F3/GT
Racers Top BRDC Anniversary Weekend
16 May 2003
The British F3 and British GT Championships headline a
magnificent 17-race Bank Holiday weekend (24-26 May) at Silverstone
as a superb array of races marks the 75th anniversary of the British
Racing Drivers' Club. Apart from regular support race action from TVR,
SEAT and Caterham, a series of high-profile races for sportscars spanning
more than six decades makes this a very special weekend.
Held on the famous Grand Prix circuit at Silverstone, the weekend starts
with a full day of qualifying on Saturday. After further qualifying
on Sunday morning, the first of six races on Sunday is at11.30am, and
includes round nine of the British F3 Championship gripped by AVON Tyres.
The final race on Sunday, starting at3.15pm, is round five of the British
GT Championship, which will run for three hours and represents the longest
race in the history of the championship. On Monday, a full programme
of 11 races start s at10amand includes round 10 of the British F3 Championship.
The chance to see some Grand Prix stars of the future in action is a
key feature of British F3 events, but there will be a unique chance
to witness a piece of F3 history at mid-day on Monday. Nelson Piquet
will be re-united with the Ralt RT1 he raced in British F3 back in 1978
and his son, Nelson Junior, will drive the car for a couple of demonstration
laps. Additionally, paddock and pit-road walkabouts on both Sunday and
Monday will allow fans to get close to the drivers and cars.
A gaggle of future F1 stars will tackle the F3 races, headed by championship
leader Alan van der Merwe. However, rising British ace Jamie Green,
Nelson Piquet Junior, Aussie Will Davison and Clivio Piccione have all
been race winners this season and more likely winners are eager to join
that list at Silverstone. Flying local colours are Danny Watts (Buckingham)
and Rob Austin (Evesham).
Flame-spitting 500bhp monsters pack the grid for the fifth round of
the British GT Championship, which will present teams with the challenge
of a three-hour race on Sunday. A great entry has been assembled, with
cars from Porsche, Ferrari, Jaguar, TVR, Morgan, Lotus and Chevrolet.
Regular support races for the F3/GT events include the ever-spectacular
Carlube TVR Tuscan Challenge, with young guns Lee Caroline and David
Mason in the thick of the title contest. The Holiday Inn SEAT Cupra
Championship has its second weekend, and is likely to witness more of
the superb action that typified the opening races, while a pair of races
for the Powertrain Caterham R400 Challenge ensures more supremely close
racing.
Very special additions to the race programme in honour of the BRDC's
celebrations are the Orwell Supersports Cup, Group C and a race for
Pre-War Sports Cars. The Supersports entry includes the 8-litre, 200mph
Can-Am March of Geoff Farmer as well as a gaggle of stunning 2-litre
sports-racers from the early 1970s, while the pair of Group C races
re-lives the glory days of endurance sports-car races in the 1980s.
The Pre-War race will evoke memories of the Bentley boys atLe Mansin
the late 1920s; the era that led to the formation of the BRDC.
BRDC President Sir Jackie Stewart OBE will be in attendance over the
weekend presenting trophies to the winners of some of the feature races.
Finally, three decades of Silverstone Formula Ford thrillers will be
re-visited by the Jim Walsh Trophy Race for Formula Ford 1600, named
in honour of theNorthamptonracer who won the hearts of Silverstone fans
in the 1970s. Hopefully, Jim will be on hand on Monday to help present
the awards!
See series calendar for British
Formula 3 | British GT
See events calendar for Silverstone
Circuit
