Official 2021 Grand Prix Support races thread (F2, F3 & W)

[JonChalk]

df76 said:

JonChalk said:

df76 said:

JonChalk said:

No support races this week - at least no F2, F3 or W & nothing else being televised that I can see.

Formula Regional Alpine is at Imola, with coverage free to air on Youtube (apparently).

Good spot; FB and YT streaming, according to the official website; https://formularegionaleubyalpine.com

Very good entry list, so the races should be worth a watch. Races times are 16:20 tomorrow and 11:15 Sunday (BST times)

Ruben's son, Eduardo Barrichello, is competing in this - first I've heard of him - be interesting to see how he goes.

[JonChalk]

Shame that the F3 race is going to finish under the SC, but definitely not a processional race - good opener.

[JonChalk]

Another good F3 race.

Cracking win for Caldwell - did a good job of gaining places this morning and the same again this afternoon - in exactly the right place to benefit from the top 2 taking each other out.

[JonChalk]

Teddy Lop said:

Now that's more like F3!

Nice to see correa back in a seat.

Yes, and to have the courage to go back to F3 from F2 to get back into it - I thought that was very mature and sensible.

[JonChalk]

TheDeuce said:

SpudLink said:

Teddy Lop said:

Now that's more like F3!

Nice to see correa back in a seat.

Indeed.

Yes, a sensible head and plenty of bravery.

It is always nice to see that amongst the squabbling on the F1 thread(s), there is always a consensus that some topics / actions / people garner the appropriate recognition and respect.........and they tend to be the things that really matter.

[JonChalk]

Ticktum's run of good performance continues - very few overtake in F2 in Sprint race so far, surprisingly, but Dan's made good, smooth, error-free progress.

[JonChalk]

Alice Powell

[JonChalk]

ColdSyphon said:

Was the first sprint race any good? Just tuning in for the second one now, I work night shifts so planning to watch the replay of race 1 this evening.

Not drastically exciting, but pretty interesting - worth watching if you have spare time.

[JonChalk]

This race is fun, though, isn't it?

Bodes well fro F1 tomorrow

[JonChalk]

I'm going to open the defence for Ticktum (in the full expectation of a torrent of PH abuse );

He was alongside (way more than 50% - front wheel to front wheel) - the other two drivers should have left him room, if that means backing off, then so be it. They chose to turn in on him.

[JonChalk]

Entertaining enough 1st W Series race today.

A bit amateurish at times, but quite a few of the drivers haven't done much in the last two years, so maybe not a surprise.

[JonChalk]

WonkeyDonkey said:

Sandpit Steve said:

Putting the support race (F3 this weekend) on 100 minutes after F1 qualifying, does seem something of an own goal this year. Last year it was 40 minutes later, so the programme ran straight after the qualifying analysis show. Many casual viewers will have switched off by now.

Was W Series on straight after quali? Does seem very odd having the F3 on this late

Yes it was; live on C4.

Not very exciting unfortunately - F3 Race 2 is definitely a lot more entertaining.

[JonChalk]

Sandpit Steve said:

Ah, yes you’re right.

But because of the screwed up media rights, it’s on some online C4 channel, and Sky go out of their way not to mention it.

Edit: I defer to @Jonchalk who says it was live on C4.

No problem - C4 are really screwing around with it - live on More4 last week, so SD only if you haven't got Sky & may as well have put it on Orkney TV at midnight.

If it gets in the way of something that will earn them some ad revenue, it looks like they demote it, which is really stupid.

Why W Series didn't just jump on the F1/F2/F2 coverage bandwagon is a mystery.

[JonChalk]

Sandpit Steve said:

The average F1 fan, watching the weekend’s Sky coverage with their daughter, didn’t even know about the WS race.

Exactly right - it's disconnected from F1 and new viewers won't get that race package / day feel - it feels like something outside, a bit like the Porsche Supercup races, which you have to watch on Eurosport, even when they're between F2 & F1 races. No linkage.

Poorly thought out.

[JonChalk]

Pretty good Feature F3 race.

Oli Caldwell is much unheralded and under-rated driver - good progress thru the top order in this race, much like many of his races - not flash, but very consistent.

[JonChalk]

Not the most exciting W Series race, but enjoyed watching it; Powell deserved that win.

Watched her going purple, faster and faster every lap during qualification yesterday, and she was easily the class of the field.

Visser and Moore side-by-side (with no move from either to push the other off) from Brooklands to Stowe was good though.

[JonChalk]

Solid, sensible driving yesterday and today (so far) from Ticktum, and a nice overtake round the outside, tyres notwithstanding.

Let's hope that's not commentators curse.

edit: Track temp started at 35, now 38......

[JonChalk]

Disappointed in Piastri today; weak behind Nannini and using the "F1 shoulder barge" and bits of non-track to keep Verschoor behind him. Shouldn't really keep 3rd.

Interesting, but not exciting race - tyre saving for a lot of the race.

[JonChalk]

Sandpit Steve said:

Very wet F3 race underway in Hungary, behind the SC which is going sideways!

One of the pointless things I hate (even if I understand the TV-schedule-driven "logic") - trundling around behind the SC, burning race laps for no benefit.
Stop it and wait or go for it - wet SC laps are a paying spectator's worst nightmare.

At least they've had the balls to go for it - suspect there would have been too many whiny F1 drivers complaining that it was still "too wet".

[JonChalk]

If the sun stays out, I can see them burning through the wets in less than 10 laps.