This weekend the opening round of the BRDC British F3 season took place at Brands Hatch. After a delayed start to the season due to COVID, 19 cars lined the grid ready to start the championship.
Qualifying
It was Ayrton Simmons who took the first double pole of the British F3 season with Oliver Bearman on the second spot of the front row, missing out on pole just 0.273 seconds. Zac O’Sullivan also narrowly missed out on the front row by just 0.006 seconds, closer than anyone else on the grid, but had to settle for P3. Reece Ushijima was another driver close to finishing higher up the grid as he was just 0.015 seconds behind Bart Horsten in P5 but ultimately had to settle for P6.
Race One Grid
- Ayrton Simmons, Chris Dittmann Racing, 1m20.298s
- Oliver Bearman, Fortec Motorsports, +0.273s
- Zak O’Sullivan, Carlin, +0.279s
- Roberto Faria, Fortec Motorsports, +0.318s
- Bart Horsten, Hitech GP, +0.382s
- Reece Ushijima, Hitech GP, +0.397s
- Frederick Lubin, Arden Motorsport, +0.664s
- Alex Connor, Arden Motorsport, +0.695s
- Tom Lebbon, Elite Motorsport, +0.830s
- Sebastian Alvarez, Hitech GP, +1.095s
- Alex Fores, Chris Dittmann Racing, +1.239s
- Bryce Aron, Carlin, +1.281s
- Christian Mansell, Carlin, +1.292s
- Dexter Patterson, Douglas Motorsport, +1.419s
- Jose Garfias, Elite Motorsport, +1.595s
- Javier Sagrera, Elite Motorsport, +1.699s
- Mikkel Grundtvig, Fortec Motorsports, +2.074s
- Max Marzorati, Chris Dittmann Racing, +2.124s
- Reema Juffali, Douglas Motorsport, +2.302s
Race Two Grid
The second race of the weekends qualifying is set by the drivers second fastest lap:
- Ayrton Simmons, Chris Dittmann Racing, 1m20.499s
- Zak O’Sullivan, Carlin, +0.155s
- Bart Horsten, Hitech GP, +0.200s
- Oliver Bearman, Fortec Motorsports, +0.570s
- Frederick Lubin, Arden Motorsport, +0.619s
- Reece Ushijima, Hitech GP, +0.629s
- Tom Lebbon, Elite Motorsport, +0.651s
- Alex Connor, Arden Motorsport, +0.745s
- Roberto Faria, Fortec Motorsports, +0.796s
- Sebastian Alvarez, Hitech GP, +1.030s
- Alex Fores, Chris Dittmann Racing, +1.121s
- Bryce Aron, Carlin, +1.124s
- Christian Mansell, Carlin, +1.132s
- Dexter Patterson, Douglas Motorsport, +1.283s
- Jose Garfias, Elite Motorsport, +1.421s
- Javier Sagrera, Elite Motorsport, +1.735s
- Reema Juffali, Douglas Motorsport, +2.240s
- Max Marzorati, Chris Dittmann Racing, +2.253s
- Mikkel Grundtvig, Fortec Motorsports, +2.351s
Race Three grid
The third race of the weekend is in reverse order from qualifying:
- Reema Juffali, Douglas Motorsport
- Max Marzorati, Chris Dittmann Racing
- Mikkel Grundtvig, Fortec Motorsports
- Javier Sagrera, Elite Motorsport
- Jose Garfias, Elite Motorsport
- Dexter Patterson, Douglas Motorsport
- Christian Mansell, Carlin
- Bryce Aron, Carlin
- Alex Fores, Chris Dittmann Racing
- Sebastian Alvarez, Hitech GP
- Tom Lebbon, Elite Motorsport
- Alex Connor, Arden Motorsport
- Frederick Lubin, Arden Motorsport
- Reece Ushijima, Hitech GP
- Bart Horsten, Hitech GP
- Roberto Faria, Fortec Motorsports
- Zak O’Sullivan, Carlin
- Oliver Bearman, Fortec Motorsports
- Ayrton Simmons, Chris Dittmann Racing
Race One
Simmons had a great start with the top three keeping their places in the opening laps. Garfias was the first to, unfortunately, crash out, ending his session in the first lap. Coming up to lap 3, Bearman was challenging Simmons for the race lead and closing in, after the brit had created a gap. By lap 5 Simonds had once again created a gap with O’ Sullivan now catching up to Bearman.
