British F3 Silly Season 2009

[strider]

The test is going ahead and I imagine the session times will be 10.00am to 13.00pm in the morning and 14.00pm to 17.00pm in the afternoon.

Unfortunately there will be no live timing, but I hope it will be possible to download the session times in .pdf format from here.

[danberry]

Ok thanks for that strider.

[TIMELORD]

Hopefully it'll stay dry for the test tomorrow. Thetford is currently forecasted as being 'cloudy', while Norwich is down for 'drizzle':
http://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/5day.shtml?id=2226

[Alex K]

Are we expecting only 13 confirmed drivers or some add-ons to the entry list?

[strider]

I was told 17 earlier this evening with a couple of possibles amongst them.

By the way, I predict that Daniel Ricciardo will be Rookie of the Year, OK? That's on the record.

[alias99]

i would like to go on record to say that he will win the championship

[strider]

Fair enough, he may very well do an Alguersuari. My only thought is that there are some good second year drivers in there as well.

Oli Oakes has been fastest in the morning session at Snetterton. It was wet to begin with but is drying out nicely now.

It's amazing what you can discover if you have a friend there who is also on Skype...

[alias99]

any possibility of getting some of the other positions?

[Valker]

Originally Posted by alias99

any possibility of getting some of the other positions?

http://tsl-timing.com/bf3gt/2009/90917bf3.pdf

[Go_For_Pole]

Fortec running a SLC?! Mistake?

[strider]

Originally Posted by Go_For_Pole

Fortec running a SLC?! Mistake?

Yes, I made a phone call... It's a Dallara F307 Mugen-Honda.

The afternoon and combined times are now up. Riki Christodoulou fastest and very quick.

[El_Gibleto]

was a typo, Dan was in a Dallara 307

[chunterer]

Originally Posted by strider

The afternoon and combined times are now up. Riki Christodoulou fastest and very quick.

Ah ha, as we kind of suspected when the WSR news went quiet, could one or either of them end up inking Brit F3 deals now?

[El_Gibleto]

I think Adam has committed to racing in Star Mazda with Anderson Racing in the USA. It's a good series and financially is a very sensible option.

[Go_For_Pole]

Thanks for the info strider and El_Gibleto

By the way, where is Ultimate?

[strider]

Originally Posted by Go_For_Pole

Thanks for the info strider and El_Gibleto

By the way, where is Ultimate?

No problem.

Ultimate had to miss today, but may be out in Pembrey later in the week. There must be at least 2 more cars there. Niall Breen? Andy Meyrick? Sam Abay?

[strider]

Originally Posted by strider

Ultimate had to miss today, but may be out in Pembrey later in the week.

Ditto JTR, by the way. Nick Tandy is one of the title favourites in my book.

Oh, and now Hitech seem finally to have committed to BF3 again, expect them to announce a team-mate for Jnr. with whom he can share data etc.

[Alex K]

Strider, news on Adam, I don't buy his link with Andersen Racing, I know it's best team out there, very good financial option, the best in Star Mazda, but... he was one of the best backed drivers in FR2.0, and if he does commit himself to STar Mazda, he'll lose a year, look at Buzaid, Riki and Alex...

Strider, is that Dallara which Oli uses HIS Dallara with that dampers they tested all winter? He knows Snetterton pretty well, spent a lot of time in there and I think his time in PM session is not representative, they were probably testing different things, maybe ran on higher fuel loads, think he would easily challenge Riki.
Hats off to Riki for that time, don't know if he's tested there in F3 car already, but respectable time, I hope Adam will commite to BIF3S, cause Star Mazda will be complete waste of time.
And look at McKenzie's time in National Class car!!

Can't wait for common test, and want to know how Merc and VW compare with new NBE engine.

[Andrew Kitson]

Originally Posted by Alex K

I hope Adam will commite to BIF3S, cause Star Mazda will be complete waste of time.

I heard over Christmas he was close to giving up completely due to lack of funds. This worldwide recession is hurting. Hence doing the cheaper Star Mazda I guess, better than not racing at all.

[El_Gibleto]

Star Mazda has a serious prize fund to cover not only payments after each meeting, but also a very significant end of season award that means the championship winner has a large portion of his budget for F Atlantic the following season if he choses to go that route. The series has good media coverage and races on a wide range of circuit types.

Hardly a 'waste of time'. Financially and racing wise going the Star Mazda route is a sensible one for Adam.

[wannab-aracer]

Russian Max Snegirev confirmed at West-Tec in national class using Bridger's 07 Dallara.

Strider, the possible Breen and Meyrick combination sounds strong for Ultimate any more news on Guerrieri ?

[strider]

Originally Posted by wannab-aracer

Russian Max Snegirev confirmed at West-Tec in national class using Bridger's 07 Dallara.

Strider, the possible Breen and Meyrick combination sounds strong for Ultimate any more news on Guerrieri ?

Good news about West-Tec and that's the car that won last year's National Class title.

I'd say Breen is more likely than Meyrick at Ultimate. I wouldn't be surprised to see Guerrieri testing and helping to sort out the Dallara for them, because it is a chassis they have yet to race, but when it comes to racing I still expect to see Esteban in the WSR team.

I just don't know about Meyrick. There has been talk linking him with Hitech, but West-Tec is another possibility, even Ombra. At long last there seems to be a realisation that the Mugen-Honda engine is just as good as its more vaunted German rivals.

[Alex K]

El_Gibleto, I know very good about pricing, fees and awards in Star Mazda, esp. in the team Adam ran wth, as last year I broke deal with 1 of Star Mazda teams, but that wasn't my point. I didn't know about Adam's financial difficulties. Now I am less surprised he went to Star Mazda. When I wrote what wrote I thought he's still got good backing and found it strange to go to America.

Esteban tested Dallaras at Snetterton in winter very VERY respected times must say, esp. on day when I was there, I hope he'll move to FR3.5.

Meyrick and Bridger would be great line-up for TW-T.

[08u05]

Any news on what Stefan Wilson will be driving in 09. I've heard nothing about him since the F3 finale at Donington.

[Andrew Kitson]

Originally Posted by Alex K

I didn't know about Adam's financial difficulties. Now I am less surprised he went to Star Mazda. When I wrote what wrote I thought he's still got good backing and found it strange to go to America.

That is surely the only reason any driver from Europe would go and do Star Mazda, lack of funds to climb the traditional ladder. In an ideal world a driver would want to go from either FF / F.BMW / F.Renault to F3, then GP2 to F1. With an endless pot of gold it is easy to do this. Without it, cheaper sideways routes are taken or drop into touring or sportscars.