GP3 2015 season thread

[Biscuits In A Red Bull]

There wasn't one last year, which is unjust!

So a GP3 season thread is here, and the 2015 season is just around the corner. Place your bets on the margin Esteban Ocon will win the title by

Or perhaps Kirchhofer or someone else could take centre stage off of the title favourite.

Of course, Barcelona is the first round supporting the Spanish Grand Prix.

There's also no Manor on the grid and, perhaps more importantly, no replacement team. The grid itself has some talent but not the depths of F3, but nevertheless should still show off some of the brightest talents looking to reach F1.

Enough from me, discuss!

[ivanalesi]

I think at the end it might be Marvin, but it will be a big fight. Many drivers will be involved and it will be very hard for Ocon, because tire management will be a little more important this season.
Racing wise it will be a mega season

[steve nielsen]

Ocon did not impress me much in testing so far.

[Biscuits In A Red Bull]

Tbh Ocon had a late deal, but if he's not winning soon then that'll be a big surprise. Him winning immediately will be a big ask but one he's capable of.

[Rf1 Fan]

Originally Posted by steve nielsen

Ocon did not impress me much in testing so far.

Well if testing were telling the whole story Ocon would not have been anywhere near Fia F3 title last year.

[Biscuits In A Red Bull]

Ghiotto claims pole ahead of Ocon. Bernstorff and Palou 3rd and 4th respectively.

[Rf1 Fan]

Originally Posted by Biscuits In A Red Bull

Ghiotto claims pole ahead of Ocon. Bernstorff and Palou 3rd and 4th respectively.

Good job from Ocon even tough he had to do better in Sector 1.

But good start, showing no matter what he has the speed.

[10TENTHS]

Seems Palou's testing form was legitimate speed.

[Rf1 Fan]

Ocon blitzes the field straight out.

Who said there was any meaning into testing.

[pauln]

Ocon very impressive. Good racing from Mardenborough

[p-matt]

If Ocon wasn't in GP3 this year I really doubt this thread would be as active.

I'm glad they added the extra 10 minutes to the race. It was unusually lively at the end for GP3

[ivanalesi]

The old car was so much more exciting!
Ocon is leading, for me it's surprising because exactly at testing he wasn't so fast. We'll see how things developer for the next races, but it will be a tight championship with many drivers who had a bad weekend. At least Red Bull Ring will surely be action all the time.

[Rf1 Fan]

Originally Posted by ivanalesi

The old car was so much more exciting!
Ocon is leading, for me it's surprising because exactly at testing he wasn't so fast. We'll see how things developer for the next races, but it will be a tight championship with many drivers who had a bad weekend. At least Red Bull Ring will surely be action all the time.

Ocon have never been fast in testing since F3.

Let's have a look into combined times from last year in collective testing.

Hungaroring
1) Rosenqvist
2) Giovinazzi
3) Verstappen
4) Dennis
5) Blomqvist
6) Ocon

Red Bull Ring
1) Verstappen
2) Blomqvist
3) Giovinazzi
4) Ed Jones
5) Jake Dennis
6) Jordan King
7) Felix Rosenqvist
8) Antonio Fuoco
9) Mitchell Gilbert
10) Riccardo Agostini
11) Ocon


Imola
1)Max Verstappen
2)Jake Dennis
3)Lucas Auer
4)Felix Rosenqvist
5)Sean Gelael
6)Antonio Giovinazzi
7)Antonio Fuoco
8)Esteban Ocon


But Ocon admitted that he was struggling with new tyres at Estoril but then from Valencia he was just sandbagging in qualy mode.

Look at this instagram post and Jake Dennis comment.
https://instagram.com/p/15-__cA2fK/?...by=estebanocon

[Hawkwood]

Did anyone expect Ashkanani to be the top Campos driver after the first weekend?
I have been impressed with him (race 1 especially), although expectations are probably the lowest in the field considering he's been in Porsches for the last couple of years.

[ivanalesi]

I'm surprised by Zaid, great transition and also Celis Jr., whom I thought to be frankly useless, but he was fast this weekend.

Originally Posted by Rf1 Fan

Ocon have never been fast in testing since F3.

ART isn't Prema He just delivered in qualy.

[Rf1 Fan]

Originally Posted by ivanalesi

I'm surprised by Zaid, great transition and also Celis Jr., whom I thought to be frankly useless, but he was fast this weekend.



ART isn't Prema He just delivered in qualy.

Well it is true but when you look to Kirchofer laptimes back in 2014 he was not that fast in testing.

I guess it has more to do with ART focusing on their drivers learning curves when they are rookies.

[kotkot]

Ashkanani was smart enough to change to fresh tires as a backmarker when the Safety Car was out, and he almost ended up scoring. This will be a strategy used by many later on.

[chunterer]

Originally Posted by ivanalesi

I'm surprised by Zaid, great transition and also Celis Jr., whom I thought to be frankly useless, but he was fast this weekend.



ART isn't Prema He just delivered in qualy.

Celis looked half handy at Motorland 3.5 recently so he is a driver on an upward development curve.

[10TENTHS]

Celis is 18, he's got time to get better. 2014 was a case of stepping up too soon.

[Biscuits In A Red Bull]

Well, Ghiotti claims a second pole, again ahead of Ocon. Hopefully Palou can convert his mega pace into race results this time from 3rd on the grid.

[Rf1 Fan]

Ghiotto wins Race 1.

ART GP struggled with Tyre management.

Ocon was able to salvage a podium even though i wonder if there was more pace in Ocon as he did set a 1.24.2 in last lap, not knowing where the limit was for tyre.

Kirchofer and Celis had a struggle.

[Biscuits In A Red Bull]

Tunjo drives through the field from 9th on the grid to win. Fuoco pulled the full Grosjean on Stuvik. Ghiotto shoved Bernstorff onto the grass on the last lap. If those moves were pulled in Euro F3, the FIA would've held a meeting to tell the drivers that they can't drive.

However, they weren't, and the race itself was brilliant.

[BtccLee]

What's changed in GP3? How come they can race wheel to wheel all of a sudden?

[p-matt]

The first race is 10 mins longer, so the tyres go off slightly towards the end of the race

[Biscuits In A Red Bull]

Kirchhofer wins from Bernstorff and Parry. Palou has absolutely no luck.

Boschung on reverse pole, Ocon only 6th.

Is anyone surprised at Tuscher being mediocre? Personally I waited for him to get to a competitive series to judge him, and now he's there he's done nothing special. He still has time to improve though.