4
GP3
Did the new AER 400 hp V6 engine make it
necessary to modify the braking system too?
«
We still use Brembo brakes with steel disks,
but we had to install bigger calipers, disks
and shoes because the old ones wouldn’t
have been up to the job».
So, is the new car easy to “set-up” or is it
more challenging from this point of view
too?
«
It will be fairly easy to set-up, just like the
old model, if a little more “nervous” due to
the new engine. All things considered, there is
less torque than the previous turbo version.
In a nutshell: the trackside engineers will
find it easier to set-up, but the drivers will
find it more challenging».
Which aspect of the design was most
satisfying for you?
«
Without a doubt, installing a completely
different engine without obliging the teams
to change the chassis, and avoiding the
necessity of modifying numerous
components, such as the radiator. We were
also particularly pleased with the way we
managed to change the appearance of the
car so radically by modifying the bodywork».
How did testing go, and what were the
results?
«
It went very smoothly, and the results were
positive. The tests were largely aimed at the
newly installed engine, and we didn’t
experience any problems».
What has the initial feedback from teams
and drivers been like?
«
Very positive. The GP3 was in a critical
situation. A lot of teams were contemplating
a move to another championship. When it
was announced that the new car would be
more powerful, it reawakened a lot of
interest, and as soon as they saw the car,
many teams changed their ideas. The
reception has been very good».
What can we expect from Pirelli for the new
tyres 2013: will we see accelerated
degrading like in F.1?
«
I don’t know yet. The old tyres were
indestructible, there was practically no
degrading during the race. GP2 has
requested tyres that are similar to those used
in F.1, in order to avoid situations where the
positions tend to stabilise towards the end of
the race, thus killing off any excitement. GP2
is more similar to IndyCar: excitement is
more important than pure technique.
Therefore, the ideal situation is that, towards
the end of the race, the cars become more
difficult to handle, which tends to favour the
drivers that have taken better care of their
tyres. This is open to discussion, but as a
solution it certainly helps to prepare drivers
for F.1. I wouldn’t expect to see any radical
changes from Pirelli in GP3, although they
have just completed a series of tests with us
