British Formula 3 Championship 2002 Round 1 and 2 review: Brands Hatch. Story by Andrew Frampton.
The first round of the British Formula 3 championship threw up a few surprises, as the expected domination of James Courtney failed to materialise, although the Australian did take two pole positions, and holds the overall championship lead...
Now with the championship winning Carlin Motorsport team (after the Jaguar team pulled out at the end of last season), Courtney was expected to blitz the field this year. He put his car on pole position for the first race, ahead of Robbie Kerr, Ernani Judice, Ronnie Bremer and Rob Austin. Kerr got the better start and led Courtney into Paddock Hill Bend for the first time. Judice was third, ahead of Mark Taylor who profited when Manor Motorsport team-mate Bremer stalled on the grid. As Kerr pulled clear, Courtney moved into a comfortable second position, until an excursion onto the grass at Westfield on lap 11 dropped the Carlin car back into the clutches of Judice and the chasing pack.
Under pressure from Taylor, Judice refrained from making any move as Kerr cruised to a seven-second victory, ahead of Courtney, Judice, Taylor, Austin and Bruce Jouanny. In the Scholarship Class, Canadian Billy Asaro and Adam Carroll took the top two positions on the grid, although the latter burst through to lead until his throttle cable snapped two laps from the end. This allowed Asaro through to claim victory, ahead of Dane Jesper Carlsen and Justin Sherwood.
Courtney's second pole position of the weekend was once again achieved by heading off Kerr in qualifying. Jouanny lined up third, ahead of team-mate Judice, and Taylor. After a restart following a collision between Mohammed Fairuz, and the stalled car of Fabio Carbone, it was Jouanny who made the best getaway, taking the lead as Courtney chopped across to block Kerr. Despite a brief safety car intermission, the lead three remained the same until the flag, with Jouanny, Courtney and Kerr covered by less than a second at the end. Judice took fourth, ahead of Taylor and Austin. Adam Carroll drove the race of his life to win the Scholarship class, after starting the event at the back of the grid. Gavin Smith took second in class, while Carlsen notched up another podium.
The series now moves to Donington Park.
Race One Result:
1. Robbie Kerr (Alan Docking Racing)
2. James Courtney (Carlin Motorsport)
3. Ernani Judice (Promatecme)
4. Mark Taylor (Manor Motorsport)
5. Rob Austin (Menu F3 Motorsport)
6. Bruce Jouanny (Promatecme)
Scholarship Class: Billy Asaro (Sweeney Racing)
Race Two Result:
1. Jouanny
2. Courtney
3. Kerr
4. Judice
5. Taylor
6. Austin
Scholarship Class: Adam Carroll (Sweeney Racing)
Championship Class Standings:
1. Courtney 34pts
2. Kerr 32pts
3. Jouanny 26pts
4. Judice 22pts
5. Taylor 18pts
6. Austin 14pts
Scholarship Class Standings:
1. Jesper Carlsen 27pts
2. Justin Sherwood 22pts
3. Adam Carroll 21pts
4. Billy Asaro 20pts
5. Gavin Smith 15pts
6. Karun Chandok 14pts
2002 British F3 season calendar
01/04 - Brands Hatch GP by AF
14/04 - Donington Park Nat by AF
05/05 - Silverstone GP by AF
12/05 - Knockhill by AF
26/05 - Croft by AF
03/06 - Silverstone Int by AF.
23/06 - Castle Combe by AF
30/06 - Brands Hatch Indy by AF
21/07 - Rockingham
18/08 - Oulton Park
01/09 - Snetterton
15/09 - Thruxton
22/09 - Donington Park GP
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