On lap 7 Mansell passed Lebbon for P9 before taking on Fores for the next few laps. Whilst trying to get past Fores, Mansell was shown the black and white flag for track limits. Still fighting for the position, Fores and Mansell were side by side challenging each other to get ahead. However, it was Fores who lost the position, going wide and giving Mansell the advantage. Lebbon took this opportunity and passed Fores to take P10, Faria also tried to do the same on lap 11. But this move saw the pair colliding and ending their race early on lap 11. When this incident was investigated, it was concluded that it was Fores at fault so he was given a 5 place grid penalty for the second race on Sunday.
However, it was Ayrton Simmons who saw the checkered flag first, winning the first British F3 race of the season. Oliver Bearman finished 1.207s behind in P2 and Zak O’Sullivan in P3, rounding off the podium.
“I’m very delighted with it, and really happy with the job we’ve done so far. It’s the first time I’ve started the season with a race win, so that’s a plus. It was a comfortable win, very controlled, very consistent which is what we needed here, and yeah, brought it home.” Said Simmons after the race.
- Ayrton Simmons, Chris Dittmann Racing, 12 laps
- Oliver Bearman, Fortec Motorsports, +1.207s
- Zak O’Sullivan, Carlin, +1.644s
- Bart Horsten, Hitech GP, +6.872s
- Reece Ushijima, Hitech GP, +10.579s
- Frederick Lubin, Arden Motorsport, +11.388s
- Alex Connor, Arden Motorsport, +14.997s
- Christian Mansell, Carlin, +23.346s
- Tom Lebbon, Elite Motorsport, +24.437s
- Bryce Aron, Carlin, 27.274s
- Sebastian Alvarez, Hitech GP, +27.868s
- Javier Sagrera, Elite Motorsport, +28.401s
- Dexter Patterson, Douglas Motorsport, +30.337s
- Max Marzorati, Chris Dittmann Racing, +30.865s
- Reema Juffali, Douglas Motorsport, +42.101s
- Mikkel Grundtvig, Fortec Motorsports, +42.355s
DNF:
- Alex Fores, Chris Dittmann Racing, 11 laps
- Roberto Faria, Fortec Motorsports, 11 laps
- Jose Garfias, Elite Motorsport, 1 lap
Race Two
The second race of the British F3 weekend was not one to miss. With Alex Fores crashing out on the formation lap, he had yet to finish a race this weekend. All drivers were on slicks and whilst trying to warm his tyres up, Fores lost control of the car and ended up in the barriers.
With the CDR car now removed from the circuit, the race had been reduced to 10 laps. As the light went red and the race began, it was Horsten who had a fantastic start, putting himself between Simmons and O’Sullivan. He managed to make the move stick moving up into second place.
Rounding the second corner, he tried to take the lead from Simmons again, but they collided and Simmons ended up on top of Horsten, taking them both out of the race. Simmons car ended up in the barriers but Horsten was able to make it back to the pits with no rear wing.
Once the safety car came in, after the second CDR car had been removed from the track, O’Sullivan controlled the pack leading into lap 4. He didn’t get away as fast as he planned to, however, as he had Bearman on his back. Further down the grid, Roberto Faria was trying to get past Alex Connor whilst at the front O’Sullivan was finally getting away from Bearman after setting the fastest lap.
With one Carlin in the lead, their other two drivers, Mansell and O’Sullivan, were fighting for P10 and P11. Mansell was behind in the dirty air and unfortunately couldn’t make the move stick after trying to get past till the last lap of the race.
When the checkered flag was waved, it was Zak O’Sullivan who took his maiden win of 2020 British F3 the season, finishing a comfortable 2.248 seconds in front of Oliver Bearman, taking P2 for the second time this weekend and a first podium of the season for Reece Ushijima.
