Junior Formula. Discussion of F2, F3, F4, Formula Renault, TRS, W-Series, Indy Lights, etcOpen Wheel

[jake2013guy]

A rather interesting comparison between the Brits in F2 this year.
http://essportsservices.co.uk/feature/formula-2-battle-of-the-brits/

 

[Jimlaad43]

First F2 race has just ended.

Fantastic scrapping all through the field with two outstanding performances.

Lando Norris won the race by a country mile. He had a 2 second lead going into turn 1 (I'm almost not exaggerating) and disappeared, pitting later than anyone else he was "battling" with and leading a Carlin 1-2.

Artem Markelov qualified at the back and stalled on the grid. He started in the pitlane, but overtook his way onto the podium. He was only denied 2nd place by Sergio Sette Camara, who somehow managed to out-Markelov Markelov with some insanely skillful defending and saving a DRS pass.

 

[mustafur]

Looks like Carlin have a good car, therefore Norris will walk this championship, calling it now.

 

[BrainsBush]

Was great racing and fun to watch. Excellent battles for the first podium places!

 

[DesertPenguin]

I noticed ESPN has F2 qualifying which I don't think we got last year with NBC Sports. Do you think it's worth it to watch that or just get on with the races?

 

[HenrySwanson]

Gotta say that was some great racing to watch. Was spoilt for choice with this, F1 and the BTCC!

 

[Jimlaad43]

With the F2 cars being awful to get off the grid, the next two rounds will be Rolling starts, so they only have one attempt to stall it rather than two.

 

[adb]

Thought they would be rolling side by side, meh

 

[twitcher]

Thought they would be rolling side by side, meh

When I read about the rolling starts, I thought the same thing. I don’t think open wheel cars do side by side rolling starts anywhere in Europe, so majority of the drivers on the grid wouldn’t have much experience with that format.

Great race though. Russel and Norris the class of the field again, but two guys who continue to get my attention this year are Fuoco and Markelov. Markelov especially, I don’t know of another driver across multiple catagories who has had more insane and exciting moments than Markelov. I don’t know if he’s F1 material, or where he’ll end up, but he’s fun to watch.

Curious to see how the extra drs zone will effect the F1 race tomorrow.

 

[jake2013guy]

Just watched the GP2 races. Santino Ferrucci acted like a child. He forced Maini off in Race 1 in a "defensive move" that cost him 2 positions to 2 cars going on the inside over 14th on Lap 21 with his teammate.

Race 2, there was a collision during the race. But it definitely looked 50/50.

His cooldown lap actions were unacceptable.

 

[twitcher]

Just watched the GP2 races. Santino Ferrucci acted like a child. He forced Maini off in Race 1 in a "defensive move" that cost him 2 positions to 2 cars going on the inside over 14th on Lap 21 with his teammate.

Race 2, there was a collision during the race. But it definitely looked 50/50.

His cooldown lap actions were unacceptable.

One of those kids who should just not be in racing. He hasn’t impressed in anything he’s driven, going back to when I first saw him in F3 two years ago. He was a menace on track when he drove in Indycar in Detroit. Clearly he comes from lots of money, the only reason why Dale Coyne or Haas would waste time with him. The sooner we stop hearing his name, the better for the sport as a whole.

 

[Pezzarinho17]

Haas will have no option but to drop Ferrucci from their program, as pointed out the results haven't backed up his status either so he has nothing to save him. Gunther Steiner said he watched it live that morning but won't be able to review until this week - expect a swift decision.

 

[MaddinICE]

Ferrucci is suspended from the next two race weekends at Hungaroring and Spa. To add to the incident in the race and in the cooldown lap, he even had one glove off for holding his phone while driving from the paddock to the pits. I also think that Haas will drop him very very soon.

 

[twitcher]

The fact that Steiner would say there is no American driver ready for F1 (Newgarden, Rossi, Wickens (I know he’s Canadian!), etc), yet they have this kid in their program is beyond a joke. It was a joke before this incedent, now it’s a tragic comedy.

 

[jake2013guy]

One of those kids who should just not be in racing. He hasn’t impressed in anything he’s driven, going back to when I first saw him in F3 two years ago. He was a menace on track when he drove in Indycar in Detroit. Clearly he comes from lots of money, the only reason why Dale Coyne or Haas would waste time with him. The sooner we stop hearing his name, the better for the sport as a whole.

Yeah. He's not impressive. TV didn't show enough of him at Detroit for me to judge if he was a menace. Hopefully, he doesn't link back up with Coyne.

Heard stories about him and his dad at karting. And him and his dad making fun of Maini's dad's accent.

 

[twitcher]

Yeah. He's not impressive. TV didn't show enough of him at Detroit for me to judge if he was a menace. Hopefully, he doesn't link back up with Coyne.

Heard stories about him and his dad at karting. And him and his dad making fun of Maini's dad's accent.

Pretty much the only time he was on TV, he was crashing into someone. Otherwise he was basically last the whole time.

 

[twitcher]

Seems like Ferucchi is done, and there was more to it that just the bump on the cool down lap. The tweet from his team mentions the actions of his father.



Here’s his apology


...he actually resorted to blaming his “mental lapse” on being partially Italian

Edit: forgot to mention. The 4 race ban from the FIA seems appropriate, if not a little on the light side. However, like most times, even the 4 race ban is a bit contradictory, given how they treated Vettels actions in Baku last year.

