Predictions for BARCELONA, F3000 round #3

[DanFlag]

1 Wilson Justin COCACOLA NORDIC
2 Webber Mark SUPER NOVA RACING
3 Sperafico Ricardo PETROBRAS J.
4 Pantano Giorgio ASTROMEGA
5 Friesacher Patrick RED BULL
6 Manning Darren ARDEN RUSSIA

[Paddock Spy]

Mark Webber has the best chance of winning in Spain due to the simple fact that he has spent the last five weeks testing there with the Benetton F1 Team. He should now know every little nook and cranny that the circuit has to offer. Justin Wilson will only stand a chance if he can qualify in the top five.

[DanFlag]

Hi Paddock Spy, welcome aboard!

Where did you learn that you Spy you!?

[Paddock Spy]

By being a paddock spy! Mark has been testing around 2-3 days at a time, completing at least two full Grand Prix distance runs each day. With the now shortened races in F3000, if Mark can qualify well, then it should be a walk in the park for him. Overtaking at a circuit such as Catalunya is very hard, so the best chance that the top six will have is if there is an accident on the opening lap at Elf, or if things get sticky at somewhere like Repsol.

[DanFlag]

Thx, lots of useful info there!

Keep up the good work and the posting in here!

[DNQ]

Webber will win, with Justin Wilson a close second. I also think Manning will be in with a chance, as may the Sperafico brothers. We'll have to wait and see!

[Faster]

1-Pizzonia
2-Friesacher
3-Webber
4-Ric. Sperafico
5-Wilson
6-Pantano

[Marshal]

Something like

Webber
Pizzonia
Friesacher
Wilson
Manning
Pantano

[Paddock Spy]

Strange that no-one has included Enge in their top six. Come on guys!! Let's do a little homework here. Where did Enge qualify in Brazil? Answer: 5th. Where did he finish? Answer: 11th (although you must remember that he was running in the top 3 BEFORE the Safety Car incident). Where did Enge qualify at Imola? Answer: 4th. Where did he finish? Answer: 3rd. In two starts he has out-qualified his team-mate Wilson, so will he not do it again in Spain? At least no-one has put Haberfeld down in the their top six. Here's my prediction for Mario. Qualifies? Outside top ten. Finishes? Will DNF whilst challenging for 15th!
Pantano should qualify in the top six, but if he does so then he will be a major factor in any problems that will occur at Elf on the opening lap. Also guilty at this corner shall be Derek Hill who will no-doubt end up in the kitty-litter having qualified in 19th place. And what about Bourdais? Will he again destroy two cars over the course of the weekend? I think he will be one of the top six qualifiers and one to watch for the race itself. He won't win, but he'll have a damn good try.

[bella]

1.ricardo sperafico (this time!)
2.rodrigo sperafico
3.mark webber (a bit of reality)
erm....
oh yeah.
4.antonio pizzonia

[Fiorentina 1]

1. Ro.Sperafico
2. Manning
3. Weber
4. Pizzonia
5. Enge
6. Garcia

[JVA]

I think that the Belgium drivers will go well in Barcelona.
Especially D.Saelens got a chance of winning the race. If not, take some points.

B.Leinders hasn't a good car so he mustr finish in the top ten I think.

I hope also that J.Van Hooydonck got soon a car to drive in the F3000

Oh, Webber wins the race and Pizzonia will come home in second place. Saelens take the third place on the podium.

Greatings from Belgium.

[DanFlag]

(LONDON: 1800hrs Wednesday 25th April 2001)

WITHIN HOURS OF HEARING FROM HIS KJR/MONACO TEAM OWNER OF THE TEAM’S INABILITY TO PARTICIPATE IN ROUND 3 OF THE INTERNATIONAL F3000 CHAMPIONSHIP IN BARCELONA, JUSTIN KEEN REMAINS DETERMINED TO RETURN AND BUILD UPON HIS IMPRESSIVE DEBUT.

KEEN RECEIVED THE SHOCK CALL FROM MONACO RACING’S MAJORITY TEAM OWNER GIAN LUIGI COLETTI JUST 12 HOURS BEFORE HE PLANNED TO FLY OUT TO SPAIN FOR PRE-RACE PREPARATION.

