Jordan's Track Talk

Category: Formula Three

  • Yeany first full campaign, F3

    American driver, Hunter Yeany will be stepping up to compete in Formula 3 for a full-time basis driving for Campos.

    Yeany first made his debut in F3 last season with Charouz Racing System, competing in Spa-Francorchamps and Zandvoort with his highest finish being 18th.

    The move to European racing followed stints of American-based Championships Indy Pro 2000 and Formula Regional Americas last season.

    He drove for Velocity Racing Development, he took three top 10 finishes from eight races in Indy Pro 2000 and finished in the points twelve out of thirteen races he competed in Formula Regional Americas.

    The American became the youngest winner of the Formula 4 United States Championship in 2020 which was his first year of single seater racing. Yeany absolutley dominated the championship winning 7 times times and taking 14 podiums from 15 races!

    “I’m really excited to announce that I’ll be doing the full season of FIA F3 with Campos Racing,” said Yeany. “I would like to thank Campos Racing for the opportunity and my family and friends for their support.”

    Campos Racing Sporting Director Adrián Campos added: “I should like to extend a warm welcome aboard to another young driver as Hunter. Probably alongside Pepe they are the youngest drivers in the field, but we perfectly know how talented he is. We will do our utmost to help him quickly in such competitive racing series and we are sure Hunter will reach his full potential.”

    My Opinion-

    This is what I like to see! I feel like he deserves a full year, it will be interesting to see what he can do having worked with the team before the season starts and during pre-season testing.

  • Villagomez stays in F3

    Rafael Villagomez will be spending his second season of Formula 3 with Van Amersfoort Racing.

    In his rookie season with HWA Racelab, he also competed in the Euroformula Open Championship, taking five podiums with VAR to finish eight overall in the standings.

    The Mexican, only made his debut in single-seaters in 2020 but already has lots of experience, he finished 11th in British F4 and 6th in French F4, before running in the final four races of the 2020 Euroformula season.

    “Last year was certainly a learning year for me, which I knew it would be,” said Villagómez. “The move up from Formula 4 to FIA F3 was a big step, but I enjoyed every minute of it. Now I feel ready to compete at a higher level and aim for points and podium finishes. Having raced with them in Euroformula Open last year, I know Van Amersfoort Racing very well. It gives me great confidence to have them at my side, especially since I know how dedicated they are towards this program!”

    Van Amersfoort CEO Rob Niessink added: “It is always great to be able to progress with a driver into a second year. Both driver and crew have grown close together during the season and despite Rafael moving up to another category within VAR, we know him well and he knows our way of working through and through. Rafael faced a steep learning curve last year, something that was anticipated. For the upcoming season, his approach is certainly focused on scoring points and finishing on the podium. Besides the fact that our crew fully supports Rafael in every step he makes this season, he also brings along valuable F3 experience gathered last year. Clearly, we are thrilled to get this journey started and are looking forward to pre-season testing at Bahrain early March!”

    My Opinion-

    Good move for him, he already knows the Dutch team well so thats already a bonus. It will be interesting to see how he does racing wise in Formula 3 with the team.

  • Stanek makes a switch

    Trident’s line up for 2022 is now complete as they have Roman Stanek joining them he is making the switch from HiTech Grand Prix.

    The 17 year-old made his debut in Formula 3 at the start of 2020 where he joined Charouz Racing System as the youngest driver on the grid. He scored his first points in the penultimate round of the season at Monza.

    In 2021, he finished in the top 10 four times and scored two podiums finishing third both times. Ahead of F3, the Czech driver won the rookie title in ADAC Formula 4 and took fifth overall in Italian F4 with three wins and six podiums across the two.

    “I am proud to be part of the Trident Motorsport line-up as it is a leading force among F3 teams,” said Staněk. “I hope to bring in experience and speed to help the team defend its 2021 title. In my first two seasons in the FIA Formula 3 Championship, I’ve grown up constantly, and I am sure that with Trident Motorsport, we will have all the components needed to compete at a high level.”

    Trident Team Manager Giacomo Ricci added: “We are proud to welcome a racer with such outstanding qualities like Roman Staněk. Despite being only 17, Roman is in his third year in the category and will bring the right amount of experience and speed. That will allow the team to continue its winning tradition in the FIA Formula 3 Championship. Roman impressed the technical staff l during the 2021 post-season test when he was constantly among the fastest drivers on the track.”

    My Opinion-

    I think this is a good move, I think this may be his last season in F3 considering this will be his third so he will want to fight for the title.

  • Pizzi steps up to F3

    Charouz Racing System has announced the signing of Francesco Pizzi who is making the step up from Formula Regional.

    The Italian racer only made his single-seater debut in 2020, but won the UAE Formula 4 title in his first season with three poles and 10 podiums, which includes 8 wins. In the same year, he also finished second in the Italian F4 where he had three wins and a further seven podiums.

    Stepping up to the Formula Regional European Championship by Alpine. Pizzi endured a more challenging campaign but still managed to score 12 points and finishing 20th overall.

