F3 Thriller Set For Yorkshire

25 April 2003

Rounds five and six of the 2003 British F3 Championship gripped by AVON Tyres are the headline events for one of the biggest race meetings of the season at the Croft circuit in North Yorkshire on Sunday 4 May. With a superb line-up of supporting races, the Bank Holiday event promises to be a great day's sport for fans in the north-east.
 
The chance to see Grand Prix stars of the future in action is a once-a-year opportunity for fans in the region. Over recent seasons, drivers like Jenson Button, Takuma Sato and Anthony Davidson have jumped straight from British F3 into Grand Prix racing, and several drivers in the 2003 championship could do the same. More than 80% of the current F1 grid are graduates of F3 racing!
 
The 10-race programme on Sunday provides racing all afternoon from12 noon, with the first of two F3 races at 12.30pm. The pit-road walkabout, which starts at 11.15am, offers fans a unique chance to meet the stars of the future and collect autographs.
 
Leading the home contingent in F3 is rising British ace Jamie Green. He was a race winner at DoningtonParkwhen the season opened a month ago, but suffered a tough weekend at Snetterton a fortnight later when he crashed heavily in qualifying. A double win at Snetterton has fired South African Alan van der Merwe into the championship points lead, and he arrives at Croft determined to keep his momentum going.
 
However, van der Merwe and Green have plenty of rivals in the 30-strong field, including young Nelson Piquet Jnr, son of the former world champion. Already making his mark in his debut season inEurope, the teenager seems destined to follow in his father's wheeltracks, perhaps all the way to Formula 1.
 
British aces Rob Austin and Danny Watts, along with American Richard Antinucci are just some of the other leading contenders.
In the Scholarship class for two year-old cars, Christian England fromLeedscarriesYorkshirehopes, and has already demonstrated race-winning pace.
 
The programme of support races will ensure strong grids and a packed paddock as TVR Tuscans, Caterhams, Minis and BRDC Single-Seaters all play a major role in the race meeting.
 
There is a new attraction on the support programme and a major first for Croft as the opening races for the Holiday Inn SEAT Cupra Championship are on the programme. This high-profile series for identical racing versions of the SEAT will feature in a primetime TV docu-soap and the entry is packed with ambitious young chargers. It will be a stunning addition to an already high-quality race meeting!
 
After qualifying throughout Saturday (3 May), Sunday's action starts at mid-day following the pit-road walkabout at 11.15am.

See series calendar for British Formula 3

See events calendar for Croft Circuit