The Junior Series Thread

yannicksamlad · Post by **yannicksamlad** » 17 Feb 2016, 12:01

So in GP2 Armand is in at Trident (rookie) with Ghiotto and Malja is at Rapax. So some new (ish) faces . Apparently Stefano Domenicali was saying that there aren't so many drivers looking at GP2 this year - lack of money, or preferring elsewhere, and same for F3 ( where they've got 24 cars , unlike last years 33/35) so are extending the deadline for entries ..
Whereas F4 has lots of support ...
Looks like times are tough.....

So still places at Arden, Status, Carlin for GP2......and 2 Hilmer cars are knocking about somewhere...

Post by **Ataxia** » 29 Feb 2016, 10:24

ART's GP3 lineup consists of Nyck de Vries, Alexander Albon, Nirei Fukuzumi and now Charles Leclerc.

That's a horrifically strong lineup, and if they don't clean house something very wrong will have happened!

golic_2004 · Post by **golic_2004** » 29 Feb 2016, 12:39

Ataxia wrote:ART's GP3 lineup consists of Nyck de Vries, Alexander Albon, Nirei Fukuzumi and now Charles Leclerc.

That's a horrifically strong lineup, and if they don't clean house something very wrong will have happened!

Perhaps Sandy Stuvik and Antonio Fuoco of Trident will be the "very wrong" that happened.

yannicksamlad · Post by **yannicksamlad** » 29 Feb 2016, 13:24

Does look like ART stranglehold will be difficult to dislodge...but is Nyck de Vries really convincing you that he's top class? He's experienced, and he is quick, but I think the tag that he's a 'future F1 star' is not being applied so much to his name. Somehow doesn't quite seem to have developed as much recently...in my view at least.

Any thoughts? Which of that ART GP3 team will win a GP?

girry · Post by **girry** » 29 Feb 2016, 14:50

de Vries already proved himself on his FR3.5 debut season - a series stronger in driver field and machinery than GP3 - so with that experience he has to be considered the favorite, even if Leclerc may be considered the better talent

yannicksamlad · Post by **yannicksamlad** » 29 Feb 2016, 21:51

I suppose I forgot how young de Vries is still. But he was with DAMS and I was expecting a bit more. He'd done 2.0 for a while..
Anyway, we will see, but somehow I am thinking Nyck has lost a little of his shine. Plenty of time for him to develop, though.

AdrianBelmonte_ · Post by **AdrianBelmonte_** » 07 Mar 2016, 18:33

So Can'tamasas himself is near to get a seat in Manor, seriously...

http://www.caranddriverthef1.com/formul ... ador-manor (in spanish)

yannicksamlad · Post by **yannicksamlad** » 15 Mar 2016, 10:26

Looks like Rossi beat Sergio to the Manor reserve role ( although that may still leave 'test driver'/'development driver' or whatever , and meanwhile Marvin Kirchhofer seems to have a Carlin place for the season ..
Sergio went well at the test for Status

Still a place at Carlin, and both Status places ...and both the Arden drives..

Nessafox · Post by **Nessafox** » 30 Mar 2016, 01:04

Meanwhile in Formula V8 3.5 teams are dropping like flies.
But there's also good news: Durango is back!

dr-baker · Post by **dr-baker** » 16 Apr 2016, 21:56

And what is Deletraz doing?!

Aislabie · Post by **Aislabie** » 17 Apr 2016, 20:20

dr-baker wrote:And what is Deletraz doing?!

But more importantly, POINTS FOR BIETSKE VISSER! I mean sure, they give those out to the top ten of a 15-car field, but still.

However, with the instant decline of FV8, and the likes of Palmer and Haryanto providing less than sterling adverts for GP2, you have to wonder where the teams are most likely to pick their talent up from. Will we see more drivers signed straight out of F3 like Verstappen? Lance Stroll has already been with both Ferrari and Williams, so it doesn't seem that far-fetched to me

watka · Post by **watka** » 18 Apr 2016, 12:18

FV8 is a treasure trove of sons this year! Deletraz, Panis, Nissany, Cecotto and Fittipaldi (and Papis!) families represented!

golic_2004 · Post by **golic_2004** » 20 Apr 2016, 11:57

dr-baker wrote:And what is Deletraz doing?!

That son-of-a-Deletraz is winning.

AxelP800 · Post by **AxelP800** » 21 Apr 2016, 04:01

While Durango signed gentleman driver Giuseppe Cipriani, and I don't think it works well....

On other note I feel GP3/16 looks like Ferrari 2015 or Mercs.

Nessafox · Post by **Nessafox** » 21 Apr 2016, 08:11

AxelP800 wrote:While Durango signed gentleman driver Giuseppe Cipriani, and I don't think it works well....

