British F3 Silly Season 2009

[jordan123]

Originally Posted by Mak

I would imagine that there could be a money issue involved. Obviously they were on a cheap deal at West-Tec. (Hence lack of testing and proably reliability problems) Last thing JTR would want to do is strain there resourses by doing silly deals. The engine situation is also an issue and a costly fitting kit neccessary to swap engines. Nothing wrong with Honda anyway, so would be a waste of money to change and would not expect any objection from engine builders as they are sealed. Pity that he has so readily jumped ship after such a short partnership and will not do his reputation a great deal. A "good" driver character trait is that of one who sticks to his decisions and makes it work. In this game things rarely run smoothly and it takes a great deal of effort from all to succeed.

I wouldn't judge Jay until an explanation is given (if ever ) having met Jay on several occasions he comes across as a quite and level headed guy and it goes without saying he can drive
Surely its to his credit that he is not offering any reasons or excuses for the split

[Peralta]

Jay Bridger will be at Silverstone come May 2 with his own team Bridger Motorsport engineered by his ex engineer Teo Lopes of last year on a very limited budget.

[strider]

As there is no more racing for another 3 weeks or so, it's worth highlighting some anomalies in the BF3 calendar. At the moment the schedule for the rest of the year is:

30/31 May, Rockingham
6/7 Jun, Hockenheim, Germany
4/5 Jul, Snetterton
18/19 Jul, Donington Park
24/25 Jul, Spa-Francorchamps, Belgium
15/16 Aug, Silverstone
12/13 Sep, Portimão, Portugal
19/20 Sep, Brands Hatch

So let's see, that's Hockenheim one week after Rockingham, Spa less than one week after Donington (if it happens) and Brands Hatch one week after Portimão.

The venues may be fine, but the arrangement of the dates is rubbish. You would never think would you, that about a year ago the teams had specifically asked that there should be two weeks between rounds, especially foreign ones, and that SRO had agreed to this and said they would do their best to avoid back-to-back rounds.

The one I can see causing the biggest problem is the proximity of Spa to Donington. They will be racing at Donington on the Sunday and having to park up in Spa on the Wednesday. It can just about be done, but not if there is any accident damage to be repaired after Donington.

I wouldn't be surprised to see some further discussions about this.

[bella]

donington to spa is 2 days driving at the most. out of the circuit on sunday night, then onto a ferry that evening/early morning and park up in belgium as far from the french border as possible, then down to spa the next day. it's only 3ish hours for a car from calais so it's not much more than 5 + legal breaks for a truck.

portugal back to brands could be interesting - it's either a straight drive up through spain and france or a ferry from santander (?).

[strider]

Originally Posted by bella

portugal back to brands could be interesting - it's either a straight drive up through spain and france or a ferry from santander (?).

Depending on the comparative cost, I'd have though the ferry from Portsmouth to Santander and back would be a good option. I've been there once, but we bombed down through France, turned right at the border and did the whole of the Costa Verde and then turned left at Corunna and headed down to Portugal. Not the most drect route, although we were headed for Porto at the time, not Portimão.

[Richard B]

Jay Bridger to race with litespeed.
Apparently Jay is going to be running his Mygale with engineering and preparation from Litespeed under the banner of Litespeed F3/Bridger racing. Could be a good move for both parties.
http://www.britishf3international.co...ms%5Bid%5D=862

[strider]

Originally Posted by Mak

Carlin joker day @ Pembrey today. Any other team attending??

Don't know, but there is an official test at Rockingham next Monday, May 18th.

[Richard B]

Litespeed looking to F1 in 2010
Press release

http://www.litespeedf3.com/pressrele...h_F1_Plans.pdf

[strider]

Nick Tandy has abandoned his British F3 campaign in favour of the drive with the Kolles & Heinz Union team in the F3ES. Story here. It seems a shame, but there was a conflict of engine manufacturers, so it had to be one or the other.

I've had the feeling that JTR is beginning to miss Joe, so maybe the timing is not so bad.

