Wymondham-based P1 Motorsport enjoyed a race weekend to mirror the geography of Scotland this weekend during Rounds Seven and Eight of the 2004 Avon Tyres British Formula 3 Championship at Knockhill Circuit in Fife.
The highs came first, with South American sensation Ernesto Viso (Cambridge / Caracas, Venezuela) claiming his debut Championship Class pole position and race win in the first of the weekend’s encounters – and teammate Adam Carroll (Northampton/Portadown) converting sixth place on the grid to a fine fourth position. By P1’s own high standards, the lows followed in the second race, when Viso could manage only sixth place and Carroll failed to make it to the finishing line.
But after four non-finishes last time out at Croft, P1 Motorsport team boss Roly Vincini was pleased with the weekend’s work:
“I’m delighted that Ernesto scored his maiden win today, the team’s second victory this season. Both he and the team have worked really hard on our qualifying performance and we’ve justly reaped the rewards. Adam didn’t have the best of weekends, but we now know both our drivers have the pace to get pole positions and win races; there’s still a long way to go this season and we’re all up for the challenge.”
Added race winner Ernesto:
“I'm over the moon to have scored my first pole position and race win this weekend. The team and I have worked non-stop to improve the car and my own performance and the great thing is I feel there's still more to come. I can’t wait for Snetterton in three weeks time!”
QUALIFYING
Rd 7: Adam Carroll – 6th, Ernesto Viso – POLE
Viso took his debut Championship Class pole position in true style, dominating the first half hour qualifying session. Once all runners had got up to speed and found track position, Viso immediately headed the times with a 47:445. But his opposition was always going to be close around the tight and twisty 1.29-mile Knockhill Circuit – and just four laps later, Australian Will Power matched Viso’s time exactly. Although Viso was still on provisional pole position, due to him setting his time earlier in the session, the pressure was on. Despite a flurry of red flags as the Formula 3 competitors all pushed for that vital margin, Viso found the ultimate lap, just three tours later – reducing his own pole position time by 3/100th of a second. With none of his challengers able to respond, Viso ended the session where he started it, in pole position.
Carroll found himself on the unlucky end of the first session-stopping red flag incident. Unlike Viso, who had only just hit the track with his new rubber, Carroll was fully into the session and pushing to get the maximum from his fresh set of tyres. On a lap good enough to secure both front row grid slots for P1 Motorsport, the talented Carroll was forced to abort his run when the red flags came out. Comfortably positioned inside the top six, Carroll was frustrated by traffic on his next set of flying laps and ended the session in a disappointed sixth position.
Rd 8: Adam Carroll – 12th, Ernesto Viso – 6th
Viso resumed his terrific qualifying pace in the second of the day’s sessions, topping the timesheets for the first ten minutes. Despite being demoted down to fourth at the mid-way point, Viso soon reasserted his authority and leapfrogged back up to pole position. But Australian Will Power and rival James Rossiter, Viso’s closest challengers from the first session, were desperate to make their mark and as the session drew to a close, Viso found himself bumped down to third. With his fuel on the limit to ensure maximum competitiveness, Viso pitted with a lap to go, confident that he had secured that second row grid slot. But, frustratingly, the track was still quick and three drivers pushed Viso down the order within the final minute. The young charger therefore ended the session in sixth place overall and just 15/100th of a second off Rossiter’s pole.
Carroll started the session encouragingly, going third quickest on his fourth flying lap. But despite the session being quicker overall, Carroll struggled to match his time from earlier in the day. Although just 1/10th of a second off his previous best, Carroll soon found himself bumped down the order as, one by one, the leading contenders fired in their best laps. Such is the competitiveness of the Formula 3 grid this season that Carroll ended the session in 12th place overall despite being less than half a second off pole.
ROUND SEVEN
Adam Carroll – 4th, Ernesto Viso – WON
Viso converted his debut Championship Class pole position into a stunning debut race victory Sunday afternoon in the first British F3 encounter.
Following a perfectly judged race start, Viso powered off the line to head the train of combating machinery into the first corner. And from there he was never headed. Despite the close attentions of second-placed Power over the initial few laps, Viso gradually eked out his advantage and at half distance had more than a second in hand to his rivals. Displaying a maturity beyond his age, Viso never once looked under pressure and he took the flag after 25 impressive laps nearly two seconds ahead of Power.
Carroll’s race was significantly more frantic than that of his teammate. With overtaking so difficult around the narrow Knockhill Circuit, Carroll knew he had to make up places at the start if he was to challenge for a podium finish. Carroll’s determination at the start was evident; blasting off the line as the lights went green, he got the better of both Clivio Piccione and Lucas Di-Grassi on the run to the first corner and was so immediately up to fourth. Carroll then entered a mighty battle for position that was to last the entire race, with Piccione never more than a few tenths of a second off the P1 Motorsport Dallara’s exhaust. Although Piccione was also being shadowed by the duelling Karun Chandhok and Danilo Dirani, it didn’t stop the pressure on Carroll; when he finally took the flag in fourth place, just 3/10th of a second ahead of Piccione, Carroll admitted that he couldn’t wait for the race to be over!
ROUND EIGHT
Adam Carroll – DNF, Ernesto Viso – 6th
The second race of the day saw the top six drivers from qualifying translate their grid positions into identical race finishes. But that result belied typically frantic Knockhill track action, which produced two Safety Car periods and five non-finishers.
Viso made another good start to slot in behind Chandhok on the opening lap, with Will Davison immediately in his mirrors. For the first nine laps, the top 12 were covered by just nine seconds and there was no room for error. Following his dominant performance in the first race of the day, Viso was clearly revelling in the pressure, successfully blocking any move that Davison tried – whilst himself aggressively challenging for a way past Chandhok. But the nature of the circuit combined with the hard-charging leading pack resulted in a stalemate. Viso therefore took the flag in a well-deserved sixth place, just half a second behind Chandhok in fifth.
Carroll faced an almighty struggle to claim points in the second race – his lowly 12th place on the grid attributed to a worn suspension component identified after second qualifying.
With little to lose and everything to gain in the second encounter, the team changed Carroll’s set-up for the second race, but to no avail. Although Carroll made up one place at the start and was looking a real threat to Piccione and Dirani, he was struggling to maintain the pace to mount a real challenge. But Carroll’s superior race craft came though on lap ten when he stormed past them both and up to ninth at one of the two race re-starts. Unhappily, less than two laps later his race was over. Attacking the third corner in his usual style, Carroll clipped the kerb and was immediately fired off track and into retirement.
Rounds Nine and Ten of the 2004 Avon Tyres British Formula 3 Championship take place at Snetterton Circuit, Norfolk, on 5th & 6th June.
Note: the washed-out Silverstone Round Four of the championship will take place at Snetterton on Saturday June 5th (grid as per Silverstone). Rounds Nine and Ten will take place as usual on Sunday June 6th.
