2007 British F3 International Series silly season

[chunterer]

I thought it relevant to take a few Brit F3 useful posts out of a WSR thread and added them in here to help monkeyhead continue to expand it some more. Chunterer.

Who was the other fast Finn in Eurocup this year? Forgotten his name but he was mega quick at Donington but fell off a few times?

[Monkey Head]

we have euroseries thread and now should be time for British.

defending champion Double R racing 06 driver Jelley seems want to stay,and two finn Maki and Mustonen has tested for the team,and Jonathan Kennard want to join too.

one of breaking news is Manor going to back to homeland,and seems they will sign with Cheng and Female Allemann will race altogether,even though Cheng tested with Carlin.(would they race 3 car?)

Mygale set to join BF3 field and Watts has tested for them,but no further news on teams using them.

4,5th place man Engel and Buurman want to stay in (F3)series,but not sure on their team(just know that Buurman wants to leave Fortec)

Team Arena will join and Chilton.jr(younger brother of Tom)going to race with them.

National 4th place man Rodolfo Avila has told to Macau Portugaese newpaper hojemacau that he wants to stay in UK.

Carlin:Jarvis?,Cheng?,Engel?,TBA
Double R:Jelley?,Kennard?,Maki?/Mustonen?
Manor?:Cheng?/Allemann?
Arena:Chilton


*most of source coming from latest issue autosport

[darcym]

british F3 getting weaker by the year it would seem.

Please let watts get a drive, even in the unproven mygale, at least there will be some proven talen on the track.

[Monkey Head]

Originally Posted by darcym

british F3 getting weaker by the year it would seem.

Please let watts get a drive, even in the unproven mygale, at least there will be some proven talen on the track.

how?at least Manor and Arena going to join
and one more chassis(mygale) and engine(opel) like to join


Watts seems to be concentrate on porsche drive,he wants to go to supercup

[darcym]

how ?

weak drivers - and each year getting weaker

at least Manor and Arena going to join

doesn't matter if ferrari join if they are offering weak drivers a drive.

one more chassis(mygale) and engine(opel) like to join

Well no-one would drive the lolas as they didn't have budget to develop them, a new chassis with (if watts joins) low budget to develop......more easy pickings for the dallaras

Watts seems to be concentrate on porsche drive,he wants to go to supercup

I don't think thats what he wants, but he has always had budget issues so is now being realistic with his options.

[strider]

Some people always get negative about British F3 around this time of year, but it survives despite that. And in case it escaped your notice, this year's champion, Mike Conway, beat the world's finest by winning the Macau Grand Prix.

Apart those already mentioned, the Mansell boys should be out there with Fortec. Expect early confirmation of that. And Rodolfo Gonzales and Christiano Morgado should move up to the Championship Class.

I expect Cheng to stay with Manor and Engel with Carlin. I did hear that ASM were making overtures to Jarvis. They must want another British driver to win that title for them in succession to Gary Paffett, Jamie Green, Lewis Hamilton and Paul di Resta!

Not sure about Buurman. If he does indeed want to leave Fortec, which is likely to become 'Team Mansell', he could switch to Double R. I heard another nasty rumour, though, that he might go to the DTM.

Apart from Engel, Carlin will get some good guys. I believe Sam Bird tested for them a while back.

The Mygale(s) will have Mercedes engines, btw.

[Go_For_Pole]

Originally Posted by strider

I heard another nasty rumour, though, that he might go to the DTM.

It is not a rumour, he will test for Mercedes at Estoril this week along with di Resta, Guerrieri, Elgaard and Siedler.

[cos]

Originally Posted by strider

Not sure about Buurman. If he does indeed want to leave Fortec, which is likely to become 'Team Mansell', he could switch to Double R. I heard another nasty rumour, though, that he might go to the DTM.

Autosport reckons Buurman is all set to join Merc in DTM with Persson.

[strider]

Well, that's a shame. Ditto if di Resta and Guerrieri go the DTM route. I suppose money talks and they'll make a living out or racing, but how much will they enjoy being cannon fodder for the big boys?

On a more positive note, Double R are also likely to run a 2-car National Class team. One of the drivers will be Pedro de la Rosa's protegé, Albert Costa.

[Valker]

Originally Posted by strider

On a more positive note, Double R are also likely to run a 2-car National Class team. One of the drivers will be Pedro de la Rosa's protegé, Albert Costa.

That's interesting news because there was a rumour that their old cars could be heading to Finnish F3.

[darcym]

I still think there are some tallented drivers in British F3 - wasn't saying its all poor. Wasn't slating everyone

However the general competition for those talneted guys is pretty poor in my view.

[Sev]

How about Oliver Turvey on the grid? He did an awesome job towards the end in FBMW last year, and he took part in the F3 invitational at the end of the season

[strider]

That's true. He showed good pace at Thruxton. Oliver's problem seems to be lack of funding, but perhaps there will be a helping hand for him on Sunday night, when the Autosport Young Driver Award is announced.

[Alex K]

Mygale has just bought an advert in todays Autosport. They want to come in :!:

[runshaw]

Originally Posted by darcym

british F3 getting weaker by the year it would seem.

You might as well wait until there is actually a confirmed driver on the grid for 2007 before saying it is getting weaker.