There's a BF3 meeting at Snetterton this weekend if anyone wants to start a thread. I'm doing other things.

[ghinzani]

Originally Posted by strider

There's a BF3 meeting at Snetterton this weekend if anyone wants to start a thread. I'm doing other things.

Haha, thats told them.Whoever them are.

[Richard B]

Originally Posted by strider

Nick Tandy has abandoned his British F3 campaign in favour of the drive with the Kolles & Heinz Union team in the F3ES. Story here. It seems a shame, but there was a conflict of engine manufacturers, so it had to be one or the other.

I've had the feeling that JTR is beginning to miss Joe, so maybe the timing is not so bad.

There's a BF3 meeting at Snetterton this weekend if anyone wants to start a thread. I'm doing other things.

I started one on the 27th June but nobody posted anything...thought I'd got the date wrong! but there is however F3 this weekend... I know 'cos I was there

[TIMELORD]

Originally Posted by Richard B

I started one on the 27th June but nobody posted anything

I tried to revive it this afternoon, but to no avail!
http://tentenths.com/forum/showthread.php?t=116727

[strider]

See Snetterton thread.

[strider]

This is really a silly season 2010 post, but I can't be bothered to start a new thread!

The teams have suggested to SRO that next year there should 3 races per weekend, rather than 2, which would make it a 30-race Championship, which would certainly be attractive to drivers. Story here.

It makes a lot of sense, because it doesn't increase the cost of transport and hotels at all. Presumably there would be one race on the Saturday afternoon and two on Sunday. It's been done before at Thruxton and, most memorably, at Monza when a race has been lost to the weather earlier in the season.

They will probably have to change the qualifying format, but it's certainly feasible.

[Go_For_Pole]

ART will join the British series at Spa and Algarve, time to see if tyres were indeed to blame for the poor Masters form.

[strider]

Yes, indeed. It's a full strength assault - story here.

Having F3ES teams join BF3 at Spa is nothing new. One year PremaPower brought Ryan Briscoe and Robert Kubica, so it will be very interesting to see how they go.

I suspect they will have been encouraged by how well Renger van der Zande has gone since he switched to BF3.

[runshaw]

Thats a great addition to the grid, will be interesting to see how they go, because they are all good drivers. HBR Motorsport often do spot rounds of British F3, last year they had Campos-Hull and Shaaban at Spa.

[bella]

cor, that's going to be a bit interesting...

[Alex K]

It'll be interesting how they can manage Cooper tires, British teams moaned about Kumho during one-ff at Masters, had some difficulties, wonder if ART can be fast straight from the garage. Suspect they will, although they have four cars on grid.

[sauber11]

Van der Zande to replace Mustonen
This weekend Renger van der Zande will return to the F3 Euroseries. The Dutchman was invited by Motopark Academy team boss Timo Rumpfkeil to replace Atte Mustonen at Oschersleben.

Renger van der Zande is currently active in the British F3 series with HiTech and claimed several pole positions and podium finishes in the British series. "I'm really happy to receive another invitation to join a team and help them to make progress with the set-up of their car. My main focus at Oschersleben will be on the set-up of the car and hopefully I'm able to put the team forwards.

"I will dedicate myself completely to the team this weekend and after that return to HiTech for the British F3 series."
Buzaid to test for Interwetten
Adriano Buzaid will test with front running Formula Renault 3.5 team Interwetten before the Algarve round of the World Series tomorrow and Friday.

The 21-year-old Brazilian claimed his first British F3 win at Spa last weekend and now lies fourth in the championship with T-Sport.

He will use the two-day test with Interwetten to learn the Portuguese circuit ahead of the penultimate round of British F3 at the Portimao circuit in September.

[Alex K]

Michele Faccin in second West-Tec's National Class car at Silverstone

[Richard B]

2nd National Class driver for Litespeed at Silverstone, Indonesian A1 GP driver Satrio Hemanto.
http://www.litespeedf3.com/satrio%20press.html