Formula Palmer Audi

[Lee Purnell]

Is it just me, or has this fine championship lost it's way a little bit?
When it was in it's first season, you couldn't help but read about it in autosport etc. The hype was helped by the fact that the first winner of the championship went on to F300, and he is still there. (Justin Wilson, Nordic Racing)
Last year coverage seemed to be down a little bit, and this year, all I have heard up untill the first race, was rumers of non full grids.
I hope it picks up again, as I think it is a good championship, people once thought it could get on a par with F3.
Now I am not so sure, what do you think?

[Dan Friel]

I think you're right Lee... This years championship does look pretty weak.. and most of last years front runners are still in it, so they have'nt gone anywhere by doing well..

You probably would have noted that lots of last years runners were in the Formula Renualt series at Brands.. I reckon that this is now second best to the F3's, with the FPA trailing behind... It was the best racing of the weekend in my book..

This year there was supposed to be two series, one British and one European. Palmer can't even get enough drivers for one grid...

Only driver that has actually achieived anything is Justin Wilson in the F3000's this year - the only reason he's there is that's the prize for winning last year!!

All in all, not brilliant.

[Super Tourer]

I've always been abit puzzled by FPA.

To me it has always thrown up curious results
and godd drivers never seem to achieve anything in it.

If you look at James Pickford,Carl Breeze, Danny Watts, Richard Lyons, Darren Turner, etc. These are all good drivers who achieved nothing in FPA. Yet some unkown drivers with little pedigree seem to do O.K.

It all seems a bit ringmastery to me, with JP seeminmgly controlling the whole thing, I'm not sure how even the cars actually are.

In Darren Turner's day he would go from grid 5 one race to 18th the next - which doesn't happen in other series.

I think it did well when FRenault was in a bit of a slump, but now its on the up - it seems no serious career drivers want to go to FPA.

Drivers I have spoken too seem to regard it as a bit of a risk , because of the fluctuating performance of some of the drivers. Overall the concept was fairly good but basically flawed, because drivers do better in a small team environment - as history shows .

[Super Tourer]

Dan

Have to correct you on this one. Justin Wilson actually won FPA in 1998 its first year and subsequently won the F3000 drive.

Palmer is JW's manager and somehow kept in him F3000 this year with Nordic.

Richard Tarling won FPA last year and his prize is a free EFPA drive.

I believe the winner of the 2000 EFPA drve wins the F3000 drive prize for 2001.

Confused yet ?

[marcus]

down here in australia we get little or no coverage of the palmer series..a few years ago we got snippets of it when stephen white drove in it but it wasnt much..from what ive seen (from those tid bits) it looks like a good class and has potential to be better than it is.
the cars look good and seem to be pretty quick ..what kind of lap time do they do compared to an F3 car ???

I would like to see more of it actually because i enjoy watching the junoir classes..this year i have seen some formula atlantic and Barber dodge racing for the first time ever and they both look great..But FPA ..havent heard anything yet.

[Dan Friel]

What a mistake!!!! I was actually at the last race of last years series to watch Tarling and Lyons battle it out at Thruxton.... I must be getting old.

So Tarling's prize last year was another go this year... well that's done his career a world of good!!!!

FPA was always meant to equal F3, but really hasn't got close. The only benefit that I can see is that they handle just like a F3000 car.. as proved by J Wilson's success against former F3 drivers.

[Mackmot]

Sorry but i dont have a proper view on this subject FPA is just c#*p

and as for interesting justin wilson stuff my best mate is going out with him

[Dan Friel]

What I don't understand is how Richard Lyons (last years runner up) can only qualify 19th in the Formula Renualts...

Where as Danny Watts, pants last year in FPA, can get pole and win straight off!!!

Something doesn't add up.

[Steve Hart]

I have a suspicion that in a way FPA is too much of a jump for many drivers. Compare Robbie Kerr and Danny Watts, whom I raced with in Formula First (they both left me standing, by the way). Kerr won the 1997 championship. Whilst Watts was winning the 1998 championship, Kerr did a year in Formula Renault Star Cup, winning again. In 1999 they arrive in FPA together, and Kerr is pretty quick and successful by the end, but Watts struggles along with two other hot FFirst guys Mark McLoughlin & Paul Munns. Now in 2000 Kerr is immediately on the pace in FPA again, and Watts moves to FRenault, where, surprise surprise, he looks good again.

As technical training for F3000/F1, I think FPA is excellent, but perhaps it's too accessible for youngest ex-karting types. In a way, FFirst is like a small F3 in that there's more grip than power, but that's not the case in FPA, or F3000, and that takes some getting used to.

There could also be some truth in the comment that some drivers need the team environment to develop fastest.

I do hate the Turbo Boost gizmo though, save that for Playstations.

[Dan Friel]

Now I remember these guys running in Formula First.. there were three quick boys - I think Paul Munn used to have a silver car. they all looked sort of dangerous but very commited.

I guess you were one of those left behind - with Richard Dunwoody also....

[Lee Purnell]

Having started this topic, I think I should make another comment
I still am a great believer in FPA, but I think they are a little too close in performance with each other. I think that that is why a driver can win one week, then come near the back the next race. Any small disslikes in track, of weather conditions show up so much.
It still needs a bit of time in my view.

[Super Tourer]

I'm not to sure about the arrive n' drive format for single seaters. It's ok for the Lotus series.

There is no such thing as an 'equal' series in my view. You could say that FRenault Sport is now an equal series but inevitably some teams will get much more from the cars than others, Manor motorsport for example.

JP has struggled to fill EFPA this year and had to amalgamate his two series and cut the numbers to get a 'full' grid.

It all looks very F1 'ish and but without wishing to be too controversial, seems to be heavily populated by drivers going no where
- Justin Keen, Richard Tarling & Derek Hayes for example and has left a whole trail of other FPA casualties Danny Watts, James Pickford,Carl Breeze who are dong much better in FRen. Even Lyons said in M News last year that FPA didn't really give him that much benefit.