On other note I feel GP3/16 looks like Ferrari 2015 or Mercs.

Considering his age, he probably just lacks the experience.

dr-baker · Post by **dr-baker** » 21 Apr 2016, 10:17

This wrote:
AxelP800 wrote:While Durango signed gentleman driver Giuseppe Cipriani, and I don't think it works well.....

Considering his age, he probably just lacks the experience.

That's what Don Pentecost said...

novitopoli · Post by **novitopoli** » 22 Apr 2016, 22:15

That pure reject gold called Formula 3's back this weekend: as if FORTY lap times being deleted to to all but three drivers not respecting track limits weren't rejectful enough, Nikita Mazepin was banned from the first race after punching another driver in the face. http://wtf1.co.uk/mazepin-banned-hungary-f3/

Nessafox · Post by **Nessafox** » 24 Apr 2016, 10:27

Vandoorne just debuted with a 3rd place in the Super Formula.
Now the Super Formula isn't just an easy feeder category to debut in, with the likes of the LotterrerLegend nd the Sushi Chef being in it, so this is impressive. (especially compared to his countryman Baguette, who got a lot more trouble being competitive)

girry · Post by **girry** » 24 Apr 2016, 10:40

Yup, it's more impressive a performance than many will realize at the first glance. We've seen the likes of Liuzzi (who most would probably describe a F1-standard driver) and Baguette fail to break into top 6 even once on their debut seasons in Japan - and Baguette even had the advantage of one full Super GT season before Super Formula, so he even knew the tracks. Karthikeyan raced for a top team yet failed to convert it into anything..

yannicksamlad · Post by **yannicksamlad** » 05 May 2016, 10:47

GP2 - Arden have finalised Nabil Jeffri and Jimmy Eriksson...for 2016. Not entirely sure Nabil Jeffri is going to shine ....
Still places at Status..and one at Carlin...Status didnt do the last test, so I am assuming they are struggling a bit which is a shame as GP2 really is such a great series when the tyres aren't too ridiculous. I still find it a shame that Hilmer dropped off and we dont have a full grid.

SuzukiSwift · Post by **SuzukiSwift** » 05 May 2016, 17:32

giraurd wrote:Yup, it's more impressive a performance than many will realize at the first glance. We've seen the likes of Liuzzi (who most would probably describe a F1-standard driver) and Baguette fail to break into top 6 even once on their debut seasons in Japan - and Baguette even had the advantage of one full Super GT season before Super Formula, so he even knew the tracks. Karthikeyan raced for a top team yet failed to convert it into anything..

It is a good series. The locals are no slouch either,Hiroaki Ishihura, some guy like 3 people outside of Japan or this website have heard of, won the championship last year.

AndreaModa · Post by **AndreaModa** » 06 May 2016, 10:13

yannicksamlad wrote:GP2 - Arden have finalised Nabil Jeffri and Jimmy Eriksson...for 2016. Not entirely sure Nabil Jeffri is going to shine ....
Still places at Status..and one at Carlin...Status didnt do the last test, so I am assuming they are struggling a bit which is a shame as GP2 really is such a great series when the tyres aren't too ridiculous. I still find it a shame that Hilmer dropped off and we dont have a full grid.

Just too expensive. No-one has the money these days, whether you're good or not.

golic_2004 · Post by **golic_2004** » 09 May 2016, 15:50

http://www.motorsport.com/eurof3/news/n ... au-734877/
What's the point? :facepalm:

Yannick · Post by **Yannick** » 09 May 2016, 16:03

golic_2004 wrote:http://www.motorsport.com/eurof3/news/nelson-piquet-jr-to-contest-european-f3-round-at-pau-734877/
What's the point?

This is a WTB (what the bathplug) moment indeed. :chilton:

Maybe the team just needed a replacement driver on short notice and they knew he could do that well because of his one-off IndyLights performance last year? Stranger things have happened.

golic_2004 · Post by **golic_2004** » 11 May 2016, 11:54

Yannick wrote:
golic_2004 wrote:http://www.motorsport.com/eurof3/news/nelson-piquet-jr-to-contest-european-f3-round-at-pau-734877/
What's the point?

This is a WTB (what the bathplug) moment indeed.

Maybe the team just needed a replacement driver on short notice and they knew he could do that well because of his one-off IndyLights performance last year? Stranger things have happened.

Based on what I see on Wikipedia, he will be in the 19 car vacated by Rauol Hyman, who only contested the first round of the championship.

Post by **Ataxia** » 12 May 2016, 11:26

Guess who's back, back again.

golic_2004 · Post by **golic_2004** » 12 May 2016, 11:28

http://www.motorsport.com/eurof3/news/f ... au-735439/ smart move, FIA

Ataxia wrote:Guess who's back, back again.

