Driver Database News

The final day of pre-season testing for the 2012 Formula 3 Euro Series championship campaign once again saw Felix claim top spot on the timesheets, as he underlined a strong start to the year by heading the lists for the third time out of a possible four this winter.

Running didn’t exactly get off to the most intense of starts at Circuit de Catalunya on Thursday morning, as the storms from yesterday survived the night and literally flooded the Barcelona venue just half an hour into testing. The session was red-flagged due to safety concerns, and didn’t get going again until conditions had improved at around 11.00 local time.

Once the action resumed – still on a seriously wet track – Felix immediately shot to the top of the sheets as he continued to adapt his driving style to just the sort of weather in which he hasn’t done much running over previous years.

With his wet-weather programme completed well ahead of time, Mücke Motorsport decided to bring Felix’s morning to an early end with half an hour left until lunch, which meant he would be the only driver – barring Luis Sá Silva – not to take advantage of the by-now rapidly-improving conditions as the circuit continued to dry at the end of the session. Felix duly fell to sixth place as the times tumbled, but took a lot of encouragement from seeing his time hold firm surprisingly well.

The afternoon finally made Spain feel like Spain and not like Sweden, as the sun came out and eventually made the track all but completely dry. Much like in Valencia last weekend, the best times were all set as the teams equipped their cars with new tyres over the final 20 minutes, with Felix leading the field on a 1m40.396s effort when everything was said and done. Raffaele Marciello continued his strong form to end up second, 0.165s behind Felix. Pascal Wehrlein gave Mücke Motorsport an added smile on their faces be going third.

The opening round of the Formula 3 Euro Series season takes place at Hockenheim on April 27-29.

“We have learned so much over these four days of testing, and we have managed to stick to our own programme without any distractions, crashes or incidents in either of the sessions. It’s been very fruitful and the pace seems to underline that, even though I know how tough this championship is and will be under no illusions as we go into Hockenheim.”

I didn’t quite have the same confidence in the car today as I had yesterday and it actually didn’t feel very good, but we are analysing the data as we speak and I think some of it had to do with the winds around here. All-in-all, however, we’ve been very strong in both wet and dry conditions, on new and old tyres and both here and in Valencia, so we do look forward to the season and should be in good shape. We’re up to the challenge and I’m more motivated than ever.”

British race team Carlin have enjoyed a successful start to the 2012 season, with the team’s British F3 and GP3 squads topping the time sheets in pre-season testing. Carlin’s GP2 and Formula Renault 3.5 teams have also clocked up times in the top three to mark a strong start to the season over the last two weeks.

British racer Harry Tincknell topped the timesheets in the second day of British F3 testing at Rockingham today, as the team continued to develop its Volkswagen powered 2012 Dallara F3 car. Tincknell’s time was the fastest of the test overall, after fellow Carlin driver Jack Harvey set the pace at Rockingham yesterday. The Carlin men have locked out the top five positions at both the Rockingham and Snetterton pre-season tests, with their team mates Jazeman Jaafar, Carlos Sainz and Pietro Fantin over the last two weeks.

While the British F3 team finished two days of testing at Rockingham today, Carlin’s Formula Renault 3.5 team brought to a close two days of collective testing at the Paul Ricard circuit in France. Kevin Magnussen and Will Stevens both completed a successful test in the brand new FR3.5 car, with Magnussen setting the third fastest time of today’s running.

The Carlin GP3 team also enjoyed a successful outing this week, with Portuguese racer Antonio Felix da Costa setting the quickest time of the official two day test for Carlin. Will Buller was also in the top ten while Alex Brundle continued to make big improvements ahead of his first season in the series.

Preparing for the 2012 GP2 Series, Max Chilton and Rio Haryanto were out on track last week, at the Barcelona circuit in Spain. A consistent front runner in pre-season testing, Chilton set the second fastest time on the first day in Barcelona while Haryanto was seventh. The Briton and Indonesian continued to put in a strong performance in the final test before the season opener in Malaysia later this month.

Reflecting on a positive start to the 2012 season, Trevor Carlin said, “With 12 cars to prepare for the 2012 season across four championships, it’s a great testament to the team that all four squads have had such a strong start to the season. To finish each test within the top three is extremely encouraging and shows the hard work that has gone in over the winter period.”

Argentina´s driver will test for two days at Circuit de Catalunya, making his debut with new Campos Racing´s Dallara F312. For Regalia, who is going to contest the European F3 Open this year, means first outing ever with this car.