SAID KEEN: "MR COLETTI EXPLAINED THAT A DEVELOPING DISPUTE WITHIN THE TEAM OWNERSHIP HAD UNEXPECTEDLY CREATED A "FORCE MAJEURE", DENYING THE TEAM THE OPPORTUNITY OF PARTICIPATING AT CATALUNYA"

DESPITE THE CLEAR DISADVANTAGES OF LACK OF PRACTICE AND CAR PREPARATION KEEN HAD DEFIED THE ODDS AND SURPRIZED OBSERVERS WITH QUALITY DRIVES IN THE FIRST TWO ROUNDS.

" DETERMINATION, TENACITY AND FAST LEARNING HAVE GIVEN US A REAL CHANCE OF SCORING POINTS AS THE SEASON PROGRESSES." KEEN’S 12TH PLACE FINISH WITH A FADING ENGINE AT IMOLA SUPPORTS THAT BELIEF.

HE CONTINUED "I AM HOPEFUL THAT THE FIA WILL BE UNDERSTANDING OF THIS UNIQUE CIRCUMSTANCE AND I AM EAGER TO SUPPORT MY TEAM IN ANY WAY NECESSARY TO RESOLVE THE SITUATION."

KEEN’S ABSENCE FROM PRACTICE AT MONZA HAD FUELLED RUMOURS ABOUT HIS CONTINUED PARTICIPATION. KEEN COMMENTED: " MY RESULTS HAD SECURED MY POSITION BUT UNAVOIDABLE , PRE-ARRANGED COMMITMENTS MEANT THAT I WAS NEVER GOING TO BE ABLE TO ATTEND MONZA."

"RACING HAS TAUGHT ME THE IMPORTANCE OF KEEPING TOTALLY FOCUSED AND POSITIVE AT EVERY MOMENT – THIS IS ONE OF THOSE MOMENTS."

END

Source: F3000.com

[R]

Perhaps something like this:

1. Webber
2. Pizzonia
3. Friesacher
4. Enge
5. Wilson
6. Ro. Sperafico

[Faster]

Congratulations to Paddock Spy and JVA!!! At least in qualifying, their predictions worked very well!!!

[jvcBrasil]

Pizzonia
Enge
Webber
Sperafico
Sperafico
someone else from Brazil

[Ickxfan]

Originally posted by JVA
I think that the Belgium drivers will go well in Barcelona.
Especially D.Saelens got a chance of winning the race. If not, take some points.

B.Leinders hasn't a good car so he mustr finish in the top ten I think.

I hope also that J.Van Hooydonck got soon a car to drive in the F3000

Oh, Webber wins the race and Pizzonia will come home in second place. Saelens take the third place on the podium.

Greatings from Belgium.

Greetings JVA, from a fellow Belgian living in the US. Bas Leinders surprised all, by qualifying 3rd in the KTR car, and Saelens 5th. Both of these guys have the talent to win a F-3000 race, and they better do it soon, as they are running out of time. As for Hooydonck, I wish he had stayed with KTR! He really deserves a ride. Anyway, Barcelona, may be Saelens' first victory.

[Paddock Spy]

Read it and weep guys!!! I told you all not to forget Tomas Enge and here he is at the top of the podium. Good work fella! Check in again in two weeks time for another prediction from the Paddock Spy.

[DanFlag]

good one Spy!!!

[R]

Originally posted by Paddock Spy
At least no-one has put Haberfeld down in the their top six. Here's my prediction for Mario. Qualifies? Outside top ten. Finishes? Will DNF whilst challenging for 15th!

Oh really?

[Paddock Spy]

HA-HA-HA. Good call. I was waiting for someone to pick me up on that one. Not to worry, Mr know-it-all here has just looked back at Brazil: Qualified 9th / DNF. Imola: Qualified 12th / DNF. And I now come to the sweeping statement that "one swallow does not a summer make".Can he be consistent? I wonder... I will however go out on a limb here and say that Mario "how on earth did I end up driving for a top team" Haberfeld will struggle to repeat this feat during the remainder of the season. Roll on Austria is all I can say, we shall soon see which of us is laughing at the end of the season.One things for sure, it won't be Mario. Feel free to correct me at any stage during the season.

[R]

Well, your prediction was logical anyway, because if I'm not very much mistaken, this was Mario's first ever point-scoring finish in F3000. He's been in the right teams alright, like in 99, when he was teamed with Nick Heidfeld, who won the championship hands down.

[bella]

rats. again, i'm wrong.
but what's going on with the speraficos? anyone see the race (stupid question)? what happened to ricardo? has he been possessed...?