Alice Powell to complete GP3 return with Bamboo Engineering
Alice Powell will complete a return to the GP3 Series with Bamboo Engineering for this weekend’s season finale around Abu Dhabi’s Yas Marina Circuit. The 20-year-old competed in the category last season for Status Grand Prix, and has competed in the F3 Cup this season.
This weekend will see the inaugural GP3 Series event around the Yas Marina Circuit, which will play host to the season finale as the likes of Facu Regalia and Daniil Kvyat battle at the sharp-end of the Championship standings. Whilst that battle rages on, Alice Powell has been confirmed at Bamboo Engineering, as a replacement for Britain’s Melville McKee who won at Germany earlier in the season. The Briton will join fellow female driver Carmen Jorda in the the outfit this weekend, with the third seat within the team still unconfirmed. Alice Powell is understandably eager to make her return to the Series, and make her first appearance in the new GP3/13 machine.
“I’m really looking forward to racing in Abu Dhabi and to step into a GP3 car again.” Explained Alice Powell, “Obviously the car is very different from what I drove last year and to anything I’ve raced before, so it will take time to get used to the car and tyres. But I can’t wait to get on track and I will give it my best shot.”
Despite making their debut in the GP3 Series this season after purchasing the Atech CRS outfit soon after last year’s season had drawn to a conclusion, the Silverstone-based outfit will this weekend be competing in their final GP3 race weekend after being bought by current GP2 debutants Russian Time. For Alice Powell and her team-mates’, this weekend will all be about striving to impress with an ambition of securing a full-time drive for the 2014 GP3 season.
Picture Copyright © Alastair Staley/GP3 Series Media Service
Melville McKee Holds Off Alexander Sims For Maiden GP3 Victory In Germany
Melville McKee has secured his maiden victory in the GP3 Series around the iconic Nurburgring circuit, after managing to fend off the charging Alexander Sims during a thrilling conclusion to the second race of the weekend. The duo were joined on the podium by fellow countryman Nick Yelloly, in an all-British top three.
At the start Alexander Sims dropped from 1st to 3rd after securing the reverse grid pole, allowing Melville McKee to storm into a commanding lead as Jack Harvey and Carlos Sainz touched at Turn 1. Both drivers managed to continue circulating, as Nick Yelloly slipped into 2nd position behind his fellow countryman. Race one winner Facu Regalia was forced to start the race from the pit-lane after stalling on the grid during the formation lap, as Romanian driver Robert Visoiu jumped the start was therefore struck with a drive-thru penalty.
As the 27-car field began to spread out during the opening few laps, Melville McKee opened up a comfortable lead at the front as further down the order battles still raged. Ryan Cullen became locked in a grueling battle with the Status Grand Prix of Josh Webster, with the 22-year-old eventually rising up to 24th with an overtaking maneuver at Turns 13 and 14. After stalling on the grid at the start of the formation lap, Argentinean driver Facu Regalia was forced into retirement on Lap 8 after a sensational maiden victory during the opening race of the weekend yesterday.
Despite dropping from 1st to 3rd during the opening lap of the race, GP3 returnee Alexander Sims soon perfected a masterful overtaking maneuver on Nick Yelloly to secure 2nd position. The 24-year-old then proceeded to catch race leader Melville McKee, as Ryan Cullen and Josh Webster collided at Turn 4 resulting in the Marussia Manor Racing driver spinning in spectacular fashion. Luckily Cullen managed to continue circulating, whereas Webster was eventually forced into retirement after sustaining a front-left puncture.
As Alexander Sims began to swarm over the rear of Melville McKee’s Bamboo Engineering machine, Conor Daly dropped out of the points during the final lap of the race as Patric Niederhauser overtook the American driver. Despite catching race leader Melville McKee, Alexander Sims simply ran out of laps to perfect an overtaking maneuver as the 18-year-old became the eighth different winner in as many races by securing his maiden GP3 victory. The leading duo were followed by fellow countrymen Nick Yelloly and Lewis Williamson, in what was a sensational result for Britain.
