Bangkok--29 Apr--Stuvik Racing project
The qualifying and subsequent for the European Formula 3 season opening race at Paul Ricard Circuit saw quite a lot of delay as heavy rain and rolling fog, prevented the sessions from starting. During a lull in the fog the 30 minute F3 qualifying eventually got under way in tricky conditions and the Thai driver again stayed with the fastest drivers, as the conditions changed and the drivers improved their lap times every lap. In the end the 4 fastest drivers were all within less that 2 tenths of a second, with Stuvik securing 4th on the grid with a time of 2’20.464 a mere 0.149 seconds slower than the pole sitter, Nelson Mason from Canada.
The start of the afternoon’s race was again delayed because of fog and was initially run for 4 laps under Safety Car before enough visibility to release the F3 cars was available. Stuvik saw a good restart, but as the team had gambled on a half wet, half dry set up in anticipation of the rain stopping, he would have to drive conservatively at the start of the race. By lap 7 he came under pressure and shortly fell to 5th position, before regaining 4th again a lap later. By that time the car’s half dry set up started working and the Thai started closing in on the car ahead, eventually taking the checkered flag a few inches behind the 3rd place.
Stuvik is satisfied with a 4th place in his maiden European Formula 3 race, but says he is intent on flying the Thai flag on the podium in tomorrow second race.
The European Formula 3 Open championship starts at Paul Ricard Circuit in France on 26-28 April and Live Timing and Live Video Streaming from the race can be found at www.f3open.net
Sandy Nicholas Stuvik races for the Royal Automobile Association of Thailand and is sponsored by The Pizza Company, Singha Corporation, Dacon Inspection Services