 Austrian F3000 (Spielberg) 2002 review.
Story by Andrew Frampton.
After four rounds of the 2002 International Formula 3000 Championship, the top three in the table are covered by just two points, with Tomas Enge coming out on top in at the A1-Ring to move into the joint lead in the standings with Giorgio Pantano.
Enge set the fastest time in qualifying in the first of the two sessions, to head Pantano on the grid. Enrico Toccacelo, Pantano's Coloni team-mate, put in his best qualifying performance in an F3000 car to take third, ahead of the Astromega machine of Mario Haberfeld. Team Petrobras based Antonio Pizzonia lined up fifth, ahead of Bjorn Wirdheim's Arden International car. David Saelens, Patrick Friesacher, Sebastien Bourdais and Ricardo Sperafico completed the top ten. The championship leader Rodrigo Sperafico could only set the 13th fastest time.
Enge got the best start to lead into turn one, while Pantano briefly led Toccacelo, before the latter attempted a pass into turn two, delaying both cars and allowing the fast starting Wirdheim and Haberfeld into second and third. This left an Arden 1-2 out front, with Enge extending his lead over his Swedish team-mate until a moment at turn one on lap 30 encouraged him to cruise to victory, which he did by over three seconds. It was Arden's first win in the series after nearly six years of trying, and it was made doubly sweet with Wirdheim holding his second position after pulling clear of Haberfeld.
The Brazilian had suffered handling problems from mid-race and had to be on his guard to fend off the recovering Pantano, although he had pulled out over half a second by the end. The unlucky Saelens had moved into fifth, only to be robbed of a points finish with another mechanical failure - this time his gearbox broke. This left Patrick Friesacher in fifth; the Austrian doubling his season's points tally in his home event, after holding off Toccacelo. Pizzonia took seventh, from Ricardo Sperafico, Rob Nguyen and Nicolas Kiesa. Of the two other title challengers, Bourdais went out on the first lap after contact with Ryan Briscoe, and Rodrigo Sperafico struggled home in 12th.
The next round sees the teams in Monte Carlo for the Monaco Grand Prix.
Race Result:
1. Tomas Enge 35laps
2. Bjorn Wirdheim +3.176s
3. Mario Haberfeld +4.867s
4. Giorgio Pantano +5.596s
5. Patrick Friesacher +9.963s
6. Enrico Toccacelo +10.673s
Championship Standings:
1. Tomas Enge 17pts
2. Giorgio Pantano 17pts
3. Rodrigo Sperafico 16pts
4. Sebastien Bourdais 14pts
5. Mario Haberfeld 12pts
6. Bjorn Wirdheim 8pts
2002 F3000 season calendar
30/03/2002 - Sao Paulo
- Brazil grid by JR
- Brazil review by AF
- Brazil lap-by-lap by JR
13/04/2002 - Imola
- San Marino grid by JR
- San Marino review by AF
- San Marino lap-by-lap by JR
27/04/2002 - Barcelona
- Spain grid by JR
- Spain review by AF
- Spain lap-by-lap by JR
11/05/2002 - Spielberg
- Austria grid by JR
- Austria review by AF
- Austria lap-by-lap by JR
25/05/2002 - Monaco
- Monaco grid by JR
- Monaco review by AF
- Monaco lap-by-lap by JR
22/06/2002 - Nürburgring
- Europe grid by JR
- Europe review by AF
- Europe lap-by-lap by JR
06/07/2002 - Silverstone
- Britain grid by JR
- Britain review by AF
- Britain lap-by-lap by JR
20/07/2002 - Magny-Cours
- France grid by JR
- France review by AF
- France lap-by-lap by JR
27/07/2002 - Hockenheim
- Germany circuit by JR
- Germany grid by JR
- Germany review by AF
17/08/2002 - Hungaroring
- Hungary circuit by JR
- Hungary grid by JR
- Hungary lap-by-lap by JR
31/08/2002 - Spa Francorchamps
- Belgium grid by JR
- Belgium review by AF
- Belgium lap-by-lap by JR
14/09/2002 - Monza
- Italy grid by JR
- Italy review by AF
- Italy lap-by-lap by JR
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