Picture Copyright © Alastair Staley/GP3 Series Media Service
2013 GP3 Series Preview
When the GP3 Series reconvenes around Barcelona’s Circuit de Catalunya for the season opening Spanish Grand Prix, a brand-new era will dawn in the category’s history. When the opening practice session gets underway on the Friday afternoon, spectators around the world will get their first glimpse of the new GP3/13 machine.
This new machine, which no longer sounds like a supercharged lawnmower, offers the drivers with a 3.4 litre naturally aspirated 400HP engine as well as a completely redesigned chassis from Dallara. The 28-car field consists of a mixture of returning and new drivers all striving to work their way up to the pinnacle of motorsport, from numerous nations across the globe. This will see the likes of Aaro Vainio, Conor Daly and Tio Ellinas up against Series rookies Daniil Kvyat and Carlos Sainz jr., all of whom are more than capable of securing race victories and even the overall Championship.
After several seasons known as Lotus GP, French outfit ART Grand Prix has reverted back to their original name for the new season across all of the categories they compete in. This has also seen a switch in their colors from the unmistakable black and gold of Lotus to their original of white. Their driver line-up for the new season is a strong combination of experience and youth, consisting of returning American ace Conor Daly, Argentinean debutant Facu Regalia and reigning British Formula Three Champion Jack Harvey. This trio all know how to secure victories, and could well find themselves battling for Championship supremacy later in the year.
Conor Daly will return this season in GP3 with ART Grand Prix.
Despite securing the Drivers’ Championship with Mitch Evans last season, MW Arden once again failed to thwart ART Grand Prix in the Constructors’ Championship. However, this season the Banbury-based outfit has a real chance of once again taking the fight to ART Grand Prix with the youngest driver pairing on the grid. Returning GP3 driver Robert Visoiu will be joined by Red Bull Junior Team members Carlos Sainz jr. and Daniil Kvyat, creating a trio who will certainly threaten ART’s dominance.
Last season Carlos Sainz jr. competed in a variety of Formula 3 categories, including the FIA Formula Three EuroSeries and the British Formula Three Series for Carlin. After impressing greatly during testing in the GP3 Series, Russian sensation Daniil Kvyat enters the category as a potential Championship candidate alongside Carlos Sainz jr. and Robert Visoiu. The 19-year-old is the reigning Formula Renault 2.0 ALPS Champion for Koiranen Motorsport, and also finished a strong runner-up in the Formula Renault 2.0 Euro Championship for the same outfit.
British outfit Carlin is also sporting a strong line-up for the new season, despite a line-up consisting of three debutants in the category. Luis Sa Silva enters GP3 fresh from endeavors in numerous Formula 3 categories including the FIA Formula 3 EuroSeries and the British Formula Three Series with the Angola Racing Team. The 22-year-old Angolan will be joined by British rising star Nick Yelloly, who is a member of the BRDC Rising Stars and the MSA Team UK Elite Drivers. The 22-year-old has recently competed in the Formula Renault 3.5 Series for Comtec Racing, securing two victories and a further four podiums along the way.
The youngest driver within the Carlin outfit this season is Argentinean debutant Eric Lichtenstein, who makes the switch to the GP3 Series fellowing a successful season in the Formula Ford Championship of Great Britain. The 18-year-old from Buenos Aires finished 3rd in the Championship for Jamun Racing after securing 11 race victories at legendary circuits such as Brands Hatch, Nurburgring and Silverstone.
Samin Gomez is one of only two female drivers in GP3 this season.
Jenzer Motorsport sports a line-up consisting of one of only two female drivers on the grid for the new season, with Venezuelan driver Samin Gomez joining the Swiss duo of Patric Niederhauser and Alex Fontana. Gomez has previously tested in the GP3 Series for Jenzer Motorsport, and enters the Series after a strong display of driving last season in the Formula Abarth Euro Series and Formula Abarth Series with the Swiss outfit.
