73 replies to this topic

[HistoryFan]

We have the first signing: Charlie Wurz at Trident.

 

Jenzer also withdraws with DAMS likely to take over.

 

Prema:

Trident: Charlie Wurz

ART:
Campos:
Hitech:

MP:

Van Amersfoort:

Rodin:

AIX

DAMS (?)
 

Edited by HistoryFan, 28 September 2024 - 08:36.

[Muppetmad]

You know, I'd entirely forgotten Würz was on the grid this year, which says a great deal.

[Anja]

You know, I'd entirely forgotten Würz was on the grid this year, which says a great deal.

 

Same, but to be fair the 30 car grid makes it easier to completely disappear somewhere in the middle if you're not driving for a good team. 

Edited by Anja, 28 September 2024 - 09:00.

[sportyskells]

And of course we need a replacement for jenzer we might find out more during the post season tests 8-9 October in Jerez and 15-16 at Barcelona this year 

[Frood]

Ugo Ugochukwu confirmed at Prema.

Slightly surprising, given that he has, frankly, been a bit rubbish this year.

[Muppetmad]

It's a make-or-break year for him, I think. Sometimes drivers just don't gel with a particular series. If he can hit the ground running next year and deliver a top 5 in the championship, his form this year can be overlooked. If it's another difficult year, then I fear he'll run out of road rather quickly.

[Frood]

Also, Mari Boya is doing a third season in the series, and a second year at Campos. I assume this means he's a good benchmark for any new drivers coming into the teams as I fail to see what else this brings to either party.

The persistent rumours suggest that the other two Prema seats will be filled by Ugochukwu's FRECA championship-winning team-mate Rafael Câmara, and Noel León moving across from VAR.

Unsure about Trident, beyond the already-confirmed Charlie Wurz. There has been a bit of noise about Sebastián Montoya moving there, though. I'm sure we can find another distinctly average son of a former F1 driver from somewhere to fill the third seat.

Edited by Frood, 01 October 2024 - 14:53.

[Racer3000]

The rumours I've been reading since yesterday are saying Camara will drive for Trident.

[Frood]

Interesting. Either way, looks like he'll have the pick of the best F3 teams. I'd also seen rumours that Stenshorne might end up at Prema, so that fits if Câmara does go to Trident instead.

Other expected seats: I'd assume Louis Sharp, off the back of winning GB3 for Rodin, will drive in F3 for them. James Wharton will also graduate from FRECA, possibly at Hitech. Christian Ho is expected to slot in at Campos, alongside a Red Bull junior (presumably Deligny would be next up?). Taponen, presumably, would pop up at ART.

Edited by Frood, 01 October 2024 - 16:17.

[Racer3000]

Interesting. Either way, looks like he'll have the pick of the best F3 teams. I'd also seen rumours that Stenshorne might end up at Prema, so that fits if Câmara does go to Trident instead.

 

With the new F3 car coming, I think Prema would be the safest choice for any driver that can choose the team he wants to drive for in F3. 

[Racer3000]

It's a make-or-break year for him, I think. Sometimes drivers just don't gel with a particular series. If he can hit the ground running next year and deliver a top 5 in the championship, his form this year can be overlooked. If it's another difficult year, then I fear he'll run out of road rather quickly.

 

In my opinion, it would be better for him a second season in FRECA to mature as a driver. Also to set poles, win races, fight for the title and increase his self-confidence, that was probably damaged by his teammates this year.

[JvsKVB77]

With the new F3 car coming, I think Prema would be the safest choice for any driver that can choose the team he wants to drive for in F3. 

Like Antonelli and Bearman in F2?

[Anja]

With the new F3 car coming, I think Prema would be the safest choice for any driver that can choose the team he wants to drive for in F3. 

 

Speaking of which, what do we think? I don't think it was even briefly mentioned in the previous thread when it was revealed 

 

 

https://www.fiaformu...veiled-in-monza

[Racer3000]

Like Antonelli and Bearman in F2?

 

I said F3. Prema won the 2022, 2023 and 2024 team titles. They lost the driver titles on those years due to their drivers inconsistency. 

[Frood]

Speaking of which, what do we think? I don't think it was even briefly mentioned in the previous thread when it was revealed



https://www.fiaformu...veiled-in-monza

I think it looks better than the outgoing car, which has always looked a little oddly proportioned to me. Looks more like a miniature F2 car.

[Racer3000]

Speaking of which, what do we think? I don't think it was even briefly mentioned in the previous thread when it was revealed 

 

 

https://www.fiaformu...veiled-in-monza

 

I've read a guy saying somewhere that it's a throwback. It seems the car will have less downforce, which will make it further away from an F1 car than the current car. It seems the F3 car is currently closer to the F1 car (both more to the oversteer side) than the F2 car (more understeery). I don't know if all this is true, though, I'm not an engineer or a pro driver.

