GP3 2014

Since there doesn't appear to be a thread for the GP3 series, and the opener is this weekend, I may as well start one myself.

With the signings of Nelson Mason and Bietske Visser, there's a full 27-car field for Barcelona: http://www.paddocksc...for-gp3-opener/

not very excited about this years lineup

I'll be interested to see how Mardenborough does.

not very excited about this years lineup

There are some good talents there: Dean Stoneman, Richie Stanaway, Alex Lynn, Marvin Kirchhofer, Matheo Tuscher.

Suspect the Brits have most of the talent this year (Lynn, Stoneman & Mardenborough) but Kirchofer may well be the real deal.

Yeah Kirchoffer is the guy I'm curious about. Either he had a really freak season last year (ex. flattered by the opposition/machinery) or he's the real deal. Anyone from this board who actually follows German F3 and knows what the hell goes on there could give us a clue?

To be honest at GP3 level a lot of these kids don't have much of a record yet after karting, so it's not entirely fair to come with predetermined ideas of whether the field is strong or not. The first few "names" that pop up from FR2.0 and the likes seem to have gone all to F3 Euro and FR3.5 though.

It wasn't an amazing field, but Kirchhofer was fresh out of winning ADAC Formel Masters in his rookie season in cars. Stanaway won both series as well (3 consecutive titles from 2009-11 including NZ Formula Ford).

Edited by Prost1997T, 08 May 2014 - 20:54.

Good start in the series for Lynn, Stanaway, Tuscher. Stoneman had to fight for that sprint race win.

Looks like Stanaway hasn't lost his talent with his time out anyway. Already knew Stoneman hadn't!

I'd keep a close eye on Matheo Tuscher as well.

Tuscher was awesome in his first race, knowing him from F2, he will be very quick and would not be surprised to see him win.

As for Mardenborough, he was too busy fighting with Biscuit Visser for 14/15 place in race two. IMO is Nissan marketing hype.

He spun on the restart.

Nikolay Martsenko gets a GP3 seat for the Austrian rounds. Ironic considering he lost his FR3.5 seat due to sponsor issues, and now replaces Taranov who also lost a sponsor

http://www.paddocksc...-for-spielberg/

“I’d like to thank Hilmer Motorsport for this chance,” said Martsenko. “For me it’s very important to prove that they made a right decision. It will be my first experience at the wheel of GP3 car but I will do my best to achieve good result. I’m well prepared and I will give everything for the team.”

 

Edited by Prost1997T, 18 June 2014 - 14:08.

26 entries showed up for Austria, Lynn on pole position again for the feature race. Most of the field was within 1 second in qualifying.

26 entries showed up for Austria, Lynn on pole position again for the feature race. Most of the field was within 1 second in qualifying.

Lynn just seems to have too much experience for the rest of the field.

Seems so, 2 for 2 in the feature races. Too bad for Stoneman getting caught out by Fontana's slow start.

Luis Sa Silva on point for the sprint race, should make things interesting...

superb crowd at the circuit for race 2

i wonder if FIA might give Vahaug a major telling off and grid pen for next race as he broke the track limits rule and gave a few places without giving them back then it caused a tangle that took out Eriksson and Neiderhauser and himself

i wonder if FIA might give Vahaug a major telling off and grid pen for next race as he broke the track limits rule and gave a few places without giving them back then it caused a tangle that took out Eriksson and Neiderhauser and himself

He got 5 places. However Eriksson got the same for causing that crash. Fontana also going 5 places back for the collision with Kujala (that was actually second time he was penalised for colliding with Kujala) 

How Carmen Jorda gets a drive year after year is beyond me. I know last year she drove with a broken ligament in her ankle or something, so I do respect her determination. But she's always right at the back of the field.

How Carmen Jorda gets a drive year after year is beyond me. I know last year she drove with a broken ligament in her ankle or something, so I do respect her determination. But she's always right at the back of the field.

A Spanish friend who works in the racing media and I basically talk about this every GP3 weekend. We don't understand how someone with a racing license and her experience can be that far off the pace. And we're only seeing her *fastest* time from practice and qualifying. With modern tracks and paddle shift gearboxes and everything, how are you that slow? 

I'm not exaggerating when I say I wonder if I could do a similar time. I had some racing experience, I know the basics, they have press-a-button gearboxes now, I've got the leg strength for braking, etc.

The vast majority of the fields in these championships (not just GP3) need to bring their own funding. Why are you surprised?

I'm not exaggerating when I say I wonder if I could do a similar time. I had some racing experience, I know the basics, they have press-a-button gearboxes now, I've got the leg strength for braking, etc.

I remember her in Indy Lights. And not too far off the pace, in what I'd argue is just as good of a grid as GP3, in a car that is a bit more difficult to race. 

Yes, she brings her own money, but still doesn't bring up why she is so far off the pace. Many drivers have jumped into the GP3 car and been quick off the pace with little single seater experience. Yet she came into the series with more starts in cars than some kids might have had in karting and been the back marker of back markers. 

I remember her in Indy Lights. And not too far off the pace, in what I'd argue is just as good of a grid as GP3, in a car that is a bit more difficult to race. 

Not sure I'd agree, her stats don't look any better there: 2 laps down at the first race, 1 lead lap finish in 5 starts.

Kirchhofer snatches pole position away from Lynn this time. Mitch Gilbert was mediocre in F3 yet he qualified 5th...

Mitch Gilbert was mediocre in F3 yet he qualified 5th...

yes, it's really strange. And same case with Agostini, he was so slow this year in f3, scored only 1 point in 9 races, but now he is brilliant in gp3, jump in mid-season, without any experience of the car and bang, 5th and 6th place in silverstone.

