Predictions/post race discussion Macau F3 GP

[F3lollipops]

Official confirmation of the worst kept secrets in F3...

Macau Formula 3 Grand Prix – FIA Intercontinental Cup of Formula 3

The battle to decide the world’s best Formula 3 driver in the prestigious season closer at Macau next month is shaping up to be one of the most memorable on record.

With a sterling field which includes the 1st, 2nd and 3rd placed All Japan Formula 3 Championship drivers, 1st and 2nd runners up in the British Formula 3 Championship, and 2nd runner up in the F3 Euroseries the stakes will be high and the competition fierce.

New additions to the provisional entry include British F3 Championship driver Dan Clarke who joins Italy’s Prema Powerteam for the blue riband race, and Czech Filip Salaquarda from the F3 Euroseries who will race with HBR Motorsport alongside Macau’s very own Rodolfo Avila.

Loic Duval has taken over the seat of Lewis Hamilton, who has had to pass up his chance for Macau glory, and the Frenchman is sure to be a front-runner with the crack ASM F3 team. Hamilton’s management made the decision to withdraw him from the FIA Intercontinental Cup of Formula 3 as they believe the stakes at Macau are simply too high for the talented youngster at this stage in his career.

[Asa]

Originally Posted by F3lollipops

Hamilton’s management made the decision to withdraw him from the FIA Intercontinental Cup of Formula 3 as they believe the stakes at Macau are simply too high for the talented youngster at this stage in his career.

So the stakes were not high for him last year? Oh yes, he is an Euro F3 Champion now and must be destined for the F1 World Championship.

I tend to remember that Senna, Hill, Schumacher, Hakkinen, Coulthard, Villeneuve, R. Schumacher, Button, Karthikeyan and Sato all did Macau at the height of their respective F3 careers. They didn't do too badly in F1 did they (maybe except Kathikeyan and Sato)?

Also, if Hamilton was that good, why bother with F3? Alonso and Raikkonen never did F3. (OK, Alonso did F3000 so he didn't skip everything on his way up from F Nissan.)

[racingdad]

I see that the Hamilton knockers are out again in force.

Personally, I would really have loved for him to go and kick ass, but lets face it - he has nothing to gain and all to loose - if I were Mercedes I would do the same (a company not a fan). If he wins, all the knockers will still doubt the performance and if he doesn't then they will have a field day.

Can he hack it on a street circuit? - look at what he did to the Euro F3 field in Pau, which is an evil track.

He has wiped the opposition of fast tracks, slow tracks technical tracks, speed tracks.... The boy's good.

[climb]

still not a heck of an entry list?

[Monkey Head]

Originally Posted by racingdad

I see that the Hamilton knockers are out again in force.

Personally, I would really have loved for him to go and kick ass, but lets face it - he has nothing to gain and all to loose - if I were Mercedes I would do the same (a company not a fan). If he wins, all the knockers will still doubt the performance and if he doesn't then they will have a field day.

Can he hack it on a street circuit? - look at what he did to the Euro F3 field in Pau, which is an evil track.

He has wiped the opposition of fast tracks, slow tracks technical tracks, speed tracks.... The boy's good.

i think asa not confusing lewis ability,just tell that many F3 stars didn't escape macau
and lewis can show he is a real king in F3 by taken macau trophy

even though i understand the decision of lewis(or manager,whatever),while recent year macau have many abrupt happened.....

[strider]

As far as I can tell, this is the current entry list:

1. Löic DUVAL (FRA) - ASM F3 – Dallara Mercedes HWA
2. Sebastian VETTEL (GER) - ASM F3 – Dallara Mercedes HWA
3. João Paulo de OLIVIERA (BRA) - Tom’s – Dallara Tom’s Toyota
4. Kazuki NAKAJIMA (JPN) - Tom’s – Dallara Tom’s Toyota
5. Robert KUBICA (POL) - Carlin Motosport – Dallara Mugen-Honda
6. Charlie KIMBALL/USA - Carlin Motosport – Dallara Mugen-Honda
7. Christian BAKKERUD (DEN) - Carlin Motorsport – Dallara Mugen-Honda
8. Lucas di GRASSI (BRA) - Manor Motorsport – Dallara Mercedes HWA
9. Mike CONWAY (GBR) - Manor Motorsport – Dallara Mercedes HWA
10. Naoki YOKOMIZO (JPN) - Three Bond – Dallara Nissan Tomei
11. Franck PERERA (FRA) - Prema Powerteam – Dallara Opel Spiess
12. Dan Clarke (GBR) – Prema Powerteam – Dallara Opel Spiess
14. Romain GROSJEAN (SWI) - Signature-Plus – Dallara Opel Spiess
15. Guillaume MOREAU (FRA) Signature-Plus – Dallara Opel Spiess
16. Fabio CARBONE (BRA) Signature – SLC Opel Spiess
17. Filip SALAQUARDA (CZ) - HBR Motorsport – Dallara Opel Spiess
18. Rodolfo AVILA (MAC) - HBR Motorsport – Dallara Mercedes HWA
19. Paolo MONTIN (ITA) - Ombra Racing – Dallara Mugen-Honda
20. Kohei HIRATE (JPN) - Team Rosberg – Opel Spiess
21. Steven KANE (GBR) - Promatecme F3 – Lola Mugen-Honda
22. Stephen JELLEY (GBR) - Menu Motorsport – Dallara Opel Spiess
23. Michael HO (MAC) - Team Midland Euroseries – Dallara Tom’s Toyota
24. Danny WATTS (GBR) - Team Midland Euroseries – Dallara Tom’s Toyota
26. Daisuke IKEDA (JPN) - ZAP Speed – Dallara Tom’s Toyota
27. Taku BAMBA (JPN) - NOW Motorsport – Dallara Tom’s Toyota
28. Bruno SENNA (BRA) - Räikkonen Robertson Racing – Dallara Mugen-Honda
29. Jo MERSZEI (MAC) - Jo MERSZEI – Dallara Mugen-Honda
30. Karl REINDLER (AUS) - Alan Docking Racing – Dallara Mugen-Honda
32. CHEONG Lou Meng (MAC) - Edenbridge Racing – Dallara Mugen-Honda
33. LEI Kit Meng (MAC) – Swiss Racing Team – Dallara Opel Spiess