[Jellyfishcake]

Yeah who knows how the new car will change things.

You'd assume Prema would be a good shout, but you thought that with the new car in F2 and they've not really got things going there.

 

That said, Prema have been far better in F3 compared to F2 overall in their history since joining.

 

Very surprised that Ugo Ugochukwu is jumping to F3, but maybe they feel with the new car now is the time to go instead of waiting until 2026

He's had a fairly dismal 2024, so logically you'd think he'd do a second year in FRECA and go for a title push, similar to Beganovic who had a weak 1st season in FRECA then won the title in his second. 

Ugochukwu has just 45 points, comapred to his teammates 206 and 266, who are currently top 2 in the standings.

 

On the new car, I think it looks better than the old, and whilst takes inspiration from the F2 car, I think it actually looks better.

Lets hope it races well. Something the junior ladder has had problems with lately with new cars. 

[Racer3000]

Yes, aesthetically the new car looks better. There's a video about it on the F1 YT Channel (seems I can't paste it here) called "First Look: Formula 3's New 2025 Car! | Varano Shakedown".

 

[Anja]

Louis Sharp signs with Rodin: https://www.fiaformu...the-2025-season

[HistoryFan]

4 drivers confirmed so far:

 

Prema: Ugo Ugochukwu

Trident: Charlie Wurz

ART:
Campos: Mari Boya
Hitech:

MP:

Van Amersfoort:

Rodin: Louis Sharp

AIX

DAMS (?)
 

[Frood]

Commentators of the world rejoice! Inthraphuvasak is back for another year, this time with Campos. With post-season testing starting tomorrow, we may get more of a look at what the grid might shake out like next year. Only VAR have announced their line-up for the test so far, with GB3 runner-up John Bennett in one car, VAR's FRECA driver Ivan Domingues in the second, and the third car being shared by paydriver Jesse Carrasquedo and former Spanish F4 champion Théophile Naël.
 

Team            Driver 1       Driver 2                  Driver 3
Prema           Ugo Ugochukwu  TBC                       TBC
Trident         Charlie Wurz   TBC                       TBC
ART             TBC            TBC                       TBC
Campos          Mari Boya      Tasanapol Inthraphuvasak  TBC
Hitech          TBC            TBC                       TBC
MP Motorsport   TBC            TBC                       TBC
Van Amersfoort  TBC            TBC                       TBC
Rodin           Louis Sharp    TBC                       TBC
AIX             TBC            TBC                       TBC
TBC             TBC            TBC                       TBC

Edited by Frood, 07 October 2024 - 09:14.

[sportyskells]

Cue familiar surname here. Brando Badoer will be team mates with ugo in prema and also got a McLaren driver development program 

[midgrid]

I'm surprised that he hasn't joined the Ferrari Academy - they seem to have a penchant for the relatives of current and former drivers for the Scuderia (e.g. Giuliano Alesi, Arthur Leclerc).

[Frood]

Interesting choice, and not a bad one. He's genuinely been really good in FRECA this year, considering he's not had a Prema or an R-ace at his disposal, and they've been far and away the best teams for a number of years now.

Edited by Frood, 07 October 2024 - 12:05.

[Jellyfishcake]

Yeah, whereas Ugo has been a disapointment in FRECA this year, Badoer has actually been a positive surprise 

Didn't have particularly high hopes for him based off his record in F4.

But top 5 and in the fight for top 3, that's pretty good going whilst not driving for the traditional top teams.

[sportyskells]

Now trident turn to say a driver Noah Strømsted is the next seat taker

 

Laurena van Hoepen has a art seat again 

Edited by sportyskells, 07 October 2024 - 14:17.

[JvsKVB77]

Prema need Stenshorne or Dunne for full papaya rules. 

[Myrvold]

I'm surprised that he hasn't joined the Ferrari Academy - they seem to have a penchant for the relatives of current and former drivers for the Scuderia (e.g. Giuliano Alesi, Arthur Leclerc).

 

Maybe Luca didn't appreciate getting a FIAT 500 as a parting gift for 10+ year of loyal test-driver duty?

[Frood]

Strømsted is someone I find very hard to get a read on. When he turned up in Spanish F4 at the end of 2022, and scored a pole position on his first weekend, I thought he was someone to keep a close eye on... then he was beaten by three of his five team-mates over the year in 2023 (Christian Ho, Matteo de Palo, Enzo Deligny).