After securing two race victories last season, Patric Niederhauser will unquestionably be striving to add to his tally in his second full season in the GP3 Series with Jenzer Motorsport. The 21-year-old Swiss driver has already competed in the European Le Mans Series this year with Race Performance, securing a podium finish at Silverstone alongside fellow countryman Michel Frey. Niederhauser and Gomez will be joined at Jenzer Motorsport by Alex Fontana, who has previously competed in six GP3 races for the Swiss outfit. The 20-year-old, who is a member of the Lotus F1 Junior Team, also competed in the FIA Formula 2 Series last year and secured one race victory on his way to 7th in the Championship.
Tio Ellinas is already a Championship favourite heading into the new season.
Marussia-backed Manor Racing could well be the dark horse when the new season gets underway, with Cypriot Tio Ellinas unquestionably a man fully capable of mounting a Championship challenge at the front. The 21-year-old took victory during the final race of last season at Monza, and will be out to immediately begin adding to his tally when the Series reconvenes at Barcelona. The Cypriot will be joined by British debutants Ryan Cullen and Dino Zamparelli, the latter a member of the BRDC Rising Stars.
Irish team Status Grand Prix also features a strong line-up ahead of the new season, featuring reigning German Formula Three Champion Jimmy Eriksson. The 22-year-old Swedish ace will be making his debut in the Series, as will his team-mates of Adderly Fong and Josh Webster. Adderly Fong has already competed in various categories on his way to the GP3 Series, including the Auto GP and Firestone Indy Lights Series. Josh Webster is another member of the BRDC Rising Stars and MSA Team UK Elite Drivers, and is the youngest of the three Status Grand Prix drivers.
For the new season, Atech CRS Grand Prix has been rebranded as Bamboo Engineering, an outfit better known for its involvement in the World Touring Car Championship. The Silverstone-based outfit enters the Series with an exciting trio of drivers, including British returnee and former race winner Lewis Williamson. The 23-year-old is a former member of the Red Bull Junior Team, and has previously competed for MW Arden in the Series. He will be joined by fellow countryman Melville McKee and Carmen Jorda who is preparing to compete in her second full season in the Series.
For 2013 Atech CRS Grand Prix has been rebranded as Bamboo Engineering.
Melville McKee enters the GP3 Series fresh from a season in the Formula Renault 2.0 Euro Series with Interwetten.com Racing, which saw the Singapore-born driver secure one podium at the Nurburgring. Carmen Jordan endured a frustrating season last year with Ocean Racing Technology, which included numerous retirements. However, the Spanish driver will be aiming to raise her game this season with the rebranded Silverstone-based outfit.
Trident Racing boasts a highly experienced trio of drivers for the new season, with Italian drivers Giovanni Venturini and David Fumanelli joined by Sammarinese debutant Emanuele Zonzini. After a relatively competitive season last year with the Italian outfit, Venturini will be looking for his maiden victory in 2013 as will fellow countryman David Fumanelli. Despite racing for Championship contenders MW Arden last season, Fumanelli could only manage one podium finish at the European Grand Prix around the Valencia Street Circuit.
Both Giovanni Venturini and David Fumanelli will be joined at Trident Racing by 19-year-old debutant Emanuele Zonzini, who enters the GP3 Series after a season in the Formula Renault 2.0 ALPS, Formula Abarth Euro and Formula Abarth Series. The Sammarinese driver previously tested for both Lotus GP (now ART Grand Prix) and Trident Racing during the winter period, eventually being confirmed for the latter in January.
Koiranen GP is a new Finnish outfit in GP3 this season.
