recaro v.s spanish F3

schitarella · 21 Dec 2005, 16:05 (Ref:1488154)

Ok hello i have brought this up before but what do you think/ prefer between spanish f3 and recaro f3 for 2006? any info in spanish series would be really good (calander, teams, est budgets)

the recaro series is looking quite strong for 2006 with as some teams are joining from euroseries. also will have latest chassis (mygale's and lola's also running) , newest gearbox (later than euroseries) and many engines suppliers, 10 rounds, open testing.

anyone have more/ other info???

thank-you

jondownunder · 21 Dec 2005, 16:46 (Ref:1488169)

I'm guessing budgets in the German Recaro F3 Cup will be going up accordingly?

Here's the Spanish F3 calendar, as just reported by italiaracing.net:

9th April - Valencia
30th April - Magny-Cours
21st May - Jarama
25th June - Estoril
3rd September - Albacete
8th October - Valencia
22nd October - Jerez
12th November - Barcelona

flor · 21 Dec 2005, 17:12 (Ref:1488185)

I read an interview with a team owner who is switching from German Formula Renault to the Recaro Cup saying that the later is cheaper to run in which suprised me.

Russfeld · 21 Dec 2005, 17:55 (Ref:1488212)

would you rather vacation in Germany or Spain

Chimaera · 21 Dec 2005, 20:41 (Ref:1488320)

I had read in an older thread that Spanish F3 was somewhere around 250000 euros.

Marcel ten Caat · 21 Dec 2005, 21:04 (Ref:1488340)

Isn't Recaro F3 Cup seen as a 'real' F3 series and Spanish F3 more like a 'non-championship' series?

For example Ferdinand Kool joined German F3 from Spanish F3 last year and was seen as an F3 rookie.

German F3 imho is more towards top of F3 where Spanish F3 is just a step up from any other one-make formula series.

Eddy V · 21 Dec 2005, 21:10 (Ref:1488343)

Agree Stranger, German F3 is top level racing, with many of the old F3 school teams.

Go_For_Pole · 21 Dec 2005, 22:22 (Ref:1488391)

old school in Germany vs GP2 teams in Spain, which one sounds better?

Spain took a very pragmatic approach with their rules, I really can't see why that makes it a lesser series. Especially since it has produced some seriously talented guys in the last few years.

Roninho · 21 Dec 2005, 22:55 (Ref:1488410)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stranger

Isn't Recaro F3 Cup seen as a 'real' F3 series and Spanish F3 more like a 'non-championship' series?

For example Ferdinand Kool joined German F3 from Spanish F3 last year and was seen as an F3 rookie.

German F3 imho is more towards top of F3 where Spanish F3 is just a step up from any other one-make formula series.

Imo German F3 devalued very much after the creation of the Eurof3 series. The french dropped their F3 series and the Germans "restarted" it with the smaller teams and drivers with smaller budgets.

I'm not sure but i don't know any of the top runners in the new german f3 that moved on to a good seat in f3000 or gp2. The spanish f3 is a bit different as i understand it since that they use a slightly different f3-engine if i'm not mistaken. The serie is backed by a major manufacturer (toyota) and has a f1-test for the champion. Last years champ borja garcia moved to Gp2.

As for which one to pick: Both have managed to have low budgets compared to uk & euro f3. With the possible addition of eurof3 teams that exit eurof3 due to escalating costs & mercedes domination in german f3 this championship looks better for next year. But which one to pick? Imo i'd go for german f3 if your from the north-part of europe and pick spanish f3 if your from southern europe.

Chimaera >> I've heard 250.000-350.000 euro for both spanish and german f3. Euro and uk f3 are higher, topseats up to 700.000 euro (vd garde was rumoured to pay this for his drive last year).

Alfonso de Orleans · 21 Dec 2005, 23:16 (Ref:1488420)

Topseats in Spanish F3 go for 300,000 euros max since most teams have sponsors, although the cost is actually higher. Unlike other F3 championships, in Spain the majority of top teams have sponsors which lower the budget needed for the better drivers. It also allows these sponsors to see which are the good drivers and then help them get to GP2.

Basically it's a championship, that for a lower amount than most other F3 championships, you could end up with a fully funded GP2 drive if you are talented enough. Never mind that there is an F1 test with Toyota for the winner every year.

On top of that, two F1 tacks will be raced on (Magny Cours and Barcelona). But also Jerez, which is an amazing track to race on, regardless of if there is an F1 race or not, and both Spanish tracks is where F1 does most of the testing during the off season. So basically you come off a season where you learn tracks that you would most probably never set foot on and most important, you've had an amazing season since most teams test more than British F3 teams do...and it's always sunny.

