 Belgium F3000 2002 review.
Story by Andrew Frampton.
The Italian Giorgio Pantano's victory in the latest round of the International Formula 3000 Championship at Spa-Francorchamps, means that three drivers are still in contention for the title, which will be decided at Monza next weekend. Victory, following a closely-fought and dramatic race on the Belgian circuit, moved Pantano to within seven points of championship leader Sebastien Bourdais, who followed him home at Spa. Pantano needs to take victory to have any chance of the title, while Bourdais will be more focussed on his season-long rival, Tomas Enge, who now lies just one point behind the Frenchman.
Qualifying for the Spa race saw Bourdais emerge with a comfortable pole position, holding off the challenge of Enge by 0.39 seconds. Antonio Pizzonia took an impressive third position in his Petrobras machine, while the third title challenger, Pantano, was back in fourth, over a second slower than Bourdais. Two of the most promising young drivers in the field were next up, with Arden's Bjorn Wirdheim heading Pantano's team-mate Enrico Toccacello. Nicolas Kiesa took an excellent seventh position for the PSM team, while Mario Haberfeld and the two Ricardos, Sperafico and Mauricio, completed the top ten.
An excellent start from Enge saw him move into the lead off the line, but going into the first corner, the Czech driver received a slight nudge from Bourdais, causing minor damage to the Arden car's rear wing. There was more serious damage behind after contact was made between Toccacello, Pizzonia and Wirdheim, forcing the latter two, and the closely following Tiago Monteiro, out of the race, and delaying several other drivers.
Enge's advantage at the front only lasted for one lap, with Pantano getting a better run out of the first hairpin and slotting into the lead. Bourdais and Ricardo Sperafico soon followed the Italian through and Enge found himself back in fourth position. Bourdais pressured Pantano throughout the remainder of the race, but the Italian was able to keep the Frenchman at arms length and hold on for victory by less than half a second. Ricardo Sperafico kept a watching brief in third position, but was unable to mount any challenge to climb higher than the final step on the podium. Enge's fall to fourth cost him the championship lead, while Ricardo Mauricio made the most of the early drama to race through to fifth position, with Kiesa doing likewise to claim PSM's first points of the season in sixth position, after a good tussle with Derek Hill.
Race Result:
1. Giorgio Pantano (Coloni) 22laps
2. Sebastien Bourdais (Super Nova) +0.426s
3. Ricardo Sperafico (Petrobras Jnr) +1.071s
4. Tomas Enge (Arden) +14.885s
5. Ricardo Mauricio (Red Bull Jnr) +16.759s
6. Nicolas Kiesa (PSM) +19.543s
Championship Standings:
1. Sebastien Bourdais 55pts
2. Tomas Enge 54pts
3. Giorgio Pantano 48pts
4. Rodrigo Sperafico 20pts
5. Bjorn Wirdheim 18pts
= Ricardo Sperafico 18pts
= Mario Haberfeld 18pts
= Antonio Pizzonia 18pts
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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