What do people think? 4 race ban too much, too little? How does it compare to Vettle bumping Hamilton?

Edit 2: also forgot to mention, on top of bumping his teammate on the cool down lap, driving without a glove, and driving with a cell phone, he “declined to attend” the stewards hearing, sending one of his mechanics instead. Basically the stewards held on to his license, he sent the mechanic to pick up the license, the stewards sent the mechanic packing without the license.

 

[Pezzarinho17]

Edit: forgot to mention. The 4 race ban from the FIA seems appropriate, if not a little on the light side. However, like most times, even the 4 race ban is a bit contradictory, given how they treated Vettels actions in Baku last year.

What do people think? 4 race ban too much, too little? How does it compare to Vettel bumping Hamilton?

A very good point, I hadn't thought about that comparison... Unfortunately with Ferrucci not bothering with the hearing, and everything else he did this weekend that didn't help, the comparison gets murky looking beyond the collision itself. A very apologetic Ferrucci at that hearing may not have received such a ban but I doubt he would have escaped without a ban at all. Vettel was considered very lucky not to get a ban himself, but I think his status within F1 (especially as the Championship leader at that point) ultimately meant it was never a possibility... It shouldn't be that way really, but it's very difficult for it not to be. I mean think of how many tickets were sold last weekend to people supporting Vettel, against those ticket sales for people supporting Ferrucci - or even Formula 2 at all? It's definitely a case of being caught between a rock and a hard place for the FIA, but it is considerably easier to ban F2 / GP3 drivers...

 

[twitcher]

Turns out in all this mess, the Ferruchi family asked Trident to run some MAGA stickers on the car for the British rounds. The team said no, the family insisted, so the team approach the FIA, who firmly said no.

Turns out Liberty are pretty big Trump supporters, having donated several million to him. Can’t say I’m surprised. Regardless, the FIA said no, because political statements are not allowed on cars.

Seems like there is a lot of bad blood in that Trident garage....I image the team management can’t wait for this season to be over (considering Maini is the one who freaked out crying on the radio).

I can’t recall a situation in motorsport this ugly, but at the same time this comical.


Edit
This is my favourite response to his apology. The internet delivers again

Some of the comments below this one are priceless too

 

[twitcher]

Anyone able to to find footage of Makino’s opening laps from Race 1 at Monza? I would love to see an onboard. The TV coverage completely missed everything.

 

[Northstar]

Billy Monger has won the pole for this weekends British F3 race at Donington.

http://www.thedrive.com/accelerator...illy-monger-wins-british-f3-pole-at-donington

I could see a movie being made about him some day.

 

[DesertPenguin]

Billy Monger has won the pole for this weekends British F3 race at Donington.

http://www.thedrive.com/accelerator...illy-monger-wins-british-f3-pole-at-donington

I could see a movie being made about him some day.

First time back at that track since the incident right?

 

[Michelin Man]

Yup, 17 months since that shocking crash at Donington. Remember watching it live on TV, made me jump it was that sudden, such a horrific crash. But the way he's bounced back since his return to racing is fantastic, such a great attitude to it all. Had some great results on his return as well already, achieved pole earlier in the year at Spa and Oulton as the article mentions, as well as a podium already (which was at Oulton as well, correct me if I'm wrong).

Believe he finished 4th place in the end of that race as well, really solid result.

 

[MaddinICE]

Mick Schumacher is the Formula 3 European champion 2018.

 

[PzR Slim]

Huge crash at the start of the F2 race in Abu Dhabi. Latifi in third place stalled and Fukuzumi was unsighted and went straight into the back of him. Luckily everyone ok.

 

[Jimlaad43]

With the mass of stallers in F2 this season, it's amazing it took so long for this crash to happen.

 

[PzR Slim]

Some fantastic racing and overtaking so far. Backfire on down shifts is still awesome!

 

[G.T.Ace]

Just saw an interview with Sophia Flörsch on TV:
- Her spinal cord at the C7 (the highest vertebra) was bruised up to 50%, which would've meant paralysis,
if her neck muscles weren't so trained.
- She was conscious the whole time and didn't experience the crash as bad as it was.
- The first thing she noticed was the extinguisher fluid in her mouth and that she hurt her legs slightly.
- She was more afraid of her helmet getting cut open than being badly injured (it was still new, but unfortunately broken from the impact).

She's badass.

 

[Litening1]

Toyota Racing Series Race 1 starts in about in hour

 

[twitcher]

Round 1 of the all new FIA F3 Asian Winter Series is/was this weekend. It’s a new series of three events consisting of three races each, for nine races total. According to Wikipedia, the first three races were at Chang Int Circuit in Burhiram, Thailand, with the final six races being held over two separate weekends at Sepang Int Circuit. Winning the championship is worth 10 points for the FIA Super license.

The only driver names I recognize are RB young driver Dan Ticktum, and Ralf Schumacher’s son David Schumacher.

Here’s a link to the official YouTube channel, it has all 3 races uploaded already, with English commentary.

https://m.youtube.com/channel/UCUNlMDabhmu0y7qD4rcgizg

I’m watching the first race as I’m posting it, and the racing is actually really entertaining....although track limits are the standard yoke