This year he's gone right back to impressing again with RPM in FRECA, but it's also difficult to know exactly where the team is in the pecking order as his team-mates are almost useless and should never have been in FRECA in the first place.

Either way, he still deserves a shot at F3 and Trident will bring out the best in him, I'm sure.

[Frood]

Announcements are coming in fast today! Hitech have signed their GB3 driver, the sometimes fast but erratic Hong Konger Gerrard Xie.

Team            Driver 1              Driver 2                  Driver 3
Prema           Ugo Ugochukwu         Brando Badoer             TBC
Trident         Charlie Wurz          Noah Strømsted            TBC
ART             Laurens van Hoepen    TBC                       TBC
Campos          Mari Boya             Tasanapol Inthraphuvasak  TBC
Hitech          Gerrard Xie Wing Lam  Martinius Stenshorne      TBC
MP Motorsport   TBC                   TBC                       TBC
Van Amersfoort  TBC                   TBC                       TBC
Rodin           Louis Sharp           TBC                       TBC
AIX             TBC                   TBC                       TBC
TBC             TBC                   TBC                       TBC

Edited by Frood, 07 October 2024 - 15:39.

[Anja]

Another one. Van Hoepen stays with ART for his second season in the series. 

[Frood]

Stenshorne has also re-signed for Hitech.

Campos have announced their post-season test line-up as the already confirmed Boya and Inthraphuvasak, with the third car being shared by Jesse Carrasquedo (two teams have announced their testing lineup and he's in both - how much money does he have?!) and Nikola Tsolov. There have been rumours Tsolov is severing ties with Alpine.

[Frood]

Here's the full line-up for the post-season test, which might give us some insight into the full grid for next year (not Jenzer, as they won't be there).
 

Team            Driver 1               Driver 2                  Driver 3
Prema           Noel Léon              Brando Badoer             Ugo Ugochukwu
Trident         Noah Strømsted         Rafael Câmara             Charlie Wurz
ART             James Wharton          Laurens van Hoepen        Tuukka Taponen
Campos          Jesse Carrasquedo (D1) Tasanapol Inthraphuvasak  Mari Boya
                Nikola Tsolov (D2)         
Hitech          Josh Dufek             Gerrard Xie Wing Lam      Martinius Stenshorne
MP Motorsport   Tim Tramnitz           Bruno del Pino            Alessandro Giusti
Van Amersfoort  Théophile Naël (D1)    John Bennett              Ivan Domingues
                Jesse Carrasquedo (D2)
Rodin           Freddie Slater         Louis Sharp               Roman Bilinski
AIX             Javier Sagrera         Niels Koolen              José Garfias
Jenzer          Nicola Lacorte         Christian Ho              Matías Zagazeta

Edited by Frood, 07 October 2024 - 16:42.

[DJH63]

What a scattergun approach Lord Koolen has had to racing. At least it suggests they were chastened by his experienced in F2.

[JvsKVB77]

Tuukka  comfirmed at ART. Not best option, but not worst. Seems with Prema they not have good relationship since F4, and Trident had Camara as number one. 

[Bleu]

Taponen confirmed for ART

https://www.fiaformu...d-prix-for-2025

[BRG]

 (not Jenzer, as they won't be there).

So why are they doing the test?  Is it an obligation from being in the 2024 field, or is someone paying them for it?

[Myrvold]

Tuukka  comfirmed at ART. Not best option, but not worst. Seems with Prema they not have good relationship since F4, and Trident had Camara as number one. 

 

Ok, I get the bear for Bearman. But where does a tiger come in for the Finn?

[Muppetmad]

"Tuuka the Tiger" is his nickname for some reason.

[Frood]

So why are they doing the test? Is it an obligation from being in the 2024 field, or is someone paying them for it?

Possibly out of obligation, but Zagazeta and Lacorte are definitely paying to be there. Ho, possibly not, as I don't think he has a great deal of money.

[Anja]

With the new cars next year they might as well run these for the last time. It's not like the team replacing them would buy the outgoing cars just for that. 

[Balnazzard]

Ok, I get the bear for Bearman. But where does a tiger come in for the Finn?

He got the nickname Tiger while back propably just because Tuukka the Tiger has nice sound to it 

 

Anyhow since in 2025 there will be entirely new cars its way too early to say anything about the teams the drivers chose/got into. If anything the F2 season this year showed that teams that werent expected to perform so well managed to beat the former front runners.

 

As Finn Im just excited that the next Finnish F1 driver dream is one step closer to happening. Unfortunately its unlikely that Taponen gets to F1 before Bottas is out so there likely will be a season or two without a Finn in F1.

