british f3 silverstone 2nd & 3rd may 2009

[strider]

Originally Posted by strider

Hitech have pulled off something of a coup by doing what looks like a one-off deal for this weekend with the experienced Dutch driver, Renger van der Zande.

It will be a tall order for him to do well on a circuit he doesn't know using Cooper tyres (sorry,tires) he doesn't know either, but he has the class to shine. Let's hope does and that the deal becomes a permanent one. Story here.

When I wrote this a few days I certainly wasn't expecting Renger to go out and win his first race. That certainly was a classy effort. He did get fastest lap as well, I think, by all of one-thousandth of a second.

Ricciardo and Tandy made some progress, but overtaking at Silverstone isn't easy.

You're right, L2LO, the live timing wasn't very good - bring back TSL!

[Last2LiftOff]

Great pace from Tandy (and the lone Mygale?).

[strider]

Originally Posted by Last2LiftOff

Great pace from Tandy (and the lone Mygale?).

Yes, now that Ultimate have dropped out, JTR are running the only Mygale.

[strider]

Race 2 results here, but there must be some stories to be told.

Chilton led most of the way from Ricciardo, but then dropped back to 3rd. Van der Zande had been 4th for a long time, but then plummeted to 12th.

Tandy made it to 5th, but also set the fastest lap.

Dias won the National Class again, despite having been behind McKenzie to begin with.

[strider]

Some more information is now coming to light. This is autosport.com's take on events.

For a little more detail, have a look at the report on the official website here.

I'm left wondering if Chilton really did have a gearbox selection problem or if Ricciardo plain outdrove him.

Either way it was a much more interesting race than one expects at Silverstone, which can only be good.

Renger van der Zende is obviously a very good addition to the Series and I hope he stays. You have to say, though, that if he can do that in his first appearance in the Series without any familiarity days with the car beforehand, it doesn't say an awful lot for this year's crop.

[gomick]

Dream start to the season for Ricciardo

[bella]

Originally Posted by strider

Renger van der Zende is obviously a very good addition to the Series and I hope he stays.

likewise, potentially for a parente style thrashing... but beating the bosses son isn't the best way to secure a drive

[Kidzer]

Might encourage said son to up his game a bit though, or help to speed him up a bit!

[chunterer]

I guess the overtaking came in the second race because one or two people who had it in them in race 1 (a typical F3 fare of processional racing) didn't in case they totalled the cars and missed the second race then?.........

Chilton led for most of the second race with Ricciardo having a stab occassionally. Buzaid got muscled out on lap one and spent the rest of the race in the midfield!

Chilton led Ricciardo, Van Der Zande, Christo and Nakajima and it all looked like staying that way. Christo had a lunge at Vale mid race but was rebuffed and then about 5 laps from the end (I think) Christo steamed up the outside of Van Der Zande into Vale and managed to hold him off right through to Abbey. The Dutchman clearly didn't expect it and wasn't all that hapy about it as he was crawling all over him!

Then with 3 laps left Ricciardo pulled an ace move on Chilton at Stowe round the outside (again i'm a bit hazy) and zipped away. Christo then took advantage of a deflated Chilton a lap or two later and got by at Vale. but Daniel was away and gone by then.

Some good action all told and I suspect the title will end up being between Ricciardo and Riki; they seem to have an extra bit of class when needed. However if Reneger were too continue......

Of the rest, Tandy did some ace moves early in both races to come through but by the time he'd cleared the slower guys the gap to the top half dozen or so was too great to close down really.

[Alex K]

But son raised his game a lot during pre-season testing and races itself. It's not the same Walter, it's new one. I'm impressed with his speed, hope he can keep it.

[zip]

It looks like Ricciardo Chilton and Tandy to me .Dan three race wins, Max outright pace three poles out of four and Tandy more cars overtaken than anyone but it's early days could be a classic

[strider]

Originally Posted by zip

It looks like Ricciardo Chilton and Tandy to me. Dan three race wins, Max outright pace three poles out of four and Tandy more cars overtaken than anyone but it's early days could be a classic

Hope you're right about it being a classic. As for contenders, don't forget Renger van der Zande if he does now come in for the rest of the season. I think he probably will with a little help from Mercedes, because they won't want to see VW walking off with the glory.

[Last2LiftOff]

Say, Sergio Perez top tier-ish so far in the first round of GP2 this weekend. Is that the one and only Sergio (National Class title? was it last year?). Wow, well done, I'm (even more) impressed. Although chances are better-than-average that I have that completely wrong, in a red mist sort of way.

[strider]

No red mist there. It is the same Sergio Perez, but he won the National Class in 2007. Last year, still with T-Sport, he ran in the main International Class and was 4th overall behind Alguersuari, Turvey and Hartley, despite using the unfashionable Mugen-Honda engine. He won both races at Monza (in each case from 14th on the grid) and at that point was leading the title chase by 32 points...

[Last2LiftOff]

2007 was it Strider? Mist a whole year there. Thanks for that.

Where're they off to next then? (Stand by, I'll look it up for myself).

Next Race: >> Rockingham 31/05/2009 - 18 Days, 22 Hrs, 32 Mins

[Mak]

Carlin jocker day @ Pembry today. Any other team attending??