Lloyds TSB Insurance British F3 International Series
ROUND 11: Spa Francorchamps, Belgium
After two dry qualifying sessions, the famous Spa-Francorchamps weather decided to spice up Round 11 of the 2006 Lloyds TSB Insurance British F3 International Series, providing a thrilling race and a debut win for Yelmer Buurman from 10th on the grid.
As the teams and drivers headed for the grid the sky above the Ardennes was getting very dark and in the distance flashes of lightening could be seen. With rain threatening the teams brought wet Avon tyres to the grid just in case. As the cars headed off on the formation lap rain began to fall on parts of the track and half the grid decided to dash into the pits to switch to wets, including Bruno Senna, Mike Conway, Christian Bakkerud, Salvador Duran, Rodolfo Gonzalez and Cristiano Morgado.
As the race started half of the grid headed towards Eau Rouge for the first time, with the other half starting from the pitlane. Pole position holder Maro Engel led the group on slick tyres and the second group on wets were led by Bruno Senna, one third of a lap behind the leading group. As the cars crossed the line at the end of the opening lap it was Engel from Walker, with Jarvis in 3rd ahead of Buurman, Jelley and Kennard.
By lap 2 the rain had started to come down harder and the gap between Senna on wets and the backmarkers on slicks was visibly closing. At the front Jarvis passed Walker for second place on lap 2 with Kennard passing Jelley for 5th. Jarvis then closed on his German teammate at the Bus Stop, but Engel looked comfortable as the track was still showing a dry line as the rain continued to fall steadily.
James Walker then lost further ground on lap 4, falling behind Buurman to 4th place on lap 5. Behind the Hitech Racing Dallara, Stephen Jelley and Jonathan Kennard exited the chicane side by side, with Kennard seemingly holding the position up to La Source. On lap 6 the leading four cars of Engel, Jarvis, Buurman and Walker had pulled open a gap to the next slick shod battling Dallara's of Karl Reindler and James Jakes. The front runners were finding it increasingly difficult to put the power down as they powered out the Bus Stop, with many drivers fighting for control of their cars in the slippery conditions.
Meanwhile Bruno Senna and Mike Conway had continued to make progress through the field and by lap 9 they were 8th and 9th respectively and catching their teammate Stephen Jelley who was still tracking the ADR Dallara of Jonathan Kennard. Once past Jelley, Senna tried to pass Kennard at the Bus Stop on the next lap but while the Englishman held off the Brazilian until La Source, it was only delaying the inevitable as the wet tyres found grip in the slippery conditions. By lap 11 Senna was 5th and closing on Walker and Jarvis, who had been passed by Buurman for 2nd place.
On the last lap Engel was holding off a determined attack by Buurman, but the German seemed to be able to control the race despite his Dallara slid around underneath him. However it all went wrong at the Bus Stop, Engel slide wide allowing Buurman to pounce and the Dutchman took advantage to go around the outside of the Carlin Motorsport driver to move into the lead. A mistake by Oliver Jarvis at the same corner forced the Carlin driver to use the escape road, allowing Senna and Conway to leapfrog him at the end of the race. At the flag it was Yelmer Buurman who took his debut win in British F3 for Fortec Motrosport ahead of Maro Engel, Bruno Senna, Mike Conway and Oliver Jarvis. Eighth placed James Jakes claimed an extra championship point for setting the fastest lap of the race with a 2m25.633s.
In the National Class a slick shod Cristiano Morgado led for most of the race but was caught and passed by Rodolfo Gonzalez, who had pitted for wets, with Juho Annala taking the final podium spot.
Fourth place was enough for Mike Conway to extend his lead by two points over 5th placed Oliver Jarvis and now holds a 42 point lead going into tomorrow morning’s Round 12.
Yelmer Buurman (#3 Fortec Motorsport Dallara F306 Mercedes HWA): "The conditions were really tricky, with the track was changing all of the time, but on the last lap it dried quite a lot and I drove closer to Maro (Engel) and passed him on the last lap. I had a better run through the corner before the Bus Stop, I didn't think it was possible to get past, but he slide wide and went onto the wet part and I went around the outside. It wasn't easy. The team told me to decide whether to change to wets because they couldn't see the conditions at the back of the track. Some people went in, but I decided to stay out. Luckily it worked out well. It is a very good feeling to get my first win in British Formula 3. I really like Spa, I've raced here in Formula Renault and I had good expectations. After qualifying I was a bit disappointed so I never thought I would finish on the podium but I'm very happy to be here."
Maro Engel (#12 Carlin Motorsport Dallara F306 Mugen-Honda): "Massively disappointed, to lose the lead, led the whole race and then to lose the lead on the last lap is a horrible, horrible feeling. Mid race it was raining quite a lot but I made the right decision to stay out because I finished in front of Bruno (Senna) who changed. In hindsight you'd want to start the race on wets, not coming in on the formation lap. When we saw the whole grid on slicks we were not keen to risk it when we were on pole, you just want to go with what you went out on. I worked quite hard, I was quick and I was able to pull out a gap but as the rain came Yelmer (Buurman) closed up and at the Bus Stop he managed to pass me. Very disappointed."
Bruno Senna (#21 Raikkonen Robertson Racing Dallara F306 Mercedes HWA): "I started in 5th and finished in 3rd so it was a good call to change to wets. The backmarkers were superb, causing me no problems. I had Mike (Conway) behind me, so I had to keep an eye on him. It was a good race and I'm happy to finish in 3rd place."