The final team on the 2013 grid is newcomers Koiranen GP, a Finnish outfit based in Barcelona. Prior to their involvement in the GP3 Series, the outfit competed in many other junior Formula’s including the Eurocup Formula Renault 2.0 and Formula Renault 2.0 ALPS Series. Headed by Marko Koiranen and formed back in 1997, Koiranen GP features an intriguing mixture of new and experienced talent for the new season. Former race winner Aaro Vainio is joined by fellow countryman Patrick Kujala and Estonian driver Kevin Korjus.
After a highly competitive season with Lotus GP last year which included one race victory and four podium finishes, 19-year-old Aaro Vainio will be looking to lead the new team in their debut season in the category. This will be the Finn’s third full season in the Series, making him one of the most experienced drivers on the grid. It is from one end of the experience spectrum to the other with Vainio’s fellow countryman Patrick Kujala, who at only 16 years of age enters the GP3 Series after competing in the Formula Renault 2.0 Euro and ALPS Series with Koiranen GP last season.
The Finnish duo of Aaro Vainio and Patrick Kujala will be joined by 20-year-old Estonian ace Kevin Korjus, who completes the switch from the Formula Renault 3.5 category after two seasons with Tech 1 Racing which included three victories and five podiums. Back in 2010, Kevin Korjus won the Formula Renault 2.0 Euro Championship with Koiranen GP and will unquestionably be striving to rekindle his competitive partnership with the outfit this season.
It’s undeniable that the GP3 Series has an extremely competitive grid for the fourth year of competition, which is expected to once again produce some sensational driving in the new GP3/13 machine. Along with the exciting 28-car grid, the category will also host it’s first standalone event and first non-European event this season. The former will be around the Valencia’s Circuit Ricardo Tormo, a popular testing venue for the world of Formula 1, GP2 and GP3. The first non-European race weekend for the GP3 Series will also host what will surely be a classic season finale, with a race around the Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi.
The 2013 GP3 Series has all of the ingredients to be an absolute classic, with a new car, many new and returning drivers and a mouth-watering calendar which should provide for some of the most entertaining racing of the year. Already Formula 1 has two former GP3 drivers on the grid in the form of Valtteri Bottas and Esteban Gutierrez, and expect future Champions to be discovered as this season prepares to begin.
Picture(s) Copyright © Daniel Kalisz, Malcolm Griffiths & Alastair Staley/GP3 Series Media Service
Tio Ellinas Fastest On Day One Of GP3 Silverstone Test
Marussia Manor Racing’s Tio Ellinas ended the opening day of the GP3 Silverstone test fastest overall, with a time set during the afternoon period around the Northamptonshire circuit. The drivers were met with freezing weather conditions throughout the day, which saw the MW Arden of Carlos Sainz jr. post the fastest time in the morning period.
The day began in sunny yet bitterly cold weather conditions, with the majority of the 27-car field electing to immediately return to the warm confines of the pits after their initial installation laps. Eventually the track action increased throughout the morning period, with Alex Fontana and Nick Cassidy becoming the first two drivers to set times within the 01:47s. Gradually the times began to tumble, as Tio Ellinas and then David Fumanelli set the pace. However, the MW Arden of Carlos Sainz jr. finally went fastest as the session drew to a close with a 01:46.795.
Carlos Sainz jr. was fastest in the morning period, yet had his time deleted in the afternoon for being underweight.
After a two-hour lunch break, track action was resumed around the legendary Silverstone circuit. Facu Regalia caused an early red flag delay in his ART Grand Prix machine after stopping on the circuit, whereas his team-mate of Jack Harvey went fastest. Melville McKee rose to the top for Bamboo Engineering as the afternoon session entered its midway point, before Luis Sa Silva ran extensively wide at Becketts and glanced the retaining tyre barrier to cause another red flag delay.
As the afternoon session entered its closing stages, the wind began to pick up making driving conditions rather difficult. After causing an earlier red flag delay, Facu Regalia rose to the top as Adderly Fong ran wide at Chapel and caused yet another brief delay as his car was retrieved. Despite Regalia’s authority at the top, Tio Ellinas stormed ahead of the ART Grand Prix driver with only a minute remaining with a scintillating 01:46.211, a time 3.9 seconds faster than the previous GP3 record at Silverstone set last season by Mitch Evans in the old GP3/10 machine.