AxelP800 · Post by **AxelP800** » 12 May 2016, 11:46

golic_2004 wrote:http://www.motorsport.com/eurof3/news/fia-refuses-to-allow-nelson-piquet-jr-to-race-f3-at-pau-735439/ smart move, FIA

Boooo. I love to see Nelsinho demolished the field (dominating)

golic_2004 · Post by **golic_2004** » 12 May 2016, 12:04

Now don't you make me look like the bad guy, Axel.

I like Piquet Jr.

lance_rambert · Post by **lance_rambert** » 12 May 2016, 17:41

AxelP800 wrote:Boooo. I love to see Nelsinho demolished the field (dominating)

Eh. Whatever. I can do without it. I get enough of that watching Kyle Buschwhacker bulldoze every damn non-Cup race he pops into.

AxelP800 · Post by **AxelP800** » 12 May 2016, 18:05

lance_rambert wrote:
AxelP800 wrote:Boooo. I love to see Nelsinho demolished the field (dominating)

Eh. Whatever. I can do without it. I get enough of that watching Kyle Busch bulldoze every non-Cup race he pops into.

Nah, Cup had done it too often that it's now hideous. But Nelsinho/Europe only doing this in a giga-rare one-offs, no problem with that.

Post by **Miguel98** » 15 May 2016, 07:30

Uhm.... The Catalunya circuit might not be the best example but.... the new GP3 is not producing good racing. At all. The field is all bunched up, but overtakes just don't happen. The car doesn't have any kind of splipstream power down the straights, and it carries way too much dirty air through the corners, so it's hard to follow. And seeing how close the field is, overtakes just don't happen.

Post by **Londoner** » 15 May 2016, 09:09

Gelael, what the bathplug was that?! Absolutely mindless move on Giovanazzi. :facepalm:

Post by **Ataxia** » 15 May 2016, 20:17

East Londoner wrote:Gelael, what the bathplug was that?! Absolutely mindless move on Giovanazzi.

Absolutely awful, wasn't it? Gelael has the talent of a barnacle, and reading his bizarre tweets after the race he's got the class of a sewer rat.

lance_rambert · Post by **lance_rambert** » 15 May 2016, 23:55

Interpret this as you like, but it seems that everything is peachy keen over in the Campos camp?

Post by **Ataxia** » 16 May 2016, 06:44

To me, that just shows a lack of remorse for hurting his friend...Gelael's trying to brush it under the carpet.

AxelP800 · Post by **AxelP800** » 16 May 2016, 10:51

The thing is Giovinazzi could still avoided the accident. He had a widening road in the inside of braking zone even if he won't slow down enough for the corner he would slowed down enough to avoid Pic, or back-off from the move to the outside to avoid the accident. With these options he could avoided the accident.

yannicksamlad · Post by **yannicksamlad** » 16 May 2016, 11:56

Miguel98 wrote:Uhm.... The Catalunya circuit might not be the best example but.... the new GP3 is not producing good racing. At all. The field is all bunched up, but overtakes just don't happen. The car doesn't have any kind of splipstream power down the straights, and it carries way too much dirty air through the corners, so it's hard to follow. And seeing how close the field is, overtakes just don't happen.

Yes, I was stunned to see them all , lap after lap 0.7 secs apart...they all have same traction (whereas the GP2 teams seem to vary more in their ability to find traction and grip) , they can't follow too close ..and they get no slipstream.. Calderon managed a pass..and very few others did. The tyres didn't go off so there was no 'Pirelli-madness' where you just lose 2 secs/lap ( whereas GP2 suffers too much from that sometimes) , possibly because with a new quick car Pirelli took it conservative. ..So there was no passing .

I wonder if F1 2017 will do the same...faster , more powerful...less tyre drop off... ...they may rely entirely on DRS to get by.

Forester · Post by **Forester** » 16 May 2016, 12:02

AxelP800 wrote:The thing is Giovinazzi could still avoided the accident. He had a widening road in the inside of braking zone even if he won't slow down enough for the corner he would slowed down enough to avoid Pic, or back-off from the move to the outside to avoid the accident. With these options he could avoided the accident.

The widening road that you mentioned doesn't start until after Galeal drove into him. The fact that Galeal made contact wheel-to-wheel, rather than simply clattering over Giovinazzi's wing, is evidence that Giovinazzi was far enough alongside to both be entitled space and to reasonably expect to either outbrake Galeal outright or assume track position on the apex and force the overtake there.

Giovinazzi had already done all he reasonably could to avoid an accident: he was already as far left as possible and did not deviate his course until after Galeal drove into him, at which point it was beyond his control.

AdrianBelmonte_ · Post by **AdrianBelmonte_** » 21 May 2016, 10:55

https://twitter.com/f1writers/status/733966391364227072

OMFG! :shock: