Autosport's F3 Top Ten 2002

Shunt the Hunt · 23 Dec 2002, 12:44 (Ref:456095)

1. Heikki KOVALAINEN
2. Gary PAFFETT
3. Tristan GOMMENDY
4. Robbie KERR
5. Takashi KOGURE
6. Kousuke MATSUURA
7. James COURTNEY
8. Olivier PLA
9. Nelson Angelo PIQUET
10. Timo GLOCK

I would have put Gommendy second, not Paffett, because he didn't drive at the international races. But for the rest, I'm OK... and you, any comments ?

SALEEN S7R · 23 Dec 2002, 16:54 (Ref:456249)

I agree with everyone on this list apart from the fact I think Kerr should have been at the top.

SFonseca · 23 Dec 2002, 17:21 (Ref:456257)

I disagree with you Saleen. Kerr was beaten perfectly in Macau & Korea races by the other guys.

Daisy · 23 Dec 2002, 18:14 (Ref:456280)

Who's that Japanse guy at nr 5, is that the Japanese F3 champion.

I think Gommendy should at the top, with Kovalainen in 2nd place. I hope Gommendy findes a good seat next year.

Speedworx · 23 Dec 2002, 18:35 (Ref:456297)

Agree with the top 10. Heikki deserves the top spot, cos he ruled F3 from after the Zandvoort Masters. He should have won at Macau.

El_Gibleto · 23 Dec 2002, 18:41 (Ref:456303)

Remember that Heikki is the least experienced of the ten drivers, having completed only 2 years in cars.

Having watched him over the past two seasons, I have no doubt whatsoever that he deserves the number one position.

BootsOntheSide · 23 Dec 2002, 19:19 (Ref:456338)

Mostly I agree with the list. Heikki looks the msot likely deserving star of the future out of thsoe 10, and was truly inspired in the seocnd half of the year.

Not sure how the German series winner can be above the British one, when the British series is acclaimed as beign the toughest, and produced Hakkinen, Senna and Sato as well as all the top British drivers.

Courtney possibly should've been higher, as you have to make allowances for a guy who had a crash like his.

SALEEN S7R · 23 Dec 2002, 19:29 (Ref:456348)

Sfonesca I know he was beaten at Maccau, but for me over the entire season he was the best, Maccau was 1 race, which I might add a track he had never raced at.

And he wasnt beaten by a lot, dont try and make out he was at the back of the pack because he wasnt.

Shunt the Hunt · 23 Dec 2002, 22:15 (Ref:456436)

Quote:

Originally posted by SALEEN S7R
Sfonesca I know he was beaten at Maccau, but for me over the entire season he was the best, Maccau was 1 race, which I might add a track he had never raced at.

And he wasnt beaten by a lot, dont try and make out he was at the back of the pack because he wasnt.

Kerr was maybe very good in Britain... but in the international races - Zandvoort and Macau especially - nobody saw him... whereas Kova was extremely brilliant at both Zandvoort and Macau.

Shunt the Hunt · 23 Dec 2002, 22:17 (Ref:456439)

Quote:

Originally posted by Daisy
Who's that Japanse guy at nr 5, is that the Japanese F3 champion.

Kogure won the Japanese championship with 11 wins (in 20 races). He was third at Macau (and best rookie) and second in Korea... he's very talented.

Shunt the Hunt · 23 Dec 2002, 22:22 (Ref:456442)

Quote:

Not sure how the German series winner can be above the British one, when the British series is acclaimed as beign the toughest, and produced Hakkinen, Senna and Sato as well as all the top British drivers.

Maybe but the ex-German series produced Michael Schumacher, Heinz-Harald Frentzen, Karl Wandlinger, Tom Kristensen, Bernd Schneider, Ralf Schumacher, Nick Heidfeld, Jarno Trulli, Giorgio Pantano and so on...

Shunt the Hunt · 23 Dec 2002, 22:46 (Ref:456456)

Look at the results of the two main international races these past two years.

Zandvoort :

2002 : Carbone (British F3)
2001 : Sato (British F3)
2000 : Cochet (French F3)
1999 : Hynes (British F3)
1998 : Saelens (French F3)
1997 : Coronel (Japanese F3)
1996 : Mollekens (German F3)
1995 : Fontana (German F3)
1994 : Rees (British F3)
1993 : Verstappen (German F3)
1992 : Lamy (German F3)

* MACAU

2002 : Gommendy (French F3)
2001 : Sato (British F3)
2000 : Couto (German F3)
1999 : Manning (Japanese F3)
1998 : Dumbreck (Japanese F3)
1997 : Ayari (French F3)
1996 : Firman (British F3)
1995 : R.Schumacher (German F3)
1994 : Maassen (German F3)
1993 : Müller (German F3)
1992 : Rydell (Japanese F3)

With only two wins at Macau, four at Zandvoort in ten years, the so-called British domination isn't so obvious...

...remember that this year, three of the four international races had been won by a driver from the French series : Derlot at Pau, Gommendy at Macau, Pla in Korea... Gommendy and Pla were also second and third at Zandvoort.

