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phased in next year, running costs will be
halved. With brakes, bodywork and
gearboxes that are easier to manage, the
running costs for the new car will be
considerably reduced”.
Will F.3 continue to be seen as the
“queen” of the categories in the future?
“We believe strongly in the future of F.3.
Because, thanks to the way it is regulated,
F.3 is superior to so many other categories.
It is relatively light, 550 kg including
the driver, and boasts an engine featuring
very high torque at low speeds. Its
acceleration performance from 0 to 100
km/h lags just a few tenths of a second
behind an F.1 car, and – thanks to the
aerodynamic load and the competition
between tyre manufacturers to supply F.3
with the best possible product – the F.3
boasts excellent performance on curves,
achieving over 3G of lateral acceleration.
F.1 features more power and greater
performance, but it’s not such a great leap
from F.3. For a driver with the talent
necessary to make the step up, the power of
F.1 will certainly make an impression for a
couple of laps, but by the time he’s on his
fourth lap, the driver will already be
thinking: “not bad, but if it had another
100 horsepower…”
Or, to put it another way, a talented driver
will soon get used to the power if he’s had
the chance to drive an F.3 round a curve at
high speed”.
Which F.3 drivers impressed you the most
the last season?
“Without a doubt Valtteri Bottas, the new
GP3 champion, he only raced a few times
in F.3 this year, but when he did he always
made an impression. Then there are the
champions of the various categories:
Roberto Mehri, Felipe Nasr, Yuhi Sekiguchi
in Giappone. They’re all top quality drivers:
F.3 always produces champions”.
Stefano Semeraro
Valtteri Bottas
Emerging
Finnish driver
Roberto Mehri