Eleventh hour decision for Kerr..

play mate · 17 Apr 2003, 16:19 (Ref:572234)

Some good news!!

I found this on the Autosport website:

"Reigning British Formula 3 champion Robbie Kerr has secured a last minute drive with the Den Bla Avis team to compete in the opening round of the International Formula 3000 Championship at Imola this weekend.

Kerr, flew to Italy this afternoon (Thursday),The Briton will not have driven an F3000 car until he qualifies tomorrow afternoon.

“At the moment it is a one-off,” said DBA team boss Paul Jackson. “It's a bit of a wing and a prayer, but hopefully we can do a deal for the rest of the year. We hope to generate some interest from this race.”

Some good news!!

Russfeld · 17 Apr 2003, 16:37 (Ref:572247)

Yikes thats a do-or-die effort. Dont know the car or the track? Good luck to him if he can get off the last row of the grid

racingdick · 17 Apr 2003, 17:15 (Ref:572275)

im sure i read that his deal had fallen through and magnusen was relaunching his singleseater carreer

rlinter · 17 Apr 2003, 17:53 (Ref:572304)

Robbie Flew out this afternoon with team owner David Sears aboard a Private Jet from Cambridge...

BootsOntheSide · 17 Apr 2003, 19:07 (Ref:572391)

I think he was originally supposed to have been signed, alongside Nicolas Kiesa, for the full season, but they couldn't find the sponsorship. Supposedly this one-off will only be extended if they can find further backing, with Jan waiting in the wings if the sponsorship can't be found. Its a travesty that a gifted youngster like Robbie can't find the backing, but we are living in an economic depression (I know full well, I study economics, adn its very depressing!)

Russfeld · 17 Apr 2003, 19:37 (Ref:572417)

Well is F3000 that good a deal? it has a good time slot in a GP weekend but by all accounts the TV coverage isnt the best so its gonna be hard to find 1mil$

nev · 18 Apr 2003, 08:38 (Ref:572894)

www.robbiekerr.co.uk

DavidStHubbins · 18 Apr 2003, 11:19 (Ref:573042)

I remember Marc Hynes getting a similar deal and never being seen again. Dangerous risk. So many promising drivers have been made to look like idiots in F3000. Good luck to Robbie lad though.

Sato san · 18 Apr 2003, 11:25 (Ref:573048)

yer .lets hope he pulls it all off ok .

BootsOntheSide · 18 Apr 2003, 11:52 (Ref:573063)

Quote:

Originally posted by DavidStHubbins
I remember Marc Hynes getting a similar deal and never being seen again. Dangerous risk. So many promising drivers have been made to look like idiots in F3000. Good luck to Robbie lad though.

That's a fair comparison, but the situation is a little different here, as Robbie is joining a top team rather than backmarkers, and is coming in at the start of the season, with no disadvantage of everyone else having had much time in the car. It would be a terrible shame for another gifted British driver to disappear.

DavidStHubbins · 20 Apr 2003, 06:44 (Ref:574562)

Quote:

Originally posted by BootsOntheSide
That's a fair comparison, but the situation is a little different here, as Robbie is joining a top team rather than backmarkers, and is coming in at the start of the season, with no disadvantage of everyone else having had much time in the car. .

SAme result as Hynes though sadly...

2.7 seconds off pole and the car didn't even start the race - kaput

Francesca · 20 Apr 2003, 15:01 (Ref:574837)

shame

Russfeld · 20 Apr 2003, 15:30 (Ref:574870)

Champweb.net was reporting that Giebler was the first choice but couldnt raise the money

El_Gibleto · 20 Apr 2003, 19:45 (Ref:575075)

Giebler WAS the teams FIRST choice and he'd raised the funds. However do to FIA burocracy and Spin closing down for easter last wednesday, he wasn't issued with an "A" license, despite been qualified for one.

Mr Hahn · 21 Apr 2003, 08:19 (Ref:575384)

To be fair to Kerr, as has been pointed out, he didn't know the car or circuit and after a 30 minute practice session, he managed to get the car to 0.6 from his team mate, Kiesa, who has spent a year in F3000 already. The car was set up to Kiesa's preferences - ready to pitch you off if you even went near a kerb, ideal for Imola! I'm sure that, had his fuel pump not failed before the formation lap, that Robbie would have been able to outrace a good number of the people in front of him and probably even finish in the points. It would be a great shame if he's not allowed to prove what he could do, but if it's true that licence problems are the only thing stopping Giebler getting in the car, then we might not get to see.

Mr Jinxx · 21 Apr 2003, 13:21 (Ref:575592)

I hope Robbie gets a couple of chances - he merits it on natural ability, I think.

BootsOntheSide · 21 Apr 2003, 14:58 (Ref:575652)

I'm gutted for him, he did a really good job in qualifying, adn is defiantely worthy of a chance at this level, or higher, more so than Kiesa or Giebler who haven't proved themselves in anything as competitive as British F3. I suppose Robbie might be another of these talented drivers who misses out due toa lack of money, but I really hope not.

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