    Pizzi didn’t take art in the post season test, he has run MP Motorsport’s F3 car at testing in Jerez in 2020.

    “I am obviously very excited to be joining Charouz Racing System,” said Pizzi. “I really enjoyed the work we have already done together in the last few days at the factory. This is a great opportunity for me because the team has shown that it can be the right place for a young driver. I intend to make the most of this chance while doing the best possible job for the team.”

    Charouz Team Owner Antonín Charouz added: “We’re very pleased to add another important piece to our 2022 line-up. Francesco has already demonstrated with his past results that he has excellent potential, we’re sure that he will be able right away to do his best working with all the engineers and mechanics in order to prepare for the first races and show what he can do in such a competitive championship. The beginning of the season is approaching very quickly and the whole team is already working very hard to start off on the right foot and build a season that lives up to our expectations.”

    My Opinion-

    I am quite undecided on this, I feel like maybe competing for another year in Formula Regional would of been better but I won’t write him off as anything can happen in motorsport.

  • Ushijima to drive for VAR, F3

    Van Amersfoort Racing has announced their first driver for Formula 3 and that being Reece Ushijima!

    Ushijima will be stepping up from the GB3 Championship after a title-challenging season with HiTech Grand Prix, he finished fourth overall with three poles, two wins and seven podiums.

    Not only did he compete in GB3, he also competed in the 2021 Asian Formula 3 Championship where he ended the year as the second highest-rookie in 11th place!

    The 19 year old, enjoyed a successful post-season F3 test with the team on Days 1 & 2 before he went to Campos Racing for the third day and he managed to finish 2nd overall in the afternoon session.

    Ushijima first started his karting career at 13 years old, he initially started in Japan but then moved to Europe. After four years of karting, he went on to the BRSSC Formula Ford Winter series to make his single-seater debut where he qualified on pole and finished third and second in the races.

    “To be racing with such an experienced and successful team as Van Amersfoort Racing is a great privilege,” said Ushijima. “Seeing how motivated and hardworking they were during post-season testing at Valencia has made me really excited to what we can achieve this year. It may be an uphill battle, as it is both the team’s and my first year competing in the FIA F3, but I believe we can achieve something special with our combined determination. I cannot wait to get the season started!”

    Van Amersfoort CEO Rob Niessink added: “We first worked with Reece during post-season testing at Valencia last year and he impressed us. It will be both his and our first season in this car, so for sure there is lots to be learned, but Reece’s determination excites us. His interaction with the team was impressive and he showed to be a quick learner. The level of progress he booked during the two days he tested with us is a clear indicator of his potential. We have been preparing our entry into this category to the finest detail and are absolutely thrilled to get going early next month!”

    My Opinion–

    This is a good move, definitely got the talent to be in F3 so it’ll be interesting to see how he does for the full season.

  • Martí promoted to F3

    Martí promoted to F3

    Josep María Martí has signed for the Formula 3 2022 season for Campos Racing, being promoted from the Spanish F4 with the same team.

    The 16 year old notched up two wins and four podiums in Spanish F4 last season where he finished 3rd overall. Following on from this- Marti took part in the post-season test for F3 with Campos.

    Last season was the first season of his single seater career, after having a successful karting career.

    “I’m delighted to continue my racing career with Campos Racing for a further year,” said Marti. “We completed a very strong work in 2021 and I think it’s the right choice to step up to FIA Formula 3 with the same team. I will continue learning and improving as a racing driver. We are extremely motivated to take up the challenge and give our best throughout 2022.”

    Campos Sporting Director Adrián Campos added: “Our goal was always to have a racing team being able to open up opportunities of improving and growing as a racing driver from kart racing to the F1 feeder series. Therefore, we also joined the F4-based racing series last year. Pepe is a superb example proving this because in my opinion, he is one of the most talented racing drivers who never have competed with us. We are proud because he has chosen us to continue working together. He achieved fantastic results in F4 last year and we now have another huge challenge ahead, but we are looking forward to completing a strong 2022 season.”

    My Opinion-

    I think this is great news! Marti is a very young and talentend driver and for him to already come into Formula 3 with just one season worth of single seaters says a lot about him! I definitley think he is one to watch out for.

  • László Tóth stays in F3

    László Tóth stays in F3

    Lászlo Tóth has singed on the dotted line to stay in Formula 3 but he is switching teams however… He will be joining Charouz Racing System after being with Campos Racing last year.

    Like many, Tóth began his career in karting, before he made the step-up to single-seaters. He has gained experience in the Italian, Spanish and ADAC F4.