 

Even though his FRECA championship run got bad end, he still had far better season than last year in F4, won Middle East championship and still has chance to finish 2nd in FRECA so the expectations I have for Tuukka remain high for his F3 season

[JvsKVB77]

Ok, I get the bear for Bearman. But where does a tiger come in for the Finn?

I don't know exactly why he has his nickname) Maybe  there are something  to Tuukka Rask(Icehockey goalkeepr) and there are another driver in karting with name Tuukka and tiger on the helmet)

Edited by JvsKVB77, 08 October 2024 - 15:02.

[Frood]

Testing times for Day 1 of the post-season test. Ultimately these mean very little with as they are with the outgoing car. Also, I neglected to mention - it's at Jerez.
 
Morning

Pos  Driver                    Team
 1.  Mari Boya                 Campos          1:31.281
 2.  Jesse Carrasquedo         Campos          1:31.418  +0.137
 3.  Christian Ho              Jenzer          1:32.096  +0.815
 4.  Roman Biliński            Rodin           1:32.201  +0.920
 5.  Théophile Naël            Van Amersfoort  1:32.307  +1.026
 6.  Ugo Ugochukwu             Prema           1:32.417  +1.136
 7.  Matías Zagazeta           Jenzer          1:32.618  +1.337
 8.  Alessandro Giusti         MP Motorsport   1:32.772  +1.491
 9.  Tasanapol Inthraphuvasak  Campos          1:32.829  +1.548
10.  Freddie Slater            Rodin           1:32.870  +1.589

Afternoon

Pos  Driver                    Team
 1.  Martinius Stenshorne      Hitech          1:30.761
 2.  Mari Boya                 Campos          1:30.877  +0.116
 3.  John Bennett              Van Amersfoort  1:30.906  +0.145
 4.  Jesse Carrasquedo         Campos          1:30.921  +0.160
 5.  Laurens van Hoepen        ART             1:31.032  +0.271
 6.  Josh Dufek                Hitech          1:31.060  +0.299
 7.  Christian Ho              Jenzer          1:31.149  +0.388
 8.  Tasanapol Inthraphuvasak  Campos          1:31.153  +0.392
 9.  Roman Biliński            Rodin           1:31.267  +0.506
10.  Noah Strømsted            Trident         1:31.273  +0.512

[Racer3000]

Today's complete results:

 

https://www.fiaformu...ech-pulse-eight

[Frood]

Overall best times from the post-season test (or, basically, the Day 2 morning times):
 

Pos  Driver                    Team            Time                 Laps
 1.  Nikola Tsolov             Campos          1:29.758 (Day 2 AM)  75    Day 2 only
 2.  Mari Boya                 Campos          1:29.881 (Day 2 AM)  116
 3.  Martinius Stenshorne      Hitech          1:30.050 (Day 2 AM)  132
 4.  Noah Strømsted            Trident         1:30.072 (Day 2 AM)  126
 5.  Ugo Ugochukwu             Prema           1:30.175 (Day 2 AM)  144
 6.  Tasanapol Inthraphuvasak  Campos          1:30.202 (Day 2 AM)  126
 7.  Charlie Wurz              Trident         1:30.221 (Day 2 AM)  135
 8.  Josh Dufek                Hitech          1:30.230 (Day 2 AM)  121
 9.  Freddie Slater            Rodin           1:30.263 (Day 2 AM)  135
10.  Christian Ho              Jenzer          1:30.317 (Day 2 AM)  143
11.  Rafael Câmara             Trident         1:30.337 (Day 2 AM)  112
12.  Noel León                 Prema           1:30.366 (Day 2 AM)  121
13.  Laurens van Hoepen        ART             1:30.377 (Day 2 AM)  107
14.  Tim Tramnitz              MP Motorsport   1:30.391 (Day 2 AM)  97
15.  Matías Zagazeta           Jenzer          1:30.417 (Day 2 AM)  128
16.  John Bennett              Van Amersfoort  1:30.548 (Day 2 AM)  141
17.  Roman Biliński            Rodin           1:30.608 (Day 2 AM)  143
18.  Bruno del Pino            MP Motorsport   1:30.702 (Day 2 AM)  137
19.  James Wharton             ART             1:30.734 (Day 2 AM)  112
20.  Louis Sharp               Rodin           1:30.762 (Day 2 AM)  150
21.  Nicola Lacorte            Jenzer          1:30.857 (Day 2 AM)  122
22.  Jesse Carrasquedo         Campos          1:30.921 (Day 1 AM)  57   Day 1 only
23.  Javier Sagrera            AIX             1:30.924 (Day 2 AM)  133
24.  Gerrard Xie Wing Lam      Hitech          1:30.954 (Day 2 AM)  115
25.  Jesse Carrasquedo         Van Amersfoort  1:31.029 (Day 2 AM)  69   Day 2 only
26.  Alessandro Giusti         MP Motorsport   1:31.051 (Day 2 AM)  134
27.  Ivan Domingues            Van Amersfoort  1:31.114 (Day 2 AM)  140
28.  Tuukka Taponen            ART             1:31.250 (Day 2 AM)  118
29.  Brando Badoer             Prema           1:31.263 (Day 2 AM)  121
30.  Joss Garfias              AIX             1:31.343 (Day 2 AM)  100
31.  Théophile Naël            Van Amersfoort  1:31.418 (Day 1 AM)  62   Day 1 only
32.  Niels Koolen              AIX             1:31.982 (Day 2 AM)  129