Not to mention another top track, Estoril!

As for the level of drivers, I have to tell you that this season was extremely competitive. Definately not a walk over. Most of the drivers were on the limits and the racing even came to a climax at the first corner of the last race where 15 cars were shunted off! That last weekend had some of the best racing I have seen for ages.

Finally, to top it all off, the races will not only be live on national TV in Spain and Portugal (and maybe France, but not confirmed yet), but all the races will be able to be seen on Eurosport from 2006 on. Not to mention two weekends with WTCC and one with...GP2!

Enough said, you make your choice with that info.

Mackmot · 24 Dec 2005, 01:21 (Ref:1489534)

You forgot Valencia (WTCC, GT, MOTOGP) and Jarama (ex F1).

Also the B class is extremely good and costs very little for an ideal first year of F3.

schitarella · 24 Dec 2005, 04:02 (Ref:1489553)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alfonso de Orleans

Topseats in Spanish F3 go for 300,000 euros

--- an amazing season since most teams test more than British F3 teams do...and it's always sunny.

agreed it does sound very good... any idea of how much (how many days) most teams would test? and also how many Km's would a season come to about?

but would you agree that the bonus of the recaro series i guess would be the development side a driver would learn on the technical side, with new chassis next season teams would test and really develop the chassis/ gearbox side of things and so on. where-as a controlled system like in the spanish series (whilst s being very effective in controlling costs while still allowing drivers to learn how to drive an F3 properly) does not teach a driver the devlopment side perhaps as good for the future??

Russfeld · 24 Dec 2005, 07:36 (Ref:1489560)

I asked the manager of an F1 manufacturer that very question once, he said it didnt make a difference and that when you put drivers in an F1 car "you know what they're capable of in about half a day"

Alfonso de Orleans · 24 Dec 2005, 09:07 (Ref:1489573)

The top teams in Spanish F3 do about 12,000 km in a season.

Mr Jinxx · 24 Dec 2005, 15:14 (Ref:1489698)

Guy from McLaren said it takes them 2 days testing to get a real idea of a driver's full potential - he said you have to look beyond any initial pace to get an idea of the driver's psyche and ability to absorb and how he sleeps on problems overnight etc etc. I'd have to agree with that, not the half-day approach

silente · 24 Dec 2005, 22:51 (Ref:1489838)

i think both the two championships are very interesting, because of their high level competitions but also because of the very good organization about tv, magazines and so on.

Does anybody know something about the media visibility of the german championship? Tv, magazines, and so on..

flor · 25 Dec 2005, 00:04 (Ref:1489859)

In the first 1 or 2 years the Recaro Cup was live on free tv, but atm you can only see it in a weekly magazine like everything else running at Beru Top Ten weekends, i dont know about pay tv.

silente · 3 Jan 2006, 12:01 (Ref:1494058)

Anybody knows something about final prizes in the Recaro cup?

flor · 3 Jan 2006, 12:21 (Ref:1494067)

In 2005 there was 100.000€ price money, 10.000€ for the best rookie and a car for the champion.

silente · 3 Jan 2006, 15:04 (Ref:1494182)

thx Flor!

Do you know if something has been established for 2006?

flor · 3 Jan 2006, 15:39 (Ref:1494196)

Havent found information for 2006 yet.

Morcilman · 3 Jan 2006, 15:59 (Ref:1494202)

I am surprised of the litle reaction to the Spanish F3 Price. A F1 drive is an incredible price that only gives the Autsport Award and the F BMW world final, so is really a special price that is priceless.
I was expecting a lot more interest in such a big price for the winner

hotwheels · 3 Jan 2006, 21:40 (Ref:1494404)

BTW, does anybody know any names confirmed for both championships? Has Soucek already tested the Toyota F1?

Alfonso de Orleans · 4 Jan 2006, 00:14 (Ref:1494474)

Racing Engineering - Nicolas Prost, Miguel Molina and Marcos Martinez
GTA Competition - Arturo Llobel, Manuel Cerqueda and Manuel Saez-Merino
Campos Racing - Marco Barba and Roldan Rodriguez

In regards to other teams, quite a few are finalizing the drives. It's normal that the top teams sign up drivers before the rest.

As for Soucek, Toyota owes a drive to the champion, but they will be wasting their time with him. Won the championship by pure luck and does not deserve the drive. He has been doing Spanish F3 for four years and basically does not have the level, but Risatti's heavy driving in the last race which caused a 15 car pile up bumped him up from 4th in the championship to 1st. Go figure...

Morcilman · 4 Jan 2006, 08:38 (Ref:1494591)

normally the F1 test is in April

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