El_Gibleto · 23 Dec 2002, 22:59 (Ref:456465)

Kurt Mollens was driving for ADR a British F3 team.

flor · 23 Dec 2002, 23:52 (Ref:456495)

all the last years opel(and thats the engine used by the most german teams) havent build an engine for international rules, so they used the german championship engine which was configurated for catalyst and muffler(?) and other fuel which made the engines quite a bit slower

you also shouldnt underestimate the different tyres in the championships and the international races

rlinter · 24 Dec 2002, 01:23 (Ref:456526)

Quote:

Originally posted by SFonseca
I disagree with you Saleen. Kerr was beaten perfectly in Macau & Korea races by the other guys.

Sorry can't agree there, Kerr didn't start in korea so that can't count and he got taken out in Macau due to no fault of his own.

The Autosnort list is fairly spot on in my book however Paffett above Kerr is the only black mark. At best it should be Kerr over Paffett but at worst they should be equal at least Kerr had the balls to do the international stuff.

high contrast · 24 Dec 2002, 16:39 (Ref:456856)

Quote:

I agree with everyone on this list apart from the fact I think Kerr should have been at the top.

Can someone pass me a tissue, I'm actually crying...

Quote:

Kerr was beaten perfectly in Macau & Korea races by the other guys.

Couldn't have put it better myself!

Quote:

Maybe but the ex-German series produced Michael Schumacher, Heinz-Harald Frentzen, Karl Wandlinger, Tom Kristensen, Bernd Schneider, Ralf Schumacher, Nick Heidfeld, Jarno Trulli, Giorgio Pantano and so on...

I strongly disagree, I believe many of those drivers were made before F3. I watched Pantano in '96 and decided then he is destin for a seat in F1. If he doesn't, I'll just accept F-1 really isn't about talent anymore...

Quote:

Sorry can't agree there, Kerr didn't start in korea so that can't count and he got taken out in Macau due to no fault of his own.

Kerr is a whinging little girl. He over-drives and then moans about how unfair everything was. A serious driver grits his teeth, puts their head down, and does the job. I wouldn't put it past Kerr to be thinking up excuses before the lights turn green. Never mind Kerr lad, chin up, for tomorow is another day...

Muppet · 24 Dec 2002, 17:56 (Ref:456910)

From memory, Robbie was one of best non-Renault drivers at Zandvoort. At Macau he was unlucky not to be further up the grid. In Korea he was on the pace before his big crash.

Yes he whinges but if he didn't get really p****d off for not winning then people would say he wasn't dedicated enough.

429CJ · 24 Dec 2002, 18:51 (Ref:456926)

It is quite odd, really: British champ is only in seventh, when the runner up is on top!? Personally I think, from the British drivers, Paffett is better than Courtney.

aussie_f3 · 24 Dec 2002, 19:40 (Ref:456944)

Quote:

Originally posted by 429CJ
It is quite odd, really: British champ is only in seventh, when the runner up is on top!? Personally I think, from the British drivers, Paffett is better than Courtney.

I must have had too much egg nog for this one!!! - please explain!!

play mate · 24 Dec 2002, 20:02 (Ref:456955)

Quote:

Kerr is a whinging little girl. He over-drives and then moans about how unfair everything was. A serious driver grits his teeth, puts their head down, and does the job. I wouldn't put it past Kerr to be thinking up excuses before the lights turn green. Never mind Kerr lad, chin up, for tomorow is another day...

laughable!!....

Oh the jealousy that comes with success......

*formula3* · 24 Dec 2002, 23:08 (Ref:457027)

Quote:

Originally posted by 429CJ
It is quite odd, really: British champ is only in seventh, when the runner up is on top!? Personally I think, from the British drivers, Paffett is better than Courtney.

courtney is an aussie...
is that what confused you aussie_f3? hey, i want egg nog too

aussie_f3 · 24 Dec 2002, 23:40 (Ref:457035)

I know James is an Aussie but.....

Quote:

Originally posted by 429CJ
.......from the British drivers, Paffett is better than Courtney.

Thats the bit that got me...!!! I'm easily confused this morning!!

Merry Xmas F3...I'll have an egg nog for you!

*formula3* · 24 Dec 2002, 23:47 (Ref:457038)

i didn´t mean you by saying courtney is an aussie...someonewith a nick like you should know

but i guess that 429CJ thinks that james is british...
so just leave british out and say "from these drivers, paffett is better than courtney" and everything is fine
anyways, cheers aussi_f3...and don´t drink too much egg nog or santa will fall over you laying anywhere in the living-room

429CJ · 28 Dec 2002, 17:33 (Ref:458972)

Maybe you Ozzies should change yours names to something more Australian, like Walla Walla, or Kookaburra.

I knew Ryan Briscoe being Australian, but James Courtney, too. Well, now I know...

Cybertiger · 14 Jan 2003, 23:08 (Ref:474554)

High Contrast, what your problem seems to be with Robbie Kerr I don't know?! Play Mate has probably got it right- jealousy maybe? Robbie drives a car to win races- only a few times this year did he have to restrain himself in the name of points scoring. If all drivers did as he does and wanted to win, not just finish, then single seater racing would be far more exciting. Kerr has always had to do things the hard way- lacking budgets etc, yet he still puts others to shame! The only problem with that list is that Rob should be at the top; once he is given the opportunity, and he will be- we'll have the new Mansell within 5 years. The difference is, he'll probably win CART first- then F1!

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