Facu Regalia goes this week to Barcelona, where there are scheduled both Thursday and Friday tests for European F3 Open. Regalia joins the Winter Tests, after his absence at Algarve and Paul Ricard, and is his first test with new Dallara F312, last F3 car built by Italian manufacturer. This week´s tests are really important because it is mandatory to put miles on the clock.

Argentinean driver, who was fourth last weekend during his maiden race in Auto GP, knows Circuit de Catalunya quite well, from his Formula BMW Europe days. “After my season debut in the Auto GP, at the wheel of Lola B05/52-Zytek, now it is the moment to change my mind and to focus on Formula 3. I haven´t driven a Formula 3 car lately, maybe five months ago, and I will need an adaptation period, and in addition it is a fully new car. My target next two days is easy, getting experience under my belt and to find out how this new Dallara works. I will try, as always, to set a good lap time, but know it is going to be hard”, Regalia explained. Regalia added that “I am suffering a backache from a couple of days on, but I don´t think it will be a problem”.

The Winter Tests kicks off on Thursday and continues on Friday, with four free practice sessions per day.

To follow everything concerning Facu´s career in motorsport, please check his profiles on Facebook and Twitter: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Facu-Regalia-2010/286971396026 and @facuregalia.

Henrique Martins will race for Prema Powerteam in the 2012 F.3 Italia series. The Brazilian lined-up in the Eurocup F.Renault in 2010 and 2011. In 2009, at a really young age, he won the South American Formula 3 title in the Light class after having stepped up from the Formula BMW Europe ranks. A pretty impressive CV for a driver who still has to turn 20, one that will enable Martins to be among the series’ top competitors straight out of the box.

Angelo ROSIN – Team Principal:
“Despite his young age, Martins can already count on a wide open-wheel experience. He had the chance to drive several different types of cars and will have no problems in adapting to our FPT-powered Dallara and to our work method.”

Henrique Martins:
“I’m extremely happy to race for the team that won the 2011 Formula 3 Euro Series and the Macau Grand Prix. For me, Prema is the most professional Formula 3 team is Europe. I hope to be able to confirm the expectations that the whole team have in me and I will work really hard to make it happen. This is a great opportunity for me.”

Eddie Cheever will be joining the already-confirmed Brandon Maisano in the PREMA line-up for the Formula 3 Italia 2012. Cheever, son of former F.1 racer Eddie Sr., is back to the series for his sophomore season but, together with Angelo Rosin and His team, is now ready to raise the bar even further.

Born in 1993, he made his open-wheel debut in 2009 by entering the Italian and Swiss F.Renault championship. During the following season, he provided an impressive performance in the F.ACI CSAI Abarth Series before stepping up to an equally positive F.3 season in 2011.

Angelo ROSIN – Team Principal
“Eddie had a very early open wheel start when he was just 15. His improvement is evident when we look at his seasons in F.Renault, Abarth and F.3. He’s now ready to prove his full potential and showcase the experience gathered through a lot of racing activity, thus becoming one of the main stars in this season’s series.”

Eddie CHEEVER Jr.
“I’m very proud of the agreement reached with PREMA POWERTEAM for the 2012 Italian Formula 3 Championship. The team, which is based in Vicenza, is one of the world’s benchmarks in F.3 racing and being part of their group is something that makes me proud and motivated. I cant’t wait to be on-track to start this brand-new program. I hope to gather some great results this season.”

Riccardo Agostini is ready to face a new challenge. The 17 year old driver from Padova finalised the agreement that will bind him till end of 2012 to JD Motorsport, entering Italian F3 Championship and the new ItaIian F3 European Series which will start this year.

After two brilliant seasons in F.ACI-CSAI Abarth (achieving a win at Imola in 2010 – the very same year of his debut in single-seated racing – and the best position among the Italian drivers in the last season of the Italian series), Agostini aims high once more joining Roberto Cavallari’s team and driving the innovative Mygale powered by Fiat FPT.

An adventure that the young driver and the team from Vespolate will face with the technical support of the French Factory, which is preparing to return in F3 after a year’s absence. A total of eight races in the European Series, six of these also valid for the Italian championship… The first important date will be the 1st of April. The countdown is on and there are still 41 days to the first round which will take place in Valencia. After Spain the next appointments will be Budapest, where on May 6th is scheduled the second race of the European Series, followed by Mugello (June 10), Misano (July 8), Zeltweg (August 5), Imola (September 2), Vallelunga (September 16) and Monza (October 21). It will be a unique international show for a season that promises to be exciting and “long”, with the new format of three races per weekend, accompanied by the dream of Ferrari F1. As a prize to the winner of the title and to the best newcomer of the year will be given the opportunity of a whole-day test-drive with the Maranello car.