    The 21 year old competed in the 2019 FIA Motorsport games where he achieved the best results of the Hungarian delegation in the Formula 4 cup with fourth and seventh. In 2020, he moved to Formula Renault Eurocup where his best finish was seventh and then moved to Formula 3 from there…

    “I’m very happy to start working together with this team,” said Tóth. “Last week I was already in Prague, met the team members and started preparations with the sim. The circumstances are very good and there is a high potential in the team so I hope that we will have a successful season”

    Team Owner Antonín Charouz added: “We’re very happy to welcome László to Charouz Racing System, he’s a young and promising driver who’s already covered a notable mileage at the wheel of Formula 4 and Formula 3 cars in the past few years and I’m confident that his experience will be helpful for all of us all along next season. I’m sure it will be no problem for him to find the best way to work together with the team and get up to speed straight away from the first test sessions”

    My Opinion-

    I think this is a good choice for him, he didn’t have the best season. It’ll be good for him to get this year as more experience and hopefully some points finishes.

  • Maloney to make debut in F3

    Maloney to make debut in F3

    Another seat has gone for Formula 3, this one going to Zane Maloney who will be joining champions Trident for the 2022 season!

    Maloney took the British Formula 4 title back in 2019 making him the first driver from his country to win a single-seater championship in Europe. It was his first season racing in single-seaters but he managed to grab 10 wins on his way to the title.

    In 2020 he competed in Euroformula Open, delivering two podiums in which he finished 8th overall. He made the switch to Formula Regional European for 2021 where he finished 4th in his debut season. He managed to grab a win as well as six podiums and one pole position.

    Maloney, tested for Trident in the post-season test at Valencia and impressed the team! He managed to get in the top 10 in 5 out of the 6 sessions.

    “I am proud to debut in the FIA Formula 3 Championship with Trident Motorsport, the queen among the teams in the series,” said Maloney. “Throughout the last season, I think I have grown as a driver, both in terms of managing the race weekends and in paying attention to every detail. Together with Trident Motorsport, I want to continue in this direction, and I am sure that there are all the ingredients to do well in the FIA Formula 3 Championship. I can’t wait to get out on track and start this new adventure in an extremely popular and competitive series.”

    Trident Team Manager Giacomo Ricci added: “We are delighted to welcome Zane to our line-up. He really stood out in the post-season test at Valencia last November. Zane adapted very quickly to the F3 car, posting competitive results both in terms of performance and long runs. A strong bond immediately formed between him and the team, which is proud to have secured a driver with good prospects with whom to compete in a demanding series such as the FIA Formula 3 Championship.”

    My Opinion-

    This is a good move for him! It was only a matter of time till he was in Formula 3. He impressed in the post-season test so it will be interesting to see how he does throughout the season…

  • Latest F3 Announcements

    Latest F3 Announcements

    A few more Formula 3 seats have been taken up recently, so lets take a look…

    Edgar to Trident-

    The reigning Champs, Trident annoucned that Jonny Edgar will be joining the team for 2022, where he moves from Carlin. The Brit, finished 18th with 23 points in his rookie season- he managed to score five top-10 finishes.

    He drove for the team, in post-season testing and impressed the team to earn a drive, he ended the afternoon session on day 3 in third.

    Jonny is also a member of the Red Bull Junior team, he has 3 years of experience in single seaters, which includes him winning the 2020 ADAC Formula 4 title.

    Trident Team Owner Maurizio Salvadori added: “Jonny Edgar is a driver that we followed very closely last year in the Formula 3 Championship. Although he did not receive particular results, the English driver impressed us thanks to his qualities. I am therefore very happy that Jonny will. be part of the Trident Team lineup in 2022. I am sure that he will compete in a top championship and will be a real protagonist of the season.”

    Correa stays with ART-

    Juan Manuel Correa and Art Grand Prix have signed for another year together in Formula 3. The Sauber junior made his racing return with ART last year, two years on from the tragic accident in Spa.

    He ended 2021, in 21st place where he had five top 10 finishes. When he was racing in Formula 2 he was a double-podium finisher scoring second place at Baku and Le Castellet with Charouz Racing System.

    Correa took part in the Formula 2 post-season test in Abu Dhabi with Charouz so he could get some more mileage underneath him.

    Team Principal Sébastien Philippe added: “Juan Manuel provided positive feedback by fitting in perfectly with the team and making progress after missing a year due to that pivotal event in his career. His strength of character has enabled him to rediscover his joy behind the wheel and to fight regularly in the top 10. In 2022, with the help of ART Grand Prix, he will be keen to take an additional step in his goals, to be even closer to the front and to participate in the team’s ambition to win both championships.”

    MP signs Smolyar-

    The Russian driver, Alex Smolyar will be returning to Formula 3 for his third season, but he is swapping ART Grand Prix for MP Motorsport.

    Last year, Smolyar finished sixth overall, with two wins and four podiums. In his rookie season in 2020, he ended 11th with just one podium to his name.

    The Russian, first made his single seater debut in 2017, where he drove for SMP Racing in Spanish F4 and SMP F4. He finished third in both series. He then went on to spend the next two years in the Formula Renault Eurocup.

