Red Bull Scholar Nelson breaks Jerez track record

SALEEN S7R · 5 Dec 2002, 12:12 (Ref:443210)

American Joel Nelson broke the lap record at Jerez in the 1999 Euro F3000 spec car, on used tyres and on his first flying lap. The best lap previously was set by Renault F1 driver Fernando Alonso. Here is the full story...http://www.crash.net/news_detail.asp...7&language_id=

I wonder if he could win the Euro F3000 series next year? If he carrys on the way he is I woudnt bet against it happening.

Russfeld · 5 Dec 2002, 13:43 (Ref:443293)

Im allways skeptical of 'lap records' set on 'used tires' especially on the first flying lap

It needs to be put into persepctive. What other laps were done that day by competing drivers, what was Joel's fastest time of the day? Without that comparison the initial lap is meaningless

SALEEN S7R · 5 Dec 2002, 13:51 (Ref:443302)

No its not meaningless at all, he broke the lap record at his first attempt ever at the track in a car that is new to him! That tells u at least that he has a lot speed, he would have gone even better if he was on the new slick compound (which is 5 tenths a lap faster.) But he was on used tyres which makes his achivement even better everyone knows that new tyres have more grip than used tyres.

NME · 5 Dec 2002, 14:21 (Ref:443328)

I dont know about Joel Nelson's www.joelnelsonracing.com lap record in Jerez ... but he did have a great year in Formula Palmer www.formula-palmer-audi.com/2002_results.asp and also Formula Russell http://www.russellracing.com/asp/bod...standings.asp# ... it looks like the kid is good.

SALEEN S7R · 5 Dec 2002, 14:26 (Ref:443335)

Yeah I mean Id seen him race in Palmer audi this year and he seemed to be on the pace all through the year. I really hope that he does have a good year in Euro F3000 who knows what it may lead to.

One driver people have forgoton about is Derek Hill, while he hasnt been a star in F3000 he is improving steadily year after year this year he did have some good results for Durango and I woudnt mind betting that in his 2nd full year he will be near the top of the pecking order, not fighting for wins perhaps but for points I think is likely.

Russfeld · 5 Dec 2002, 14:28 (Ref:443339)

Dont EUF3000 have more power this year because of a different inlet? Im very skeptical of *anyone* breaking alap record on their first flying lap.

Then again at the end of 1998 Derek Hill got within .2 of Zonta at Jerez, and pretty much died after that so who knows.

SALEEN S7R · 5 Dec 2002, 14:33 (Ref:443346)

Thats true they do have 15bhp more, but its not clear in the article whether or not the car was running with the new regulations in place, so until we know we may as well take it that the regulations are the same as they have been for the 2002 season.

Mekola · 5 Dec 2002, 21:42 (Ref:443694)

Quote:

Originally posted by SALEEN S7R
I wonder if he could win the Euro F3000 series next year? If he carrys on the way he is I woudnt bet against it happening. [/B]

If his team JVA will be as good as it did in last year, then Nelson has chances to be one of the principals on the Euro 3000.

SALEEN S7R · 5 Dec 2002, 21:48 (Ref:443700)

Lets hope he does well in the series and maybe gets a seat in Internatioal F3000 or maybe even a full time test role in F1 perhaps, if he wins the title or at least finishes in the top 3 he has a good chance of either..

Morcilman · 5 Dec 2002, 23:56 (Ref:443779)

please, no ofense, but 2+2=4 and there is no lap record on a first lap on a new circuit on a new car. That is not true

SALEEN S7R · 6 Dec 2002, 00:01 (Ref:443785)

Erm the car isnt new its the 1999 spec F3000 car the track isnt new its been tested on before by the same car. So yes the lap record is true.

27tim · 6 Dec 2002, 02:09 (Ref:443846)

Morcilman, LoL thats funny, thanks for putting things in persepective!!!

Saleen, you did get carried away a bit in your first paragraph!

Joel is a sh!t hot driver, and good luck to him!!! I know he is going to go great in Euro 3000.

SALEEN S7R · 6 Dec 2002, 02:55 (Ref:443862)

How did I get a bit carried away? The only thing that I left unclear was is that he didnt break the outright lap record for any race car - which id assume seeing as hes in a F3000 car not a F1 car would be obvious.

The new parts on the F3000 chasis havent been adapted yet to fit the cars, also it remains unclear as to whether or not he was using the latest spec slicks. The fact he still beat the time set by Alonso in his first flying lap is a tremendous achivement.