“After two seasons in F.Abarth the time was come to go to F.3. – these were the words of Riccardo Agostini – During the winter tests with JD Motorsport I immediately felt at ease. My goal for this year is to gain experience, to master the rookie championship and maybe even “wink” at the overall title”.

“We are happy that we can count on Riccardo Agostini as a driver. – Roberto Cavallari commented – In F.Abarth he has already shown what he got, and personally I am more than certain that even in F.3 he can aim high”.

Brandon Maisano and Prema Powerteam reached an agreement to enter the Italian F.3 Championship together. The French racer, part of the Ferrari Driver Academy project is lining-up for his second straight year in the series, after a successful rookie season brought him two wins, one pole position, six podium finishes and fourth place overall in standings. In just two seasons of open-wheel racing, Maisano has enjoyed some great rides, as he won the 2010 Formula ACI-CSAI Abarth and quickly became one of the most interesting prospects of the international racing panorama.

Angelo ROSIN – Team Principal:
“Maisano is an excellent racer and we’re proud to line him up in the Italian F.3 Championship. He has one full season in the series under his belt and that will definitely enable him to be competitive from the start. He also knows the Dallara-FPT car and the tracks. I must admit that he’s the driver I absolutely wanted with us this season!.”

Brandon MAISANO:
“I’m really proud to enter my second F3 Italia season together with Prema Powerteam – said Brandon – after the season spent as a rookie last year I want to do well since the beginning and try to score some valuable results in this developmental series. I’m sure that, together with Prema, I will grow up a lot and I’m definitely going to be fully-committed in helping them to reach all of their goals. I also want to thank Ferrari Driving Academy as they keep supporting my training as a driver”.

Prema Powerteam is glad to announce that Raffaele Marciello will be behind the wheel of the team’s fourth entry in the 2012 F.3 Euro Series. Born in 1994 and part of the Ferrari Driving Academy, he successfully entered the 2011 F.3 Italia championship. After cruising to 3rd place overall and grabbing two wins and a pole position, he’s now ready to step up to the European stage. The Italian will be driving a Mercedes-powered Dallara to partner Daniel Juncadella, Michael Lewis and Sven Muller in the Euro Series and in the extra-championship rounds at Pau. Prema Powerteam is particularly proud of having Marciello for 2012 and to bring an Italian racer back to the Euro Series.

Angelo ROSIN – Team Principal
“The improvements shown by Marciello are under everybody’s eyes. He rapidly cruised to the top of every developmental series he lined-up in. He moved from Formula Abarth to F.3 Italia without any problem and he deserved to be promoted to the F.3 Euro Series. I think that his great speed skills will enable him to take on his main rivals since the very beginning and follow in a positive international run”.

Raffaele MARCIELLO:
“I’m really happy of driving for Prema Powerteam in the 2012 Formula 3 Euro Series – told Raffaele – the upcoming season will be key in my career as I’ll be racing in an International, highly competitive series where I’ll give my best to reward the confidence that has been put in me. I want to thank Ferrari Driver Academy and Prema for having offered me this opportunity.”

The 2011 Macau Grand Prix did not go according to plan for Felix Rosenqvist. The 20-year-old – who was one of several pre-event favourites following his RTL GP Masters of Formula 3 victory back in August – ran into trouble already in Thursday’s opening free practice session, where he encountered a long queue of standstill cars on the approach to the Melco hairpin and ran into the back of Estonian Marko Asmer. The Stewards held Rosenqvist responsible for the collision, and sent the Swede to the very back of the grid for Saturday’s Qualification Race. Already heavily compromised by his penalty, the Mücke Motorsport driver then crashed into retirement in Sunday’s finale after making contact with one of the unforgiving walls that line the Guia Circuit.

“This was simply an utterly disappointing weekend; there is no reason to call it anything else,” says Felix Rosenqvist. “My shot at a decent result more or less disappeared already on Thursday, but Macau is a very special venue and it’s never over until it’s over. Unfortunately, though, things didn’t get much better in the races, and although we had an efficient car on the straights, we struggled a bit with the set-up in the mountain section. We were fast enough to battle for a top five result if we would have stayed out of trouble, but at the end of the day things sometimes just don’t turn out the way you want them to.”

Rosenqvist posted the eighth-fastest time in Friday’s qualifying session – just one tenth shy of fifth place and 0.7 seconds adrift of Pole-setter and regular Formula 3 Euro Series rival Marco Wittmann – but had to see his efforts come to nothing due to the penalty from Thursday. The crash in the finale then brought the Swede’s event to a premature end. Victory in the classic street race outside of Hong Kong went to Spaniard Daniel Juncadella – another of Rosenqvist’s Formula 3 Euro Series competitors.