On his first British F3 win: “I made a pretty atrocious start off the line, me and Ayrton both did and I got a shock when Bart was suddenly in the middle of us. I conceded turn one pretty quickly and then focused on settling down but I looked up at turn two and the two in front collided. So in a way it was a bit of a gifted win but I think from there I could just manage the pace and manage the tyres for when we need them in race three. I’m pretty content with the pace, we showed the pace we had yesterday and was able to drop Ollie pretty quickly, so I’m happy with that.”
- Zak O’Sullivan, Carlin, 10 laps
- Oliver Bearman, Fortec Motorsports, +2.248s
- Reece Ushijima, Hitech GP, +5.546s
- Frederick Lubin, Arden Motorsport, +6.452s
- Alex Connor, Arden Motorsport, +7.703s
- Roberto Faria, Fortec Motorsports, +10.470s
- Tom Lebbon, Elite Motorsport, +11.156s
- Sebastian Alvarez, Hitech GP, +11.557s
- Bryce Aron, Carlin, +11.951s
- Christian Mansell, Carlin, +12.392s
- Dexter Patterson, Douglas Motorsport, +13.367s
- Javier Sagrera, Elite Motorsport, +15.668s
- Max Marzorati, Chris Dittmann Racing, +22.144s
- Jose Garfias, Elite Motorsport, +22.590s
- Mikkel Grundtvig, Fortec Motorsport,s +23.525s
- Reema Juffali, Douglas Motorsport, +28.451s
DNF:
- Ayrton Simmons, Chris Dittmann Racing, 0 laps
- Bart Horsten, Hitech GP, 0 laps
- Alex Fores, Chris Dittmann Racing, 0 laps
Race Three
The third race of the weekend starts as a reverse grid, in previous years it has been the reverse of the race finishing order, however, it is now the reverse of the qualifying order.
Juffali started on pole with Marzorati in the second spot of the front row of the grid and race winners, Simmons and O’Sullivan started at the back of the pack.
As the red light went out it was Mansell who had a fantastic start, taking advantage of a slower Juffali and those in front jumping from P7 to P1, taking the lead of the race. Marzorati had held the lead for a moment before Mansell took over. Going round the first corner Alvarez went wide and ended up in the gravel, finishing his weekend prematurely. Marzorati was the next to retire after coming into contact with Juffali in the first corner. O’Sullivan was another driver to have a great start, jumping 8 spaces in the opening stages of the race.
On lap 3 Patterson passed Juffali for P3 forcing her to the outside line. Grundtvig and Aron took advantage of this and breezed through, dropping Juffali down the order. Fores was the next to try and pass the Douglas but ended up in the back of Juffali as he tried to secure the move resulting in both drivers ending up in the gravel, finishing their race on lap 3.
As the safety car came in, Mansell was leading the race and by lap 8 extended the lead to 1.452s from Sagrera. With both safety cars, the race now came down to race time and not race distance.
Christian Mansell was the winner of the final race of the opening British F3 season with Javier Sagrera in second and Dexter Patterson rounding off the top 3.
- Christian Mansell, Carlin, 12 laps
- Javier Sagrera, Elite Motorsport, +1.991s
- Dexter Patterson, Douglas Motorsport, +4.190s
- Bryce Aron, Carlin, +4.483s
- Mikkel Grundtvig, Fortec Motorsports, +4.990s
- Reece Ushijima, Hitech GP, +5.603s
- Zak O’Sullivan, Carlin +6.146s
- Bart Horsten, Hitech GP, +6.611s
- Oliver Bearman, Fortec Motorsports, +7.151s
- Tom Lebbon, Elite Motorsport, +8.579s
- Frederick Lubin, Arden, +9.058s
- Roberto Faria, Fortec Motorsports, +10.254s
- Ayrton Simmons, Chris Dittmann Racing, +10.625s
- Alex Connor, Arden Motorsport, +11.088s
- Jose Garfias, Elite Motorsport, +12.344s
DNF:
- Reema Juffali, Douglas Motorsport, 2 laps
- Alex Fores, Chris Dittmann Racing, 2 laps
- Max Marzorati, Chris Dittmann Racing, 0 laps
- Sebastian Alvarez, Hitech GP, 0 laps
The BRDC British F3 championship continues on 26th and 27th June at Silverstone.