    “It’s great news that Alex and SMP Racing have put their faith in MP for this year’s FIA F3 Championship”, said MP Motorsport team principal Sander Dorsman. “Alex is arguably one of the best drivers to stay in the category for another season, and his vast knowledge of the car and the circuits will serve us well as we look forward to a strong season.”

    My Opinion-

    The move for Jonny is the right one, I feel like we will see a different driver this year in him. He will be wanting to help the team fight for the Championship again.

    Correa has a good relationship with ART GP, and its only right that he stays with them I think. I feel like him staying in F3 this year is the right decision, hopefully we will see him make an appearance in the top 10 more consistently this year!

    Smolyar, I feel like ART GP wasn’t the right fit for him. Yes he has done well in his first two years in F3 but I feel like MP will help make that step forward. It will be interesting to see how he does with a new team.

  • Isack Hadjar F3’s newest RB junior

    Isack Hadjar will become Formula 3’s newest Red Bull junior in 2022, in which he is making the step up with Hitech Grand Prix.

    He will be making his debut with the team in the Formula Regional Asian Championship before linking up with the team for a full campaign of F3.

    He joined the team for post-season testing in Valencia where he impressed the British team with a top 10 finish on the 3rd morning.

    In 2021, the 17 year old took sixth place in the Asian F3 Championship with five podiums before he competed in the inaugural Formula Regional European campaign, where he finished fifth with five podiums which included two wins.

    Hadjar, also arrives to Formula 3 with two years experience in French Formula 4, where he challenged for the title in 2020, in which he ended 3rd with three wins and eight podiums!

    “I am really happy to race with Hitech for a full campaign in FIA F3 and Formula Regional Asia,” said Hadjar. “I’m excited to see what we are able to achieve together and be working with a new team as I make my step up. There will be a lot to take in and plenty to learn, but I am ready for the challenge! Thanks to Red Bull for their support.”

  • Jak stays in F3

    Jak stays in F3

    Prema, have now completed their 2022 line-up with Jak Crawford taking the final seat.

    The Red Bull junior, made his debut in Formula 3 in 2021 with HiTech Grand Prix, he finished 13th overall, also in 2021 Jak competed in Euroformula Open Championship where he finished 3rd overall, even after missing two rounds due to his commitment to F3.

    The American, made his debut with Prema at post-season testing in Valencia where he finished five out of the six session in the top 10 and led the second day overall.

    Crawford started his single-seater career in 2018 where he took second place in the NACAM Formula 4 Championship and moving to the USF 2000 Championship for 2019. In 2020, he made the move to the European racing scene where he joined the Red Bull junior team as well as finishing second in the ADAC Formula 4 Championship.

    “I’m very excited to be joining PREMA for a second season of FIA F3 as well as contesting the Formula Regional Asian Championship with them. I am very much looking forward to building on what I learned last year in my rookie season, and hoping to emulate the success that other drivers have had with the team in the past. FIA F3 will be the main focus for me this year and I am eager to get the season underway.” said Crawford.

    “We have always kept a close eye on Jak,” added PREMA Team Principal René Rosin. “He established himself as one of the most promising drivers since his Formula 4 days, and finally working together will be extremely interesting. I’m sure that there is enough potential to aim high for 2022. We already had the chance to work with him in testing, and we look forward to continuing that process in the Formula Regional Asian Championship. I’m equally delighted to continue our work with the Red Bull Junior Team in order to develop the next generation of high-profile racing drivers.”

    My Opinion-

    I think this is the right move, his now got experience in Formula 3, and I think now he is with Prema he will show everyone what he can do and I am personally looking forward to it!

  • Leclerc stays with PREMA, F3

    Leclerc stays with PREMA, F3

    Arthur Leclerc has took the 2nd out of 3 Prema seats for the 2022 season, making the Italian team to be the only team who have signed two drivers so far.

    This will be his second season in Formula 3, but third season with the team as he first joined them in 2020 in the Formula Regional European Championship where he finished runner up with six wins, and 15 podiums.

    With that in the bag, the Monégasque earned a promotion into F3, where in his rookie season he won twice, as well as pole position and P2 in Budapest. Overall he finished 10th in the standings.

    Leclerc’s single seater journey began back in 2018 where he entered the French F4 where he finished 5th overall, the next year he finished second in the ADAC F4.

    “I am extremely happy to continue the work we started with PREMA Racing in the 2021 FIA Formula 3 Championship,” said Leclerc. “I think we did a good job last year, and 2022 will be a good opportunity to put together everything we have learned so far. I cannot wait for the season to start.”

    PREMA Team Principal Rene Rosin added: “It is great to continue our collaboration with Arthur. I am sure that he will carry on the progress we saw in 2021 when he showed he had the potential to be a frontrunner.

    “Last year’s experience with the challenging three-race weekends will definitely help him navigate the events with a great focus, which will surely benefit the whole team.“

    My Opinion-

    I didn’t think he would move up to Formula 2 this year, based on last years result, but its a good signing for himself and Prema. Hopefully we will see him be more consistent this year like in other series’ and then he can make that step up to F2 soon.