Sure, a few names are missing, but there is enough there to provide a very interesting race. Who are your hot tips now?

[Monkey Head]

Originally Posted by foxy mole

As far as I can tell, this is the current entry list:


Sure, a few names are missing, but there is enough there to provide a very interesting race. Who are your hot tips now?

de OLIVIERA !!!!


GROSJEAN to F3 race?mean seat avliable on asian formula renault race

[John Weed]

Oliveira, Kubica and Di Grassi.
But I will have to go for Oliveira as favourite.

[Daisy]

I'll go for a Mercedes 1-2-3 with Vettel, Di Grassi and Duval. Of course they have to stay on track first

[Russfeld]

Who's been there before of the favored runners?

[Sniffer]

Top Ten:

1. Di Grassi
2. Perera
3. Kane
4. De Oliveira
5. Vettel
6. Kubica
7. Watts
8. Montin
9. Duval
10. Nakajima

[mllevy]

top 5 (in any order)
vettel
duval
di grassi
perera
de oliveira

[strider]

Originally Posted by Russfeld

Who's been there before of the favored runners?

Kubica was on pole last year and 4th in the qualification race, but I can't remember what went wrong in the main race.

Di Grassi was a conservative (two seconds off the pace) 3rd in the final, but he's improved this year, so he should be a contender.

In the order they qualified last year, Carbone, Duval, Watts and Perera are the obvious ones, but Montin's been there several times before and I think de Oliveira has, too. Sadly, you probably have to ignore Carbone because he's driving the sledge.

The Tom's Toyota engine is always strong in Macau, but the question mark is over the updated Mugen-Honda. I believe there will be five of them, for the Carlin trio, plus Montin and Kane.

Senna was second in the Renault race last year, but won't have the latest engine as the team is switching to Mercedes next year.

It could well be the year for a rookie to win, e.g. Vettel, but first he has to survive.

[strider]

Oops. Kubica was 2nd overall last year... Kinda makes him a favourite.

[flor]

Originally Posted by foxy mole

The Tom's Toyota engine is always strong in Macau...

yes because of their famous 300km (thats not per hour) engine

[Monkey Head]

Originally Posted by flor

yes because of their famous 300km (thats not per hour) engine

burned after 300km you mean?

btw, this year is de Oliveira's 2nd visit,last time is in 2001 with SRT,however he have crashed in the first leg,first lap pile up in lisboa

[F1 Prospects]

Kubica will be going into the race with a lot of momentum. I think the attention he is getting in Poland will really push him. He will be out to surprise a lot of the favourites and should run well.

[strider]

If you're interested in the history of the race, have a look here: http://www.formula3.cc/content/view/6369/40/

It starts by announcing that Romain Grosjean is going to race for Signature, but then it lists all the winners and podium finishers over the years. It's been an F3 race since 1983, when Ayrton Senna won and it's quite thought-provoking to remember the different directions the careers of the successful drivers have taken since those early days.

[karimbo]

Kubica is going to win. He is a specialist in street circuits and finished second last year. He is racing with Carlin, a good team.

Vettel has a good possibility: he races with ASM, but has little experience.

Does anyone know if Asmer will be racing ?

[Fiorentina 1]

Kubica for sure!

[strider]

I hope Kubica doesn't mind being tipped to win by so many people. Anyway, on autosport.com Loic Duval is saying that he is now the favourite, having switched from Signature to ASM. We shall see.

The action starts tomorrow. The action is spread over four days this year because of the WTCC finale. The provisional timetable is HERE.

The current local time in Macau is HERE.

[macaroon]

any idea where i can get the results for the weekend ? checked the macau.grandprix.gov.mo site but can only get the program and audio commentary ! can't seem to find the results link......

[strider]

The times and results are HERE. Just choose what you want to look at.

[karimbo]

Originally Posted by karimbo

Kubica is going to win. He is a specialist in street circuits and finished second last year. He is racing with Carlin, a good team.

I told you...

[bella]

he's got provisional pole. don't count your chickens