it can only be because he backed the field up when he knew the Safety Car was pulling off, so he could make the best exit from Russell. But isn't that what you see happening after Safety Car re-starts in every senior category from F1 down?

strider · 3 Jun 2007, 22:33 (Ref:1927981)

Quote:

Originally Posted by runshaw

As there is in every series in Europe. I think the BF3 grid this year is quality, even the rookies. If you want to see muppetry you can see it all the way up to GP2, in fact if there was a prize for muppetry GP2 would get it!

I'm going to agree with that, too!

The fact is that in both qualifying sessions the top 15 drivers were covered by one second or less. And if you're fortunate enough to have a field of 31 cars there will be a few muppets, but even they are getting better as the season goes on.

Lam Pak · 3 Jun 2007, 22:37 (Ref:1927984)

why doesn't the people talk about Cong Fu Cheng kickin' the ass of National Class british hopes? (ndr: he is driving for the only foreigner team and maybe the worst of the championship)

runshaw · 3 Jun 2007, 22:46 (Ref:1927990)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lam Pak

why doesn't the people talk about Cong Fu Cheng kickin' the ass of National Class british hopes? (ndr: he is driving for the only foreigner team and maybe the worst of the championship)

If you look at the silly season thread you will see that many people expected Cheng to win the National class, including me. He's good but has much more experience than anyone else in the class, 3 years of UK FR so it's to be expected. Although his qualy pace this weekend was very poor. Looks like Perez and Meadows will give him a headache.

Lam Pak · 3 Jun 2007, 22:51 (Ref:1927995)

I fear Perez but I dont fear Meadows. Who is Meadows? Medium british driver. 3 years of UK FR doesnt make Cheng the next champion, he had to learn after going to England with no previous racing experience. He defied culture and logic and age and experience. Now Cheng looks to be the man to scary in the british circuits and he always has the ultimate challenger in himself

runshaw · 3 Jun 2007, 23:25 (Ref:1928011)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lam Pak

I fear Perez but I dont fear Meadows. Who is Meadows? Medium british driver. 3 years of UK FR doesnt make Cheng the next champion, he had to learn after going to England with no previous racing experience. He defied culture and logic and age and experience. Now Cheng looks to be the man to scary in the british circuits and he always has the ultimate challenger in himself

Meadows was vice-champion in UK FBMW rookie ch'ship in 2005 and 5th overall in 2006.

Cheng came to Britain as Chinese and Asian Formula Renault champion with a good karting background and up until this year was a Mercedes-supported driver with Lewis Hamilton. He has about 3 more years experience than most National class runners.

Go_For_Pole · 4 Jun 2007, 08:00 (Ref:1928142)

Quote:

Originally Posted by runshaw

As there is in every series in Europe. I think the BF3 grid this year is quality, even the rookies. If you want to see muppetry you can see it all the way up to GP2, in fact if there was a prize for muppetry GP2 would get it!

There is an obvious difference, in GP2 funny stuff occur in the middle of the field, not at the head. For example Maldonado gets a lot of stick for not engaging his brain, yet compared to what Mustonen did, he is a Prost. And by the way GP2 did manage a clean race at Monaco.

Quote:

Originally Posted by bella

i think the good (?) thing about the bf3 grid this year is they're mostly rookies, and all the rookies have limited racing experience. which explains why asmer has come in and soundly thrashed everyone

Problem is, so did Parente a couple of years ago. Wanna argue how those promising rookies evolve? Would argue at the time that BF3 had a strong field? I would think so. Looking back now would you argue that it was indeed a strong field? I seriously doubt it.
http://zeta.fota.co.uk/points.php?se...driver&event=1

**bella** · 4 Jun 2007, 09:37 (Ref:1928239)

i'm not saying it's a bad thing, and yeah, rookies have to learn their trade somewhere, and where better than in the series where they're planning to stay and win (one hopes).

but looking back at that year, i didn't think it was a particularly good vintage from the point of driving talent, no. and it still isn't now. but looking at it now it's interesting to think where people have ended up.

there's been quite a long list of people who have excelled in muppetry and thrown their pole positions away in the same way mustonen did (albeit not with quite so much... success). i'm sort of surprised he hasn't made that mistake and learned a little earlier on in his career though.

runshaw · 4 Jun 2007, 09:39 (Ref:1928243)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Go_For_Pole

Looking back now would you argue that it was indeed a strong field? I seriously doubt it.
http://zeta.fota.co.uk/points.php?se...driver&event=1

You don't think that was a strong field? Shows how much you know.
Parente: Currently 2nd in WSR, multiple winner
Kimball: F3 Euroseries race winner, WSR now
Conway: Honda F1 development driver (!) GP2 racer
Clarke: Vice-champion rookie in 06 champcars; pole-winner and podium finisher
Senna: currently 3rd in GP2
Stoddart: DTM
etc...etc

By the way, Mustonen is a bit raw and erratic yeah, but you can't compare him to Maldonado, he has raced WSR and GP2 in the last 3 years so has loads more experience and still messes things up (apart from Monaco this year). He's not a 'Prost' considering he has hit marshalls under yellow flags, I would describe him more as a 'Sato'.

Valker · 4 Jun 2007, 11:05 (Ref:1928320)

Quote:

Originally Posted by runshaw

You don't think that was a strong field? Shows how much you know.

Stoddart: DTM

runshaw · 4 Jun 2007, 11:28 (Ref:1928340)

Don't know what you're laughing at, she raced in 1 round of British F3 and now is in the DTM racing against Hakkinen, Paffett, Schneider, Green etc. I can assure you many drivers would like to be in that situation. Why has everyone suddenly jumped on the bashing British F3 bandwagon?

**bella** · 4 Jun 2007, 11:47 (Ref:1928364)

saying a year wasn't great isn't bashing british f3, it's just being aware that levels of absolute driving talent may vary, and those levels often have little bearing on where a driver is competing currently (pippa mann, for example : nuff sed).

roachy101 · 4 Jun 2007, 11:55 (Ref:1928372)

top 3 results from snetterton:
race 1:
1. Niall Breen
2. Sam Bird
3. Alberto Valerio

race 2:
1. Marko Asmer
2. Alberto Valerio
3. Sam Bird

Looks like Carlin had a good weekend

runshaw · 4 Jun 2007, 12:09 (Ref:1928382)

Quote:

Originally Posted by roachy101

Looks like Carlin had a good weekend

Indeed, 5 podiums out of a possible 6. Interesting to see that Bird and Breen are ahead of Engel and Valerio, the rookies are right up there this year amongst the established runners.

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