  • F2, F3 chosen tracks for testing

    F2, F3 chosen tracks for testing

    The dates for testing for both Formula 2 and Formula 3 have been revealed.

    Before both of the series gets underway at Sakhir on March 18th to 20th, there is a 3 day pre-season test at the circuit on the 2nd to 4th March, both series will alternate across the 3 days for each session and test. This is the third time F2 has used the country for the first bit of on track action. F3 used the track for pre-season testing back in 2020.

    After the season opener, F3 will go to Spain’s Jerez circuit on the 5th to the 6th of April for the second lot of tests, even though this venue is not on the calendar it is said to be used for set-up work and improving tyre management as the layout holds similarities to the Hungaroring.

    Formula Two holds its second round in Jeddah in late March before its in-season test the next month at Barcelona on the 12th to 14th of April, where they will be going again for round 4 of the 2022 season.

    After F2 have finished their tests, many of the teams will stay put in the paddock as F3 visits Barcelona for their 3rd test from the 15th to 16th. Out of the 11 teams in which take part in F2 and the 10 in F3, Virtuosi Racing and DAMS are the only teams to solely do F2, and Jenzer Motorsport only takes part in F3.

    Having just one pre-season test for both Formula Two and Three followed by further in-season tests was something which had been planned for the 2020 season before the coronavirus pandemic took effect and cause further disruption to the schedule.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/CYbt_xEopDU/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

  • Ollie Bearman F3 2022

    It has been announced that Oliver Bearman will be racing in Formula 3 for PREMA Racing, who he joined for the successful post-season test in Valencia.

    The 16 year old Brit became the first driver to win both Italian and ADAC Formula 4 Championships in the same season, which saw him earn a spot in the Ferrari Driver Academy.

    2021 was Bearmans second year of single seaters, he grabbed 15 podiums, 11 wins and eight poles in Italian F4 as well as 11 podiums, six wins and five poles in ADAC F4.

    “I’m really looking forward to stepping up to FIA F3 with PREMA, as my first official year being part of the Ferrari Driver Academy,” said Bearman. “We worked really well together in the post-season test at Valencia, and their results in previous years across everything which they do, speaks for itself. I can’t wait to get started in Bahrain!”

    PREMA Team Principal Rene Rosin added: “We are looking forward to working with Oliver in 2022. The results he achieved this year speak for themselves, and we have obviously been observing him as rivals. The step for him will be huge and particularly challenging, with a lot to learn, but we will do everything we can to help him maximize his potential and be competitive right from the start. It will be extremely interesting to see the season develop, and what we will be able to accomplish together.”

    My Opinion-

    I think this is great! Ollie is a very talented driver especially at 16 years old, and because of his achievements so far he deserves to get this seat in F3. It will be interesting to see how he does next year he is most definitely one to watch!

  • Van Amersfoort Racing joins F2

    The Formula 2 Championship promoters have confirmed that Van Amersfoort Racing will replace HWA Racelab entry and assets for the 2022 Formula 2 season. The Dutch team will be running for the first time this week in the post season test taking place in Abu Dhabi.

    This follows two months after Formula 3 announced their grid that Van Amersfoort Racing will be joining F3 next season (2022).

    VAR started over forty years ago, with a number of different drivers coming through. From the likes of Jos Verstappen, Max Verstappen, Charles Leclerc, Mick Schumacher, Dennis Hauger and Jonny Edgar all having driven for the team over the years.

    FIA Formula 2 Championship CEO Bruno Michel said: “I am very pleased to welcome Van Amersfoort Racing to the Championship. I am certain that they will be a great addition to our grid, with them also competing in Formula 3 from next year. Joining F2 is always challenging, but their expertise and professionalism will undoubtably help them get to grips with the category quickly. I would like to take this opportunity to thank HWA RACELAB for their collaboration for the past two seasons, and I wish them success for their next challenge.”

    Rob Niessink, CEO of Van Amersfoort Racing adds: “After having recently announced our entry into the FIA F3 Championship, it now is an absolute pleasure to become part of the FIA F2 Championship as well. We are simply proud and consider this step as an important milestone in the long history of our team. It will be a challenge we don’t take lightly, and it might not come as a surprise that watching “our” F2 cars leave the pit-lane for the first time during the upcoming post-season test at Abu Dhabi will be a big moment for us. I want to thank Bruno Michel and HWA RACELAB for their support in making this happen.”

    My Opinion-

    I have heard of the Dutch team before with some drivers having driven for them in the past shows only good things. With them joining both Formula 2 and 3 grids it only shows good things in my opinion, looking back on the history of their drivers, it looks like they take time in spotting which drivers they want and they are all very talented now…

  • Saucy joins F3 for 2022

    The first signing for the 2022 Formula 3 Championship has been announced, and that is Grégoire Saucy and for ART Grand Prix.

    Saucy took part in the post-season testing at Valencia last week, where he set the best time of the three-day test and consistently running in the top two with ART.