Now imagine what could Ocon and Verstappen do in this years gp3 if this 2 mediocre drivers are that fast from get go...

Alex Lynn looks like a real prospect, most impressed I've been by a young British driver for a while tbh, he keeps racing this well he should win GP3 this year & hopefully at least gets a step up to GP2 for next year (maybe even Toro Rosso like Kyvaat?)

Congratulations, great drive by Jann Mardenborough.

Alex Lynn looks like a real prospect, most impressed I've been by a young British driver for a while tbh, he keeps racing this well he should win GP3 this year & hopefully at least gets a step up to GP2 for next year (maybe even Toro Rosso like Kyvaat?)

Lynn, Mardenborough and Stoneman are the ones to watch I think. I wonder if any of them will go to GP2 next year ? Gp2 seems a bit cursed imho, maybe WSR will be a better route.

Great drive by Mardenborough this morning.

11 of the 22 on the F1 grid are from GP2, so it's not a bad curse to have.

A Spanish friend who works in the racing media and I basically talk about this every GP3 weekend. We don't understand how someone with a racing license and her experience can be that far off the pace. And we're only seeing her *fastest* time from practice and qualifying. With modern tracks and paddle shift gearboxes and everything, how are you that slow? 

 

I'm not exaggerating when I say I wonder if I could do a similar time. I had some racing experience, I know the basics, they have press-a-button gearboxes now, I've got the leg strength for braking, etc.

put me in that car and i would do easy top 10 finishes (i am serious)  

Edited by FerrariAlo, 20 July 2014 - 08:37.

yes, it's really strange. And same case with Agostini, he was so slow this year in f3, scored only 1 point in 9 races, but now he is brilliant in gp3, jump in mid-season, without any experience of the car and bang, 5th and 6th place in silverstone.

Agostini is a decent driver, he won the Italian F3 championship in a pretty good field

Lynn, Mardenborough and Stoneman are the ones to watch I think. I wonder if any of them will go to GP2 next year ? Gp2 seems a bit cursed imho, maybe WSR will be a better route.

 

Great drive by Mardenborough this morning.

I agree the others have done well but I think they are both older aren't they? Lynn is only 20, that & being in Red Bull programme give him the best shot imo (that and the fact he's doing best of the three in the championship!)

Lynn, Mardenborough and Stoneman are the ones to watch I think. I wonder if any of them will go to GP2 next year ? Gp2 seems a bit cursed imho, maybe WSR will be a better route.

 

Great drive by Mardenborough this morning.

Mardenborough had a great race, but lets be honest; I don't think he's not stood out at any other point this year and he's driving for a team that won the drivers championship last year. He's not good enough for GP2 or WSR, lets not get carried away.

Lynn and Stoneman on the other hand...

Edited by Brandz07, 20 July 2014 - 09:14.

Well Mardenborough's only been racing for 4 years or so, his rate of development is rapid to say the least, whilst Lynn and Stoneman have been behind the wheel of something with an engine since they were 8. I think it's just taken Jann a while to get used to cars with less power than he started out with (GT3 and 4) and the same amount of grip (LMP2). I think he'd do very well in WSR.

Edited by Imateria, 20 July 2014 - 11:22.

Mardenborough had a great race, but lets be honest; I don't think he's not stood out at any other point this year and he's driving for a team that won the drivers championship last year. He's not good enough for GP2 or WSR, lets not get carried away.

 

Lynn and Stoneman on the other hand...

championship winning team isnt always the best...

Well Mardenborough's only been racing for 4 years or so, his rate of development is rapid to say the least, whilst Lynn and Stoneman have been behind the wheel of something with an engine since they were 8. I think it's just taken Jann a while to get used to cars with less power than he started out with (GT3 and 4) and the same amount of grip (LMP2). I think he'd do very well in WSR.

I agree he's done well and I never said he's not good. I just think the talk of jumping up a level already is a bit naive.

Jann mardenboorugh didn't come from years of international, let alone national level kart racing. He came from a computer game competition... hats off to the lad. AMAZING

Edited by rhukkas, 20 July 2014 - 12:31.

I agree he's done well and I never said he's not good. I just think the talk of jumping up a level already is a bit naive.

Like I said, I suspect it's the low power of F3/GP3 cars compared to the LMP2 and GT cars that he's driven before that's probably held him back, less power than grip is not something he's used to whilst most of his competition is moving up from lower powered categories. As such, higher spec cars probably would suit him much better. I can easily see him spending next year either in WSR or leading Nissan's LMP1 team.   

Mardenborough had a great race, but lets be honest; I don't think he's not stood out at any other point this year and he's driving for a team that won the drivers championship last year. He's not good enough for GP2 or WSR, lets not get carried away.

 

Lynn and Stoneman on the other hand...

Agreed, how many mediocre drivers have won these reverse grid races in recent years not only in GP3, but also in GP2. Also he won the Nissan competition because it was a fix because his face fitted with the marketing they had in mind. When you have backing and not having to worry about finance, you can have the best people around you which is what is happening with him. He has been no where in F3 last year, and GP3 this year has been middle of the pack.

Mardenborough just needs to learn how to nail that perfect lap in qualifying. If he wasn't qualifying in the midfield all the time he'd be a contender.

Agreed, I feel this is Stanaway's issue, although I'm guessing he is still getting some of the single seater feel back. 

Eriksson lost his sprint race podium so that promotes Lynn to 3rd, increasing the latter's advantage in the standings.