[Stocky]

So who's driving the Docking cars ?

[Monkey Head]

Originally Posted by strider

The Mygale(s) will have Mercedes engines, btw.

testing using opel just temporary?

[Monkey Head]

Originally Posted by darcym

weak drivers - and each year getting weaker



doesn't matter if ferrari join if they are offering weak drivers a drive.

I don't think thats what he wants, but he has always had budget issues so is now being realistic with his options.

weak drivers...sometimes that is personal opinion.

and then when fewer team says the field weaker,after team join continue say that,what going on?


Watts Supercup wants is told through his personal release.

[Lightning Bug]

Originally Posted by strider

I did hear that ASM were making overtures to Jarvis. They must want another British driver to win that title for them in succession to Gary Paffett, Jamie Green, Lewis Hamilton and Paul di Resta!

Paffett won the 2002 German F3 title with Team Rosberg, not ASM.

Concerning weak drivers, it's always going to be the guys with money signing up at this time of year. If it's still looking grim after Autosport International, that's the time to worry.

Wasn't too weak this year anyway, otherwise Conway wouldn't have won Macau.

[strider]

Originally Posted by Lightning Bug

Paffett won the 2002 German F3 title with Team Rosberg, not ASM.

You're right, I'd forgotten that! It must have been the last time the title went to an Opel-powered car?

Originally Posted by Lightning Bug

Concerning weak drivers, it's always going to be the guys with money signing up at this time of year. If it's still looking grim after Autosport International, that's the time to worry.

Wasn't too weak this year anyway, otherwise Conway wouldn't have won Macau.

The Mansell brothers have started the ball rolling for next season. Story here.

[Daisy]

Originally Posted by strider

You're right, I'd forgotten that! It must have been the last time the title went to an Opel-powered car?
[/U].

Nope, that was Briscoe in 2003 with Prema

Originally Posted by Lightning Bug

Paffett won the 2002 German F3 title with Team Wasn't too weak this year anyway, otherwise Conway wouldn't have won Macau.

Definately not weak, Conway, Jarvis and Senna are good drivers, but if I look at the Euroseries top 10, even top 12, I rate those drivers definately higher than guys like Engel, Bakkerud, Walker and Jelley for example.

[chunterer]

I thought it relevant to take a few Brit F3 useful posts out of a WSR thread and added them in here to help monkeyhead continue to expand it some more. Chunterer.

Who was the other fast Finn in Eurocup this year? Forgotten his name but he was mega quick at Donington but fell off a few times?

Originally Posted by Bezzen

Atte Mustonen?

Right you are!!

Wonder what he'll be upto next year?

Originally Posted by Bezzen

He's been testing twice for Raikkonen Robertson Racing so perhaps he's aiming for F3.

Wonder if he'll have the money?

Originally Posted by strider

I hope so. He was impressive at the Rockingham test and the team claims he was quickest on both days.

Sounds good.

Originally Posted by Valker

But at the Pembrey test before Rockingham another finn, German FBMW driver Mika Mäki, was faster than Mustonen in another Räikkönen Robertson car

Wonder how they'll go if they get out together on track again?

Originally Posted by Francis Albert

They are both really good drivers, and it would be a very interesting line-up for RRR if they manage to sign them both!

I'm sure they both did really well in those tests, but you never know the full story with tires, setups and so on. I heard that a few teams were already testing setups for Macau in some of those tests. Can it be?

Anyone got any further news on these guys?

[strider]

Originally Posted by Daisy

Nope, that was Briscoe in 2003 with Prema .

Thanks, I remembered that after I asked the question! Paffet won the last of the German F3 titles and Briscoe the first of the Euroseries ones, right? PremaPower joined British F3 at Spa that year and another of their drivers was Robert Kubica. Strange how drivers' careers develop...

Originally Posted by Daisy

Definately not weak, Conway, Jarvis and Senna are good drivers, but if I look at the Euroseries top 10, even top 12, I rate those drivers definately higher than guys like Engel, Bakkerud, Walker and Jelley for example.

I think you're underestimating Engel. Two poles, a 1st and a 2nd on his first visit to Spa tell you a lot about a driver. And you've not mentioned your fellow countryman, Yelmer Buurman. Christian Bakkerud is a lovely guy, but I sometimes wonder if he really has the hunger to succeed. As a second year driver, he should have been leading the challenge for Carlin this year, but somehow it didn't happen. However, it's also true that he had some terrible luck through no fault of his own, otherwise his results would have looked much better.

[kipper]

Originally Posted by strider

I think you're underestimating Engel. Two poles, a 1st and a 2nd on his first visit to Spa tell you a lot about a driver.

I'm inclined to agree. At the start of the season, I had little hope for him but I think it is fair to say that his form this year has been impressive.

[Daisy]

Originally Posted by strider

I think you're underestimating Engel. Two poles, a 1st and a 2nd on his first visit to Spa tell you a lot about a driver.

I still have my doubts about Engel. I saw him in the Euroseries 2/3 years ago and he couldn't impress me at all. Winning at Spa is always good but I wanna see him racing in a stronger field with not just 3/4, but more guys who are quick enough to fight for the title. I don't see him being the next German F1 star.