    This isn’t the start of Saucy’s and ART’s relationship as it started last year as he competed in the Formula Renault Eurocup before making the switch to the newly formed Formula Regional Championship, he went on to get the title with 10 podiums including eight wins!

    “I am honoured and happy to continue the adventure with such a fantastic team like ART Grand Prix,” said Saucy. “This is a continuation after our great year 2021. I know the team and how it works, and this will be a very valuable asset to prepare for next season. I would like to thank my sponsors for this opportunity. The Valencia test went very well, even though I had a lot of new parameters to work through. Having said that, it’s way too early to set any goals for myself as I still.”

    Team manager Sébastien Philippe added: “After two years of a fruitful collaboration, concluded by securing the first title in the history of the Formula Regional European Championship by Alpine in 2021, ART Grand Prix was very keen to take another step forward with Greg. He showed the full extent of his talent and maturity in 2021 and in addition to this, we have come to know and appreciate each other both personally and sportingly. I am delighted and eager to write this new chapter in our collaboration.”

    My Opinion-

    I think this is great, I kept an eye on what Saucy was doing during testing and he definitely was one of the ones who stood out for me. It will be interesting to see what he does next year!

  • F3 Test Day 2 & 3

    We are back with the results from day 2 and 3 of the post season test in Valencia, lets see who tops the time of each session!

    Day 2 Morning-

    There was a number of different driver changes for the second day of testing with the main two being Paul Aron replacing Arthur Leclerc at PREMA Racing and Oliver Rasmussen switching to ART Grand Prix.

    David Vidales was the first to set the lead time with a 1:21.723 for Campos with Stanek setting an almost identical time shorty afterwards and Saucy set the top 3.

    Crawford was then a familiar name at the top during the final hour of the morning session as he went quickest with a 1:21.368 but shortly after there was a red-flag due to Johnathan Hoggard.

    The action then resumed but the order didnt really change with the top three being Crawford, Saucy and Stanek.

    The top 10 from Tuesday’s morning session:

    DriverTeamLaptime
    1Jak CrawfordPREMA Racing1:21.368
    2Grégoire SaucyART Grand Prix1:21.447
    3Roman StanekTrident1:21.453
    4Caio ColletMP Motorsport1:21.475
    5Jack DoohanVan Amersfoort Racing1:21.521
    6Oliver BearmanPREMA Racing1:21.593
    7Zane MaloneyTrident1:21.666
    8David VidalesCampos Racing1:21.723
    9Kaylen FrederickHiTech Grand Prix1:21.839
    10Reece UshijimaVan Amersfoort Racing1:21.889

    Afternoon-

    Three rookies set the standard for the afternoon session, with Colapinto leading Jenzer Motorsport duo Enzo Trulli and William Alatalo with a lap time of 1:22.757.

    Edgar then put in a 1:22.739 which put the 2021 Team Champion, Trident at the top of the leaderboard before Saucy brought the session to a halt with a red flag.

    Collet was the first to break the 1m 22s on this afternoon session after lapping a 1:21.843 which many drivers tried to beat and failed at doing so. But with only 15 minutes left of the session, Saucy decided to put on new tyres and to knock off the driver off P1 when he lapped a 1:21.789.

    The top 10 is as follows for Tuesday’s afternoon session:

    DriverTeamLaptime
    1Franco ColapintoMP Motorsport1:21.759
    2Grégoire SaucyART Grand Prix1:21.789
    3Caio ColletMP Motorsport1:21.843
    4Paul AronPREMA Racing1:21.857
    5Roman StanekTrident1:21.864
    6Kaylen FrederickHiTech Grand Prix1:21.913
    7Zane MaloneyTrident1:21.927
    8Jak CrawfordPREMA Racing1:21.941
    9David Vidales Campos Racing1:21.951
    10Oliver Bearman PREMA Racing1:21.979

    Day 3- Morning-

    The drivers didn’t hang about to get out on track this morning as soon as the lights went green the action started. We had Caio Collet set the early pace at 1:21.392 ahead of MP’s Colapinto and Ushijima.

    Smolyars return to Formula Three machinery didn’t last long as his VAR came to a stop in the first hour which paused the session. Once it resumed Saucy took P1 from Collet by only 0.092s there was then two further stoppages as Bearman came to a halt at Turn 12 and Marti stopped at Turn 4.

    Focus then went to data gathering in the second half of the morning and Saucy kept his place at the top of the leaderboard.

    The top 10 is as follows for the morning session:

    DriverTeamLaptime
    1Grégoire SaucyART Grand Prix1:21.300
    2Caio ColletMP Motorsport1:21.392
    3Jack DoohanVan Amersfoort Racing1:21.401
    4Roman StanekTrident1:21.422
    5Franco ColapintoMP Motorsport1:21.543
    6Zane MaloneyTrident1:21.597
    7Kaylen FrederickHiTech Grand Prix1:21.629
    8Jak CrawfordPREMA Racing1:21.767
    9Paul AronPREMA Racing1:21.835
    10Victor MartinsART Grand Prix1:21.873

    Afternoon-

    There was lots of long-runs in the afternoon stint until the last half an hour. Collet kept up his impressive work and set the time of 1:22.811 ahead of Edgar and Ushijima.

