British F3: 2004 Line-Up

Mathias · 10 Sep 2003, 12:23 (Ref:714033)

Well, the rumours are beginning about next year's British F3 line-up, so here's a thread where we can exchange gossip. Any reasonably well-founded rumours you put up here, I'll collect together and put up on dotdotdotcomma, with a credit if you like!

What I've heard so far is that underrated Monagesque bloke Clivio Piccione has almost signed for Carlin (unless he gets a better offer, apparently - a better offer than Carlin???). Carlin are also looking at Hideki Mutoh, who is currently leading the Formula Dream championship in Japan.

Manor are looking seriously at Andrew Ranger - 16-year-old leader of US based Fran-Am Formula Renault. They gave him a drive in their FRenault squad at Donington last w/e and he came a creditable 14th and 10th (both from 15th on the grid).

I've also got news about Andrew Thompson, which I'm not at liberty to divulge at the moment...,

Cheers!

Daisy · 10 Sep 2003, 16:32 (Ref:714252)

BMW.WilliamsF1 will help Marko Asmer to move up to British F3 next year, unknown with which team.

Muppet · 10 Sep 2003, 17:06 (Ref:714323)

Stefan de Groot should be back in F3 next year (subject to lorryload of cash). I'm sure Menu would like to run him again.

noweels · 10 Sep 2003, 17:37 (Ref:714375)

Andrew Thompson is to become the hitech truckie i heard

x_dt · 10 Sep 2003, 19:18 (Ref:714445)

Will Piquet be back for a second season and a shot at the title?

carbontub · 10 Sep 2003, 19:59 (Ref:714472)

Is Andrew Ranger doing FR or F3 with Manor and who would get his free Renault V6 drive if he wins the FR series in America.

Russfeldo · 10 Sep 2003, 20:11 (Ref:714477)

No one. Only the champion gets it.

And I wouldnt refer to Ranger as being 'given' a drive at Manor.

littleman · 10 Sep 2003, 21:53 (Ref:714548)

One things for sure - any driver who is able to part with £400k plus will be in line for a Carlin seat.

climb · 11 Sep 2003, 06:54 (Ref:714701)

Any rumours about swaps to/from Euroseries?

piquetfan · 11 Sep 2003, 10:46 (Ref:714880)

Quote:

Originally posted by x_dt
Will Piquet be back for a second season and a shot at the title?

That's for sure, their original plan wasd to compete for at least 2 years in British F3. And to be honest, of the options left, F3 is the best choice for Nelsinho.

I just hope Jamie Green stays in the series, but some speculate that he's on the move. Where to?

Gaz · 11 Sep 2003, 11:37 (Ref:714931)

Well I was very excited about 2004 but now it seems that the grid could be full of rookies leaving Piquet to storm to the title unchallenged.

This week's gossip is that Adam Carroll, Jamie Green and Lewis Hamilton will all race in the Euroseries next year. Those are the three main names you would look at as challengers for 2004 alongside Piquet.

Danny Watts you would also see as a possible winner but he could be shifted to the Euroseries as well just as Fabio Carbone was.

Mathias · 11 Sep 2003, 12:45 (Ref:715015)

Quote:

Originally posted by noweels
Andrew Thompson is to become the hitech truckie i heard

What exactly is your problem?

Apart from an inability to spell, punctuate or use capital letters properly?

BSchneiderFan · 11 Sep 2003, 12:47 (Ref:715020)

Quote:

Originally posted by x_dt
Will Piquet be back for a second season and a shot at the title?

Tricky one, isn't it? In a sense, Nelsinho has nothing left to prove in F3, and will go into 2004 needing to win the title; anything less would be a let-down. But where else to go? F3000 looks too sickly at the moment; better to go to a revitalised F2 in 2005 as the reigning British F3 champion. Mind you, if he doesn't come back to F3, he can always take solace frrom his third place in the championship and look at the fates of the top three from '99...

Russfeldo · 11 Sep 2003, 12:58 (Ref:715036)

What happened to those rumours F3 Euroseries was going to get the F3000 schedule slot? Hell there's even enough timein the F1 schedule for them to stay as double headers. Now that'd be an oversubscribed series

racingdick · 11 Sep 2003, 17:11 (Ref:715315)

Russfeldo....Russfeld; from the states any link??

Muppet · 11 Sep 2003, 17:30 (Ref:715340)

Ernie Viso is rumoured to be going to Carlin. Was the same with Adam Carroll but he's looking at the Euroseries now. Billy Azaro wants to do the F3 Masters again next year so I'm sure he'll find somewhere competitive.

noweels · 11 Sep 2003, 17:49 (Ref:715371)

What exactly is your problem?

Apart from an inability to spell, punctuate or use capital letters properly?

just like his driving my english is pretty poor

littleman · 11 Sep 2003, 17:51 (Ref:715373)

Andrew Thompson - really nice guy working hard to improve.Has a really quick team-mate in Danny Watts and an erratic one in Eric Salignon.However,he's matched the Frenchman at most circuits and is never more than 0.5 sec off the pace.

Bobie · 11 Sep 2003, 18:41 (Ref:715444)

Andrew Thompson will still be there and next year I get the feeling he will be up there and so will Danny Watts.

Can't see Hamilton going F3, Lloyd from Formula Renualt plans too and probably will, Conway might also and Jamie Green will stay put.

The top 3 next year will be

Nelson Piquet Junior
Jamie Green
Danny Watts

paulzinho · 11 Sep 2003, 20:09 (Ref:715564)

What about Rob Austin and Adam Carroll? Funding I would guess is an issue.

Frank_White · 11 Sep 2003, 20:54 (Ref:715624)

If not F3 then where do u envisage hamilton going? i doubt f3000 and F1 is equally unlikely. i doubt that ron dennis would take the chance to put hamilton in f1 so soon and risk him crashing and burning.

but nevertheless ron dennis can easily arrange for hamilton to have a seat at the team which will be carrying the cheap merc engines.

Bobie · 11 Sep 2003, 21:04 (Ref:715639)

I can see Hamilton going into Euro F3 where he wont be so much in the limelight and then he can learn more with lots of eyes watching him, where as in Brit F3 you can not hide.

Paul Rayner · 11 Sep 2003, 23:05 (Ref:715719)

Quote:

Originally posted by Bobie
Can't see Hamilton going F3

Well don't watch F3 next year then. That's what he's doing. Whether it's European or British isn't known yet, but he'll be in F3.

JR Ewing · 12 Sep 2003, 07:57 (Ref:715970)

Isn't Austin going to try for Courtney's seat in All-Japan F3?

sgrok · 12 Sep 2003, 08:26 (Ref:716002)

I really hope Danny stays in Brit F3 as I think he has a real chance of being up there. Thompson too has improved all year and he could be the Rob Austin of next year, and as someone already said he’s a great guy in his rookie year and works hard (harder than some I could mention). Hi tech are a great team as well, really nice guys who’ve brought fantastic results in their first year. I think if someone like Davison or Carroll was to join that team it would be a solid all Brit setup and the team to back. Salignon would be better (and happier) back in Europe. I think hitech and menu will be the teams to beat. Carlin’s dominance may be affected by a switch to Mercedes engines, and also if they can’t sign any real stars. I think Piquet will (and should) win it.

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