“I am obviously everything but satisfied with the outcome of Macau, but overall it’s still been a very good season,” Rosenqvist concludes. “I continue to learn something new every time I climb into the car, and we’ve been among the quickest in Formula 3 Euro Series more or less all through the campaign. I am now looking forward to a chance of recharging the batteries for an even stronger performance in 2012 – we will definitely be back!”

Felix Rosenqvist can look back at a season which, coupled with the RTL GP Masters of Formula 3 triumph, has seen the Swede claim one victory, ten podiums and five fastest laps in his first Formula 3 Euro Series campaign.

Finland’s Valtteri Bottas finished just shy of the podium for Galaxy Double R Racing at the Circuito da Guia today, Saturday, 19th November, by taking fourth position during the all-important Qualification Race for tomorrow’s hugely prestigious 58th Macau Formula 3 Grand Prix.

The reigning GP3 Series Champion, also a race winner with Woking-based Double R in the British Formula 3 International Series this year, held third on the opening lap and ran three-wide with pole position starter Marco Wittmann and 2011 British F3 Champion Felipe Nasr through the first turn.

On the outside line for the right-hander at Lisboa, Bottas had to settle for third and although unfortunately slipping behind reigning F3 Euroseries Champion Roberto Merhi on lap two at the same corner the Double R racer produced a very strong performance. At the start of the ninth tour the Safety Car was deployed due to an incident so racing ended under caution at the end of lap 10.

Arriving late in Macau on Thursday, 17th November, following a Formula One test outing with the AT&T Williams F1 Team at Yas Marina in Abu Dhabi earlier in the week, Bottas’ troubles were compounded when a further delay meant he also missed the first part of opening qualifying.

Even so, with seriously limited track time, the Finn’s class shone through and he steered his Dallara-Mercedes HWA to fourth fastest during the all-important dry second qualifying session on Friday, 18th November, within just 0.4 seconds of pole position. This then became third on the Qualification Race grid when Merhi was penalised.

“Valtteri did a great job today, it’s a shame he couldn’t stay ahead of Merhi but starting on the second row for tomorrow is good”, said Galaxy Double R team principal Anthony ‘Boyo’ Hieatt, “The pace is obvious, he set the second fastest lap today, so we can definitely fight for the win from there. Considering the difficulties he had missing first practice it’s been a fantastic effort so far.”

Team-mates Marko Asmer and Mitch Evans both face a very tough challenge during the GP itself, the Estonian ending today’s encounter in 18th place – having run as high as seventh before sidepod damage ruined his straight-line speed – while New Zealander Evans finished in 22nd on his first time in Macau after starting at the back of the grid due to engine problems in qualifying.

Asmer, making a welcome return to Macau, was just 0.8 seconds shy of Bottas’ qualifying time to place him 12th on the grid for today’s race despite having had no regular race programme for the past couple of years.

The 2007 British F3 Champion was unfortunately handed a three-place penalty due to erroneously straying over the pit-lane exit marker line in qualifying. This was actually nullified though when other drivers were also handed a variety of penalties.

Climbing superbly into seventh place on the opening lap, Asmer used all of his experience to fantastic effect but after incurring sidepod damage he was powerless to prevent a drop down the order to an eventual finish of 18th position. He will therefore have another incredibly difficult race ahead of him tomorrow, starting on the ninth row of the Grand Prix grid.

Evans’ debut weekend in the former Portuguese enclave began with dire misfortune when his engine had to be changed due to a failure, caused by over-revving, before he had even had a chance to post a time during second qualifying.

Leaving the teenage Kiwi in 30th and last place on the grid for today’s encounter, he actually started 28th due to the varied penalties for others and produced a superb opening lap where he gained half a dozen positions and then proceeded to climb up the order further.

Unfortunately, contact to the rear of his Dallara-Mercedes from Richard Bradley on lap six forced Evans down an escape road and ruined all of his great work although he was able to recover into 22nd – meaning he will begin his first ever Macau F3 GP from the 11th row of the grid and ahead of several experienced drivers who encountered their own difficulties.

“Mitch had a lot of bad luck during the build-up to today and again in the race when he was taken out, he did a great job though and we’ve got high hopes he’ll come through the order well again tomorrow”, added Hieatt.

“Marko had a great start and first lap, really drove well, but then the damage to the sidepod made his car like a brick in a straight line. He’ll have a tough time tomorrow from 18th on the grid but he has the experience and ability to turn it around into a good result.”

The 58th Macau F3 Grand Prix will begin at 15.30 (local time) tomorrow, Sunday, 20th November.

Photo by Jakob Ebrey Photography