    Collet remained at the top for 2 hours and a half until Doohan pushed him off after there was a red flag due to Benavides stopping on track.

    Zak O’Sullivan managed to break into the top 10 after spending the first two days if testing in the latter half of leaderboard. He finished ahead of teammate Logan Sargeant.

    The top 10 is as follows for the final session of the 3 days:

    DriverTeamLaptime
    1Jack DoohanVan Amersfoort Racing1:22.354
    2Reece UshijimaCampos Racing1:22.545
    3Jonny EdgarTrident1:22.658
    4Alexander SmolyarVan Amersfoort Racing1:22.794
    5Filip UgranVan Amersfoort Racing1:22.801
    6Caio ColletMP Motorsport1:22.811
    7Hunter YeanyCampos Racing1:22.884
    8Zak O’SullivanCarlin Buzz Racing1:22.940
    9Logan SargeantCarlin Buzz Racing1:23.046
    10Isack HadjarHiTech Grand Prix1:23.011

    And this wraps up the post-season testing! Keep your eyes peeled for announcements on which drivers will be on track next year and when the testing calendar for 2022…

  • F3 Post-Season Test Day 1

    Today we had the first day of post-season testing for Formula 3, it took place in Valencia. Testing takes place over three days, with an overall of 18 hours in total. Lets take a look on how things have ended today.

    Morning-

    To start the day off, we started in wet conditions with everyone being forced to head out on wet tyres, but it soon switched to blue skies.

    Rookie Franco Colapinto set the early pace with MP Motorsport lapping a 1:35.044 just ahead of team-mate Caio Collet. P1 then kept switching between the rookie duo, Zane Maloney and Grégoire Saucy before Jonny Edgar took the time below 1:30’s and took the lead.

    Then a switch to the slicks with an hour left on the clock produced some better lap times under 1m 26s. Caio Collet broke the 1m 24s barrier with only 15 minutes left, just before Doohan put the Dutch-based team, Van Amersfoort Racing in first.

    The top 10 from the morning session is as follows:

    DriverTeamLaptime
    1Jack DoohanVan Amersfoort Racing1:23.349
    2Victor MartinsART Grand Prix1:23.541
    3Kaylen FrederickHiTech Grand Prix1:23.546
    4Roman StanekTrident1:23.580
    5Jak CrawfordPREMA Racing1:23.668
    6Oliver RasmussenCharouz Racing System1:23.747
    7Arthur LeclercPREMA Racing1:23.765
    8Caio ColletMP Motorsport1:23.838
    9Franco ColapintoMP Motorsport1:23.847
    10Zane MaloneyTrident1:23.863

    Afternoon-

    For the afternoon session things warmed up, as MP Motorsport set the pace with Collet leading Colapinto with a lap time of 1:23.125. Kaylen Frederick then briefly replaced Colapinto in P2 before Martins drove into P1 being the first driver to break the 1m 23s today.

    With less than an hour to go on the clock, Doohan broke into the top two but still remained a hundredth of Martins time. During the final stages he managed to push Martins down to P2 after putting a 1:22.402 on the board.

    Saucy and Maloney led the rookies this afternoon where they placed third and fourth, ahead of Stanek. Rasmussen put in the most laps of the afternoon completing 60.

    The top 10 of afternoon session is as follows:

    DriverTeamLaptime
    1Jack DoohanVan Amersfoort Racing1:22.402
    2Victor MartinsART Grand Prix1:22.533
    3Grégoire SaucyART Grand Prix1:22.684
    4Zane MaloneyTrident1:22.708
    5Roman StanekTrident1:22.739
    6Lorenzo ColomboCharouz Racing System1:22.846
    7Arthur LeclercPREMA Racing1:22.893
    8Jak CrawfordPREMA Racing1:22.967
    9Oliver RasmussenCharouz Racing System1:23.071
    10Franco ColapintoMP Motorsport1:23.072

  • F2 & F3 points allocation

    More changes are coming to Formula Two and Three next year as they have announced new points allocation as they make changes to the Sporting Regulations.

    This follows as announcement was made earlier that the weekend formats have changed for both F2 and F3 next year.

    For Formula 2 the top 8 who finish in the sprint race will be awarded points, 10, 8, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, and 1.

    Whereas with Formula 3 the top 10 will be awarded points in the sprint race 10. 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, and 1 point.

    For F2 and F3 the feature race point allocation will not change which is the top 10 scoring points (the same as F1).

    Starting from 2022 aswell, only two points will be awarded for pole position in both championships. And in each race, one point will be allocated to the driver who has the fastest lap.

    My Opinion-

    With things changing in both categories it makes sense for the points allocation to change too. It gives the drivers more determination to want to score better and make there way up to the next level.

