2013 GP3 Silly Season

[W.A Trichlorostyrene]

Post-season test at Jerez, day 1: http://www.gp3series.com/News/2012/1...in-Jerez-test/

Interresting to see the return of Miki Monras, after a one year absence from the tracks.

[W.A Trichlorostyrene]

Day 2 entry list: http://www.gp3series.com/News/2012/1...or-Jerez-Test/

Day 2 times: http://www.gp3series.com/News/2012/1...or-Jerez-Test/

Difficult conditions, apparently only the morning of day 1 was held on a dry track.

Ceccon quickest overall for MW Arden, probably a championship favorite if he stays in GP3.

Formula 3 UK champion Jack Harvey testing for Lotus and Carlin, is he looking at a move to GP3? Carlin also tested F2.0 BARC runner-up Josh Webster.

[ivanalesi]

Yeah, I think Harvey said a season in GP3 will help him a lot in graduating to GP2, you know tracks & Pirellis...
I think many drivers won't be at this year's testing as they'll be waiting for the new car. It's going to be a completely different experience. Hopefully it will be reliable from the word go!

[Go_For_Pole]

... and Macau.

I am sure there will be lots of quality in GP3 next year, having Jack testing already is superb. He knows the circuits mind you from his F. BMW seasons.

[ivanalesi]

Well, then there's no excuse for missing the title fight, especially as he's likely to be with ART following Calado's successful stint

[verde]

Not sure whether it's really a good move for Harvey. I mean, a Brit F3 champion can surely afford a reasonable place straight away in GP2. I wonder if he finished out of Top 5, for instance, and lost out to somebody like Visoiu (which is not a bad driver, but cannot be compared to Harvey), that wouldn't be good for his image.

If I were him, would try so hard to get a place in GP2, then World Series and GP3 would be something like a Plan C.

[Deemun]

Originally Posted by verde

Not sure whether it's really a good move for Harvey. I mean, a Brit F3 champion can surely afford a reasonable place straight away in GP2. I wonder if he finished out of Top 5, for instance, and lost out to somebody like Visoiu (which is not a bad driver, but cannot be compared to Harvey), that wouldn't be good for his image.

If I were him, would try so hard to get a place in GP2, then World Series and GP3 would be something like a Plan C.

Don't disagree but Jack is funded by The Racing Steps Foundation and therefore they will decide where he will be competing next season and at the moment GP3 is looking as though it's the favoured option.

[BackmarkerUK]

Originally Posted by Deemun

Don't disagree but Jack is funded by The Racing Steps Foundation and therefore they will decide where he will be competing next season and at the moment GP3 is looking as though it's the favoured option.

Slightly disappointing lack of ambition from RSF, given that the driver he beat in F3, Jazeman Jaafar, could well end up in GP2 next season thanks to Petronas money.

[cleanup]

Originally Posted by BackmarkerUK

Slightly disappointing lack of ambition from RSF, given that the driver he beat in F3, Jazeman Jaafar, could well end up in GP2 next season thanks to Petronas money.

RSF have got it right,GP3 is the right choice for Harvey, not only to get experience for GP2 but he needs experience of a competitive grid too, very different to this years BF3. The issue is Jaafar doing GP2, he should stay down in GP3 with Harvey then maybe the Petronas money will be wisely invested.

[gomick]

Was gonna say, is BF3 rated that highly these days - grid was pretty ordinary this year... Goodluck to Jack tho, you can only beat who you are up against!

[chunterer]

In a right world Harvey would step up as F3 champ to a decent level GP2 series and GP3 wouldn't even exist!

However for what it is, Gp3 is a well run series in its own right and he'll have to do what he can afford to do according to his mentor's wishes.

3.5 really ought to be considered as well?

[W.A Trichlorostyrene]

Estoril Day 1 line-up: http://www.gp3series.com/News/2012/1...es-in-Estoril/

Last ever test with the GP3/10 cars I belive?

Harvey still testing with Carlin. And interestingly enough, Daniil Kyvat will be testing with MW Arden.

[chunterer]

Originally Posted by W.A Trichlorostyrene

Estoril Day 1 line-up: http://www.gp3series.com/News/2012/1...es-in-Estoril/

Last ever test with the GP3/10 cars I belive?

Harvey still testing with Carlin. And interestingly enough, Daniil Kyvat will be testing with MW Arden.

Not a shoe in that the Russian's doing F3 next year then?

[Juntos]

Where are the Finns?

[Hawkwood]

Times for first day of the Estoril test:

http://www.gp3series.com/News/2012/1...st-in-Estoril/
Kvyat and Ellinas take a session each.

Slightly revised line-up for day two with Harvey moving from Carlin to Lotus in place of Brundle. Harvey's place at Carlin will be taken by an Australian with the magnificent name of Steel Giuliana.

[BackmarkerUK]

Is anyone else suspicious that Kvyat's presence at GP3 testing is him sounding out a plan for if and when he gets dropped by Red Bull?

[ivanalesi]

He's testing with Arden I don't think he deserves to be dropped, along with Vandoorne they were head and shoulder above anyone else in a 40 car field. May be GP3 is his next move, but knowing Red Bull they'll continue to stick with Carlin & F3.

[bella]

agree, i don't think he deserves to be dropped either. he needs to do a lot of learning still, but perhaps since da costa was involved in gp3 they've seen it could be worthwhile. it's obviously a very competitive series.

[Go_For_Pole]

Maybe he will be in full Red Bull colors, who knows? New GP3 might be better for Red Bull than BF3 at its current state. Anyway, he would be a very positive addition to the GP3 grid.

[ptclaus98]

Maybe they're getting ready to compare what they have in GP3 next year vs what FR 3.5 or F3 has to offer. With the money that they have at their disposal, it never hurts to play around from time to time.

[ivanalesi]

I'd love to see Kvyat in GP3, he'll surely be very fast in FR3.5, but then if you win it, what you do next? It's entirely realistic to expect Kvyat to fight for the title in FR3.5 in 2014 and he should expect that in 2015 there will be a free Toro Rosso seat. Da Costa is also on the waiting list, Webber seems to have developed a habit of winning at Monaco... It'll be a tough, tough decision for him.

[RF_Racer]

Brundle seems to be yo-yo'ing from F3 to F2 to F3 to just about every other single seater category.. He seems lost with all the choices out there.

[bella]

he's also doing lmp2, so i don't think that fits in with the single seater excessive choice arguement you're trying to use there

plenty of other drivers seem happy with doing a simple 2 years in whatever formula they decide to choose, or if they're really good going from one to the next. but what suits one guy won't suit the next.

[Deemun]

Originally Posted by RF_Racer

Brundle seems to be yo-yo'ing from F3 to F2 to F3 to just about every other single seater category.. He seems lost with all the choices out there.

Six seasons so far in single seaters without a single race win! In fact the only two race wins of his whole car racing career have come in club series, yet he is seriously considered by Sky F1 to be "Britain's Next F1 Star"? Seriously??

[ivanalesi]

This series is a complete joke, honestly just like Sky's "extra improved" coverage.
It goes down to the level when Kralev was talking about being hired in GP2 and his F1 ambitions on TV here.