UNOFFICIAL F3000 INFORMATION

November 25th 1999- Int'l F3000:

Testing round up; Scheckter may jump to F3000 Justin Wilson will drive for Super Nova and Lukoil Arden in this week's Barcelona F3000 test. SudAm F3 champion Hoover Orsi and Jaki Scheckter, nephew of Jody, will drive for Nordic Racing. Formula Palmer Audi driver Damien Faulkner will test for Lukoil Arden. Formula Nissan champion Fernando Alonso will drive for Red Bull Junior. Richard Lyons (FPA runner up), Enrico Toccacelo (Italian F3 frontrunner) and Angel Burgueno will all test for Coloni. Meanwhile British F3 national class champion Martin O'Connell has tested Redman Bright's Italian F3000 Lola T96/50 at Donington. British Formula Vauxhall champion Gary Paffett tested a John Village Automotive Lola T96/50 at Donington as part of his championship prize. EFDA Euroseries (formerly Formula Opel) champion Tomas Scheckter will test for European Formula at Barcelona this week. He has also tested a Martello Racing Italian F3000 Lola at Donington last week. The South African is considering a jump straight into F3000 next year. (Source: Autosport)

Saelens stays at Super Nova Belgian David Saelens has re-signed for top F3000 team Super Nova. He finished 9th in the 1999 standings for the team after leaving WRT Fina, and was highest placed rookie. (Source: Autosport)

Ex-F1 man Tuero returns Former Minardi driver Esteban Tuero returned to single seaters testing for Durango at Barcelona yesterday. The Argentinian gave up his F1 career after one season in 1998. He had raced for half a season in F3000 in 1996 with Draco, without success, before moving to Formula Nippon. (Source: www.sutton-images.com/ )

Couto and Yoong's F3 return F3000 drivers Andre Couto and Alex Yoong stepped back down to F3 for the showpiece Macau Grand Prix. Yoong, who drove for Monaco in the International and Italian F3000 series this year, finished seventh for Alan Docking Racing. Bertram Schafer Racing's Andre Couto, the Gauloises Junior F3000 driver returning to his home region, retired after colliding with second-placed Jenson Button. Japanese F3 champion Darren Manning won the race, dominating after a multiple pile-up in the first heat.

Haberfeld fastest in Jerez tests 1999 West driver Mario Haberfeld was fastest and All-Japan F3 champion Darren Manning was second in last week's F3000 test in Jerez, Spain. Haberfeld drove for Fortec, the team he is virtually certain to sign for in 2000. Brit Manning was only 0.2s slower, driving for Petrobras Junior. British F3 champion Marc Hynes ran for European and Lukoil Arden, while former Formula Palmer Audi driver Darren Turner was 13th for Super Nova. Jenson Button, 3rd in British F3 in only his second season out of karts, was an amazing sixth for Fortec. Stephane Sarrazin impressed with 3rd for West, who he is expected for to race next year. Formula Open by Nissan champion Fernando Alonso ended 23rd for Coloni, but set third fastest time on one of the days. Former F3000 frontrunner Kurt Mollekens was 8th for Witmeur KTR, the team he runs. He was helping to develop the car and doesn't plan a return to racing. View the full test times in the 2000 season section. (Source: Autosport)

Watt making progress Jason Watt, paralysed in a motorbike accident last month, is making progress. The Dane, 2nd in this year's standings after 2 wins, is using a wheelchair and has been outdoors for the first time since the crash. He is said to have accepted the situation in good spirit and has a positive frame of mind. (Source: Autosport)

New signings round up Jaime Melo Jr, 2nd in South American F3 this year, has signed to partner Bruno Junqueira at Petrobras Junior. Junqueira is a title favourite for next year. Meanwhile Fabrice Walfisch, a polesitter in 1999, has signed for Astromega. Mario Haberfeld is almost certain to sign for Fortec. Stephane Sarrazin has emerged as favourite to race for West Competition where he may be joined by Franck Montagny. The latter's teammate at DAMS this year, David Terrien, is expected to sign for Draco. Montagny may stay at DAMS, where Roman Dumas, a non-qualifier in his single F3000 attempt this year, is also in contention. (Source: Autosport)

Pantano may race in F3000 Italia Two times karting world champion Giorgio Pantano may race in the Italian F3000 series next year. The 20 year old Italian, backed by Team Brask, has run in Euro Open Formula Nissan and Formula 3 this year, and is competing in the Formula Palmer Audi Winter series. (Source: Autosport)

French F3 star to race in Italy French F3 runner up Jonathan Cochet is expected to race in Italian F3000 next season with Draco. He tested for the team at Jerez last week. (Source: Autosport)