If the F3000 car had the new airbox fitted and the new spec tyres I could understand people thinking I was getting carried away but from what we know he wasnt.

Oh and one other thing this wasnt the first time a F3000 1999 spec car had tested at the circuit so there was already a existing lap record for a 1999 F3000 spec car at the circuit. The lap record from 2001 or 2000 whenever the previous best lap was set should have stayed as the lap record I assume, so there really should be no confusion now to what he has achived..

27tim · 6 Dec 2002, 03:22 (Ref:443873)

Okay Saleen, I take it back, I actually bothered to read the article properly on crash.net...I see where you are coming from...

I'm sure Joel will go great I raced against him this year and he really was the class of FPA.

SALEEN S7R · 6 Dec 2002, 03:24 (Ref:443875)

Yeah I got to agree with u there. Hey Tim, nothing personal mate wasnt meant as a jibe.

JR Ewing · 6 Dec 2002, 08:45 (Ref:443980)

Quote:

Originally posted by 27tim
I'm sure Joel will go great I raced against him this year and he really was the class of FPA.

I'm really not sure how much that says for him??

Saleen - lap records can only be set under racing conditions, not qualifying, not practice and certainly not testing. When Alonso set his record he was in the heat of a long race on worn tyres.

SALEEN S7R · 6 Dec 2002, 11:00 (Ref:444051)

Ur wrong. For example Coulthard yesterday beat the lap record at Barcelona yesterday whilst testing. A lap record can be broken, it dosent have to be in a race. Unless ur telling www.crash.net that they dont know their facts of course?

And Formula Palmer audi whilst it isnt fantastic is more powerful than Formula 3, the cars do have 250BHP and 5 boosts through a 30 minute race and the boosts bring the cars power up to 300BHP, more than a Formula 3 car. Dont underestimate FPA.

ringo · 6 Dec 2002, 13:26 (Ref:444163)

yeah but it's only "officially" recorded if done during a race.

JR Ewing · 6 Dec 2002, 13:32 (Ref:444168)

Quote:

Originally posted by SALEEN S7R
Ur wrong. For example Coulthard yesterday beat the lap record at Barcelona yesterday whilst testing. A lap record can be broken, it dosent have to be in a race. Unless ur telling www.crash.net that they dont know their facts of course?

And Formula Palmer audi whilst it isnt fantastic is more powerful than Formula 3, the cars do have 250BHP and 5 boosts through a 30 minute race and the boosts bring the cars power up to 300BHP, more than a Formula 3 car. Dont underestimate FPA.

He may go quicker than the record but the lap record is NOT BROKEN as it can only be set under race conditions as previously stated etc. etc. etc.
Note, DC 'beat it' but DID NOT 'break it.'
Why do you think cars go slower in the race than qualifying?

I don't underestimate FPA cars, just the drivers of the last couple of years who, while competent, can in no way be described as top-liners.

SALEEN S7R · 6 Dec 2002, 14:16 (Ref:444222)

lol ok I was wrong. Whatever, he didnt break the lap record he just beat the lap record. As for FPA drivers not doing much Robbie Kerr is a very good up and coming driver and dont forget Daimen Faulkner who won the Indy Lights series last year and who has competed in Several Telefonica world Series races this year.

JR Ewing · 6 Dec 2002, 14:42 (Ref:444245)

They were pukka FPA years not Club FPA

SALEEN S7R · 6 Dec 2002, 14:49 (Ref:444251)

The cars are still the same as so is the championship layout, apart from the drivers arent paid I belive. Still Neilson is a great driver as hes proving.

I know that now The winter series is underway its only club racing, but the main season is a professional championship in the most part i belive.

Also the cars are faster than F3 cars by quite a margin and a lot better. Just compare the chasis of a F3 car to a FPA car, F3 should look like these cars in my opinion, at the moment they dont look good at all.

JR Ewing · 6 Dec 2002, 15:11 (Ref:444269)

I agree on the looks but F3s are quicker than FPAs and the chassis is much more modern in an F3 as the FPA is a spaceframe hybrid car, I think.

SALEEN S7R · 6 Dec 2002, 15:13 (Ref:444273)

nah, just look at the styles the FPA cars have a lot more grip and more power, a F3 cars top speed is 160mph and the FPA cars have recorded 165mph.

Im not sure on the 0-60mph times of F3 cars but I think its slower than FPA the FPA cars do 0-60 in 3.4 seconds.

Russfeld · 6 Dec 2002, 17:32 (Ref:444442)

Club FPA cars do lap times on par with Formula Ford Zetecs.

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