What happened to these great drivers?

[Fiorentina 1]

While visiting a web-site that listed all F3 results of the past 10-15 years, I came across some interesting names, that I remember, that got lost in the racing shuffle. What ever happened to these great 90's F3 drivers? Some went on to race beyond F3, but never made a career out of it. Too bad, each 1 of these 20 drivers had the talent of making it to F1, Champcars or Factory American Le Mans rides. Compare the talent of these guys, versus the guys racing in the bottom half of the IRL, and it makes you understand how racing is such a cruel sport! It's also interesting to read the names that got consistently smoked by these guys, who ended up having a career F1 or Champcars! By that, I don't mean rent-a-rides for 3 races; I mean a legitimate career!

1. Gianantonio Pacchioni
2. Andrea Gilardi
3. Steve Robertson
4. Andrea Boldrini
5. Jean-Philippe Belloc
6. Alexandere Janoray
7. Joao Barbosa
8. Kelvin Burt
9. Mirko Savoldi
10. David Dussau
11. Patrice Gay
12. Gianbattista Busi
13. Guillaume Gomez
14. Elton Julian
15. Federico Gemmo
16. Luca Riccitelli
17. Jason Elliott
18. Marcello Ventre
19. Jamie Spence
20. Gianluca Paglicci

Other great 90's F3 drivers who should be in F1, CART or full time sportscar drivers, have been seen racing some sports or touring cars lately, but nothing too serious. Those include; Colciago, Gavin, J. Gene, Clerico, Rangoni, Cottaz, Pescatori, de Simone, Simoni, Dufour, Werner & Tanaka. Plus Rossi, Higgins & Negri in Mexican or Italian formula 3000.

It would be really sad to add Marc Hynes to that list….

[R]

Which web-site did you visit? It would be interesting to see these results and the big names that got smoked by these fellas.

[fatbloke]

Kelvin Burt - ended up in BTCC driving for Volvo. Had HUGE shunt at Oulton Park which almost ended his career. Turned up in Japan for a while without success, but haven't heard of him since.

The rest I don't know - sorry.

[Fiorentina 1]

Here's the address: http://www.clarinet.fi/~spitkane/ Italian F3 is the best. Check Villeneuve, Papis & Mezzacane in 89, 90, 91 & 95
Also Brit F3 with Diniz & Riberio in around 92...

[R]

Thanks for the info, I've bookmarked that site. That was a really interesting site with a lot of info for us statistic freaks!

[Zep]

Steve Robertson
is Kimi Räikkönen's manager with his father (Robertson).

[Marshal]

Belloc was racing in the Sportsracing world Cup last weekend for Durango (ex F3000 team), and is a sometime ORECA Viper driver.

Riccitelli is driving a Red Bull Porsche GT3 in the FIA GT series.

As for Elliot, Spence and Julian, I remember all 3 from British F3, and the reason they didn't progress was due to being not quite good enough, IMHO.

[marcus]

I believe steve robertson went on to win the indy lites title and then moved into the BTCC with the mondeo ..but i havent heard of him since.

Gomez went to F3000 but im not sure what he is up to now.
andrea Boldrini had a crack at Japanese F3000 but hasnt been very sucesssfull over there...class list though but I must admit a few I have never heard of ..and thanks for the link to the site ..its excellent

[angst]

Russell Spence not good enough?!!! I remember in 1987 he struggled through most of the F3000 series looking pretty poor. He then changed teams and finished 2nd and 3rd in his last two races, the latter result from 26th on the grid. The only thing holding him back was a lack of backing, as is ever the case. Another name to add to that list - Gilles Lempereur - seemed incredibly fast and yet perrenially under-funded.

[Mackmot]

Kelvin Burt nowadays is helping John village with his F3000 Italia Team

and russell spence didnt he drive touring cars last year untill he had a massive shunt at oulton park the same weekend as the death of neil shanahan