    I think we’re going to be in a real treat next year in both F2 and F3, with some bright talents coming through it’ll make for some exciting races!

  • F2, F3 announce ’22 calendar

    So with Formula One announcing their calendar for next season, Formula Two and Three have announced theirs!

    Formula Two will have a total of 14 rounds, which will see two races each round, so a total of 28 races, it will make the most sizeable calendar since the launch of the championship in 2017.

    The season will kick off in Bahrain on the weekend of 18th March and with it finishing on the weekend of 18th November in Abu Dhabi. F2 will be going to two new tracks which are Imola and Zandvoort.

    CEO Bruno Michel said: “I am pleased to present the largest calendar we have ever had in Formula 2, with 14 rounds and 28 races. This results from a strong will from our stakeholders to have F2 race alongside as many Formula 1 Grand Prix as possible.”

    F3 will have a total of nine rounds, which makes it an 18 race championship. Again F3 will start in Bahrain on the same weekend as F1, it will end on the weekend of 9th September in Monza, just like this year. Also F3 will be at two new circuits next year and they are Zakhir, Bahrain and Imola, Italy.

    CEO Bruno Michel said: “Our 2022 Formula 3 season will start at the Bahrain International Circuit, at the opening round of the FIA Formula 1 World Championship and the new Formula 2 campaign. It will be very exciting to start all together.”

    My Opinion-

    I’m very much looking forward to both F2 and F3 next year, especially with both series racing at new tracks and both of them being on the same weekends as F1.

    With F2 this year there has been pretty big gaps, the season started end of March and then the next race weekend was 20th May. And then again currently we are on our 4th week of a 10 week break until the season comes back for the last two rounds. So they have planned it well so there isn’t as big of breaks.

    With F3 they started quite late this year compared to next, they started in May where as next year they will be starting in March. They have been able to bring a couple more races in to make the season a bit longer without big gaps.

  • F3 reveal teams for 22-24

    Formula Three has announced 10 teams which have been selected for the 2022-2024 seasons. Nine out of the ten are the same outfits which competed in 2021, and the newcomers Van Amersfoort Racing have been chosen to join the F3 grid.

    The full chosen 10 are: ART Grand Prix, Campos Racing, Carlin, Charouz Racing System, HiTech Grand Prix, Jenzer Motorsport, MP Motorsport, PREMA Racing, Trident and Van Amersfoort Racing.

    As usual each team will enter three cars, making it a 30-car field as seen in previous years.

    FIA Formula 3 CEO Bruno Michel said: “For the next three-year cycle, we have decided to renew our trust in nine of our current teams. They have been with us for many years now, and they have proven their value, expertise, and professionalism. I would like to welcome Van Amersfoort Racing to the list of selected teams. Their success in other categories make them a nice addition to our grid. I am confident that they will adapt quickly to the demands and challenges of our championship.”

    “Finally, I would like to take this opportunity to thank HWA RACELAB for their commitment to Formula 3 for the past three seasons, during which they claimed four wins and 10 podiums.”

    The Netherlands based team has been running for over 40 years, throughout those years they have had Jos Verstappen, Max Verstappen, Charles Leclerc, Mick Schumacher, Dennis Hauger and many others come through VAR.

  • 2022 Race Format

    A change is coming to Formula 2 and 3 next year as over the weekend it got announced a new format is coming in 2022, for both Formula Two and Formula Three.

    The weekend will be made up of one sprint race and one feature race. Friday will stay the same with a free practice session and then qualifying later on. Saturday will have one sprint race and then on the Sunday the feature race which stays the same.

    Formula Three will join Formula Two when they race, which they will both be racing on the same weekend as F1! The number of events for F2 and F3 next year will be announced in due course.

    Stefano Domenicali, President and CEO of Formula 1, said: “We are pleased to announce the changes to the weekend format for Formula 2 and 3 for next season and I am grateful to Bruno and the teams for their efforts to make this happen.”

    FIA Formula 2 and FIA Formula 3 CEO Bruno Michel commented: “In 2021, we introduced a new race weekend format and chose to have F2 and F3 race separately, mainly for costs reasons, and it proved to be quite efficient.”

    Why have they changed it?

    Bruno Michel said that there was too much time between each event. Which isn’t ideal for the teams, drivers and the fans.
    Which is true considering we are currently on a 10 week break from F2, and it doesn’t return until December. We saw what happened when F2 returned to Monza after a 8 week break from Silverstone, it was a crazy first sprint race!

    My Opinion-

    I think this is a good idea, the 2 sprint races and feature race are good but i feel as if that having one sprint and a feature is better because theres a lot more focus onto the feature. Having F2 and F3 on the same weekend is really good because it gives a lot of racing over the weekend and it gives F1 fans the chance to watch it too and potentially bring new fans to F2 and F3.

    I can imagine having both series with F1 they may look at putting more races on the calendar for both F2 and F3, even more so that the amount they race over the weekend would have gone down by one race.