The second and final day of the GP3 Silverstone test will commence tomorrow at the Northamptonshire venue, with proceedings scheduled to get underway at 9am local time, with a one hour lunch break between 12pm and 1pm. This will be the final day of testing before the start of the new season next month at Barcelona.
Morning Session: Pos Driver Team Time Laps 1. Carlos Sainz Jnr MW Arden 1m46.795s 10 2. Tio Ellinas Manor 1m47.389s 10 3. David Fumanelli Trident 1m47.490s 11 4. Alex Fontana Jenzer 1m47.700s 24 5. Nick Cassidy Manor 1m47.850s 13 6. Daniil Kvyat MW Arden 1m47.904s 13 7. Nick Yelloly Carlin 1m47.942s 14 8. Giovanni Venturini Trident 1m48.047s 14 9. Aaro Vainio Koiranen 1m48.238s 7 10. Kevin Korjus Koiranen 1m48.242s 15 11. Patrick Kujala Koiranen 1m48.370s 13 12. Patric Niederhauser Jenzer 1m48.493s 15 13. Dino Zamparelli Manor 1m48.545s 12 14. Robert Visoiu MW Arden 1m48.796s 12 15. Melville McKee Bamboo 1m48.889s 13 16. Josh Webster Status 1m49.025s 15 17. Adderly Fong Status 1m49.484s 15 18. Eric Lichtenstein Carlin 1m49.546s 13 19. Felipe Guimaraes Bamboo 1m49.633s 12 20. Luis Sa Silva Carlin 1m49.644s 16 21. Emanuele Zonzini Trident 1m49.725s 15 22. Jimmy Eriksson Status 1m50.566s 12 23. Carmen Jorda Bamboo 1m52.684s 13 24. Samin Gomez Jenzer 1m52.887s 10 25. Conor Daly ART - 1 26. Jack Harvey ART - 1 27. Facu Regalia ART - 1
Afternoon Session* Pos Driver Team Time Laps 1. Tio Ellinas Manor 1m46.211s 29 2. Facu Regalia ART 1m46.247s 31 3. Nick Yelloly Carlin 1m46.540s 37 4. Jack Harvey ART 1m46.664s 23 5. Melville McKee Bamboo 1m46.719s 20 6. David Fumanelli Trident 1m46.774s 24 7. Robert Visoiu MW Arden 1m47.027s 32 8. Alex Fontana Jenzer 1m47.050s 28 9. Kevin Korjus Koiranen 1m47.143s 18 10. Conor Daly ART 1m47.177s 33 11. Daniil Kvyat MW Arden 1m47.345s 32 12. Dino Zamparelli Manor 1m47.391s 30 13. Jimmy Eriksson Status 1m47.402s 29 14. Josh Webster Status 1m47.474s 30 15. Patric Niederhauser Jenzer 1m47.698s 11 16. Felipe Guimaraes Bamboo 1m47.731s 25 17. Emanuele Zonzini Trident 1m47.924s 25 18. Adderly Fong Status 1m47.983s 18 19. Eric Lichtenstein Carlin 1m48.305s 34 20. Patrick Kujala Koiranen 1m48.322s 24 21. Nick Cassidy Manor 1m48.755s 23 22. Giovanni Venturini Trident 1m48.977s 9 23. Aaro Vainio Koiranen 1m49.146s 11 24. Luis Sa Silva Carlin 1m50.517s 15 25. Samin Gomez Jenzer 1m50.890s 15 26. Carmen Jorda Bamboo 1m51.457s 21 * Carlos Sainz's times deleted after car found to be underweight
Picture(s) Copyright © Malcolm Griffiths/GP3 Series Media Service
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