Burti to bypass F3000?- British F3 runner-up Luciano Burti is expected to bypass F3000 on his quest for F1, by signing to be the 2000 Jaguar F1 test driver. Burti drove for Paul Stewart Racing in 1998 and 99, and will keep driving for Paul and Jackie Stewart if he does become Jaguar test driver. The previous two frontrunning PSR British F3 drivers, Jonny Kane and Mario Haberfeld (1997 and 98 champions) both graduated immediately to F3000. (Source: www.autosport.com )

Pantano to test for Astromega- Two times karting world champion Giorgio Pantano is set for a test with Astromega in Barcelona next Tuesday. The 20 year old is backed by Team Brask who may help him into F3000 next year depending on whether he is ready. Pantano has raced briefly in Euro Open by Nissan this year, and is contesting the Formula Palmer Audi Winter Series. (Source: www.autosport.com )

Firman takes first Japan win; Coronel wins title-Shionogi Nova driver Ralph Firman took his maiden Formula Nippon victory at the Suzuka finale, Round 10. Dutchman Tom Coronel (PIAA Nakajima) clinched his first Formula Nippon title despite colliding with title rival Satoshi Motoyama at the first corner. In a crash reminiscent of the Senna/Prost F1 decider in 1990, Coronel's car flew over the top Motoyama's car, and both went hard into the barriers, but escaped uninjured. Coronel kept his four point advantage in the standings. Coronel's teammate Hidetoshi Mitsusada finished third in the championship. Firman's win was also the first win for the G-Force chassis. 1999 is Ralph's third year of Formula Nippon competition, and his second with the Nova team. Michael Krumm and Juichi Wakisaka finished second and third in the race, while Britain's Peter Dumbreck finished out of the points in 10th. (Source: http://www.f-nippon.co.jp/ )

Brits test for top teams; other testing news- On Monday at Jerez, British F3 frontrunner Jenson Button tested for Super Nova, while Formula Palmer Audi runner up Derek Hayes tested for Petrobras Junior. Jaime Melo Jr is emerging as a possible driver at Petrobras Jr next year. He was fastest of a number of Brazilians recently tested by the team. Meanwhile it looks as though David Saelens will drive for Super Nova again in 2000, and Jeffrey van Hooydonk may move from Witmeur KTR to the Oreca team. (Source: Autosport)

Jerez testing, 8th-10th November- The official F3000 test session at Jerez, Spain, this week gave many newcomers and established drivers an opportunity to show their speed ahead of next season. Jenson Button tested for Fortec at Jerez, while Marc Hynes, the British F3 champion, tested for both Arden and European Racing. Japanese F3 champion Darren Manning and Kristian Kolby both drove for Petrobras Jr. Manning was quickest of all on the second day. Mark Webber tested for European Racing, Andreas Scheld for Astromega, Stephane Sarrazin and Franck Montagny for West Competition and Robert Lechner tested for Super Nova. (Sources: www.sutton-images.com/news/latest.htm# /Autosport)

Fortec fastest at official Jerez test- Fortec were fastest on the first day of official F3000 testing at Jerez in Spain. Brazil's Mario Haberfeld, who drove for West Competition this year, set the fastest time on his second lap. British F3 driver Jenson Button was eighth fastest, also testing for Fortec. (Source: www.autosport.com )

F3000 Italia 2000 calendar released - Next year's calendar for Italian F3000 has been released. The season will have eight races, one more than this year, and will once again go abroad to Donington Park. The dates have been chosen so that rounds do not clash with International F3000 rounds. See the calendar soon in the Italian F3000 section. (Source: Autosport)

Petrobras Junior to test drivers; Walfisch to test with Astromega - Petrobras Junior is to test four young drivers at Jerez next week; British F3 frontrunner and F3000 Italia point-scorer Kristian Kolby, All-Japan F3 champion Darren Manning, Formula Palmer Audi runner-up Derek Hayes and the German Andreas Scheld. None of them will race for the team in 2000 as it is committed to running two Brazilians. Meanwhile Fabrice Walfisch, who took pole at the Nurburgring this year for Draco, is due to test for Astromega. (Source: Autosport)

Jason Watt update- Jason Watt remains in intensive care in hospital in Copenhagen. He is no longer in a life-threatening situation, but is in severe pain and needs help breathing on occasion due to his broken ribs. He is likely to spend the rest of the year at the Rigshospital before being transferred to the Gilleleje Rehabilitation Center in North Sealand. (Source: http://www.team.den-blaa-avis.dk/uk_index2.htm ).

HOME