And that is that for the 2024 season. A happy retirement to the Dallara F3 2019 chassis, and goodbye to Jenzer's time in FIA F3.

[tyker]

Overall best times from the post-season test (or, basically, the Day 2 morning times):
 

Pos  Driver                    Team            Time                 Laps
 1.  Nikola Tsolov             Campos          1:29.758 (Day 2 AM)  75    Day 2 only
 2.  Mari Boya                 Campos          1:29.881 (Day 2 AM)  116
 3.  Martinius Stenshorne      Hitech          1:30.050 (Day 2 AM)  132
 4.  Noah Strømsted            Trident         1:30.072 (Day 2 AM)  126
 5.  Ugo Ugochukwu             Prema           1:30.175 (Day 2 AM)  144
 6.  Tasanapol Inthraphuvasak  Campos          1:30.202 (Day 2 AM)  126
 7.  Charlie Wurz              Trident         1:30.221 (Day 2 AM)  135
 8.  Josh Dufek                Hitech          1:30.230 (Day 2 AM)  121
 9.  Freddie Slater            Rodin           1:30.263 (Day 2 AM)  135
10.  Christian Ho              Jenzer          1:30.317 (Day 2 AM)  143
11.  Rafael Câmara             Trident         1:30.337 (Day 2 AM)  112
12.  Noel León                 Prema           1:30.366 (Day 2 AM)  121
13.  Laurens van Hoepen        ART             1:30.377 (Day 2 AM)  107
14.  Tim Tramnitz              MP Motorsport   1:30.391 (Day 2 AM)  97
15.  Matías Zagazeta           Jenzer          1:30.417 (Day 2 AM)  128
16.  John Bennett              Van Amersfoort  1:30.548 (Day 2 AM)  141
17.  Roman Biliński            Rodin           1:30.608 (Day 2 AM)  143
18.  Bruno del Pino            MP Motorsport   1:30.702 (Day 2 AM)  137
19.  James Wharton             ART             1:30.734 (Day 2 AM)  112
20.  Louis Sharp               Rodin           1:30.762 (Day 2 AM)  150
21.  Nicola Lacorte            Jenzer          1:30.857 (Day 2 AM)  122
22.  Jesse Carrasquedo         Campos          1:30.921 (Day 1 AM)  57   Day 1 only
23.  Javier Sagrera            AIX             1:30.924 (Day 2 AM)  133
24.  Gerrard Xie Wing Lam      Hitech          1:30.954 (Day 2 AM)  115
25.  Jesse Carrasquedo         Van Amersfoort  1:31.029 (Day 2 AM)  69   Day 2 only
26.  Alessandro Giusti         MP Motorsport   1:31.051 (Day 2 AM)  134
27.  Ivan Domingues            Van Amersfoort  1:31.114 (Day 2 AM)  140
28.  Tuukka Taponen            ART             1:31.250 (Day 2 AM)  118
29.  Brando Badoer             Prema           1:31.263 (Day 2 AM)  121
30.  Joss Garfias              AIX             1:31.343 (Day 2 AM)  100
31.  Théophile Naël            Van Amersfoort  1:31.418 (Day 1 AM)  62   Day 1 only
32.  Niels Koolen              AIX             1:31.982 (Day 2 AM)  129

And that is that for the 2024 season. A happy retirement to the Dallara F3 2019 chassis, and goodbye to Jenzer's time in FIA F3.

 

There's another 2 day test at Barcelona starting this coming Tuesday, will that be with the 2025 cars then?

[billm99uk]

Surprisingly good time for Strømsted....

[DJH63]

Impressive that Lord Kielen in one year has been the slowest in Indy Lights, slowest in F2 and slowest in F3.

[BRG]

Impressive that Lord Kielen in one year has been the slowest in Indy Lights, slowest in F2 and slowest in F3.

Consistent lap times are what so many teams really want to see......