2023-05-21 13:02:57
The champions of the ancestor of GP2/F2 do not have a memorable track record in Formula 1, if indeed they have managed to join the premier category of motorsport. But the F3000 shouldn’t be derided.
Whether under its current name or as the GP2 Series from 2005 to 2016, Formula 2 has frequently led its champions to shine in Formula 1. The first crowned head, Nico Rosbergand his successor, Lewis Hamiltonhave won every world title since 2014. Charles Leclerc, Pierre Gasly and George Russell are Grand Prix winners.
It’s a clear improvement over the previous competition, the F3000 (1985-2004). None of its champions have been crowned in Formula 1, and only three of them have won a Grand Prix: John Alesi, Olivier Panis et Juan Pablo Montoya. The GP2/F2 is also doing better than the F3000 when it comes to the passage of its champions to F1 the following year (72% once morest 60%). Of the five unlucky ones who didn’t make it, Fabio Leimer et David Valsecchi have never raced in F1; the champion 2008 George Pantano had already known the mediocre Jordan of 2004, while Jolyon Palmer, titled in 2014, was established by Renault in 2016 following spending the previous campaign as third driver. Felipe Drugovich, titled last year, is currently playing as a reserve at Aston Martin, with the same objective.
If we compare with the F3000, Bruno Michel, CEO of F2, can legitimately congratulate himself. The 1995 F3000 champion, Vincenzo Sospirispent a year testing for Benetton before the failure of the Lola F1 adventure in 1997; Ricardo Zonta, who captured the F3000 title that year, had to spend a year in Endurance while waiting for an F1 opportunity with BAR. Juan Pablo Montoya (1998) and Sebastien Bourdais (2002) headed for CART, while Justin Wilson (2001) had to wait to join the World Series by Nissan. Jorg Mueller (1996), Bruno Junqueira (2000) et Bjorn Werdenheim (2003) only tested in F1.
When years of limited promotion added to rising costs, questions regarding the single-seaters’ relevance to Formula 1 (the F3000 veteran Mario Haberfeld once complained that the Lola used from 1999 to 2001 had the handling of a bus) and the diminished interest of the drivers caused the number of cars on the grid to drop to around fifteen. The demise of the F3000 was perhaps inevitable.
However, its value should not correspond only to the number of champions who have been titled in Formula 1, given the stars who have passed through the F3000: if they have not been crowned there, we still find the World Champions there. Damon Hill et Fernando Alonsothe winners of the Indianapolis 500 Miles Kenny Breck et Gil de Ferranas well as a number of drivers who have won the 24 Hours of Le Mans – Andy Wallace et Tom Christensen even won in Sarthe at the same time as they raced in F3000.
Moreover, the problems perceived by some were not specific to the F3000. Certainly, Jenson Button et Kimi Raikkonen didn’t go through that box, joining Formula 1 from F3 and Formula Renault respectively, but it’s no different than a Max Verstappen which skipped the GP2 box – although at that time the FIA responded with a Super License system designed to force drivers to spend more time in promotion formulas.
The quality of the grid was generally excellent – in three of the five seasons between 1988 and 1992, nine different drivers scored multiple podiums – and if the peak of 1998 (35 entered at Imola and Silverstone!) did not last , the F3000 has allowed the best drivers to shine on a wide variety of circuits without the artifice of DRS. When modern F2 adamantly sticks to its place as an appendix to F1, the F3000 was the main event at circuits like Thruxton, Pau, Enna and Birmingham.
In addition, the show was present in the race: watch how Tomas Engein slicks, caught up with his teammate Thomas Scheckteron worn rain tires, at Hockenheim in 2000, or even the battle between Jason Watt et Max Wilson at Spa-Francorchamps in 1997, as well as the ascent of Robert Moreno from the pitlane to the podium in Birmingham the same year.
Some scenarios might not have been written in advance, such as the hanging of Jorg Mueller and Kenny Bräck in the decisive race for the title in 1996, and the disqualification of Tomáš Enge at the Hungaroring in 2002 due to a positive test for marijuana, which cost him the title.
Opening up to different chassis before 1996 had its pros and cons, with surprising results. Fail to qualify for the first race and win the second? This is precisely the feat achieved by Jean-Marc Gounon in 1991. In addition, having several different chassis allowed engineers and designers to prove themselves in an invaluable way and the Ford DFV engine to have a second life following becoming obsolete in F1.
The F3000 would certainly have a different image if Hill (1990), De Ferran (1994) and Kristensen (1997) had triumphed once morest Comas, Boullion and Zonta, or if the dazzling rookies Barrichello (1992) and Alonso (2000) had returned to the instead of going straight to F1. But isn’t it a mark of quality in promotional formulas?
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#F3000 #worth #reputation
