 France F3000 2002 review.
Story by Andrew Frampton.
Czech driver Tomas Enge took his second successive race win in the International Formula 3000 Championship at the French Magny-Cours track, reducing championship leader Sebastien Bourdais' advantage in the standings to just five points.
Enge had taken pole position for the race, setting the fastest time in the quicker first session - emerging 0.2 seconds ahead of Bourdais. Team Coloni's Giorgio Pantano kept alive his flagging championship ambitions with third on the grid, ahead of Mario Haberfeld's Astromega car. The two Petrobras cars of Ricardo Sperafico and Antonio Pizzonia completed the third row, ahead of Enrico Toccacelo (Coloni) and Tiago Monteiro (Super Nova). Rodrigo Sperafico (Durango) and Bjorn Wirdheim (Arden) completed the top ten on the grid.
The race action began before the official start when Thed Bjork (making his debut in the series for Nordic Racing after Ryan Briscoe was withdrawn from the team) was tipped into a roll by Alexandre Sperafico on the formation lap. Things were more orderly at the head of the pack as Enge led the field away from the start, with Bourdais initially challenging for the lead around the outside, but being forced to drop back and hold second position. The Frenchman continued to look for a way past, but the Czech defended well and began to pull away. His cause was not helped by the appearance of the safety car at one third distance - despatched after Derek Hill (Durango) had rolled - but Enge retained his advantage throughout.
At the end of the 36 laps, Enge's winning margin was just over a second, with Bourdais enjoying a gap of just 0.8 seconds back to third place Pantano. Haberfeld had ousted the Italian from the final podium spot at the first corner, but Pantano regained the place on lap ten and promptly pulled away. Haberfeld, meanwhile, dropped away from the top three, and was passed for fourth position by Pizzonia on the penultimate lap. Despite running fifth at the beginning of the race, Toccacelo dropped down the order, picking up sixth position and the final championship point following the demise of Ricardo Sperafico. Patrick Friesacher (Red Bull) rose from eleventh on the grid to finish just outside the points positions in seventh place, ahead of Rodrigo Sperafico, Monteiro and Ricardo Sperafico (Red Bull).
If Enge continues his recent run of form, then the lead in the championship is a realistic target at the next round of the championship, at the German Hockenheim circuit.
Race Result:
1. Tomas Enge (Arden)
2. Sebastien Bourdais (Super Nova) +1.137s
3. Giorgio Pantano (Coloni) +1.958s
4. Antonio Pizzonia (Petrobras) +4.592s
5. Mario Haberfeld (Astromega) +4.848s
6. Enrico Toccacelo (Coloni) +13.514s
Championship Standings:
1. Sebastien Bourdais 46pts
2. Tomas Enge 41pts
3. Giorgio Pantano 24pts
4. Antonio Pizzonia 18pts
5. Rodrigo Sperafico 16pts
6. Mario Haberfeld 15pts
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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