FIA refuses to allow Nelson Piquet Jr to race F3 at Pau FIA refuses to allow Nelson Piquet Jr to race F3 at Pau FIA statement The FIA has gone to great lengths in the last 12 months to establish the championship as one of the main developmental categories on the way to Formula One, introducing measures such as a maximum number of seasons in the championship (three) for any driver, as well as not allowing an existing champion to defend their title. Under Article 4.7 of the FIA Formula 3 European Championship Sporting Regulations, any driver application to participate in the Championship will be studied by the FIA and accepted or rejected at its absolute discretion. With the above strategic direction in mind, believed it would contravene the spirit of the championship for the FIA to approve the application to field such a highly-credentialed and experienced driver as Nelson Piquet Jr the reigning FIA Formula E champion, LMP1 driver in the FIA World Endurance Championship, as well as 28 races in Formula One. The FIAs Single-Seater Commission President, Stefano Domenicali said: We cannot deny that we were pleased that a driver with the talent and the achievements of Nelson Piquet Jr has expressed a desire to race in a round of the FIA F3 European Championship at a prestigious circuit such as Pau. However, we must keep in mind the spirit of the Championship as one of the primary steps on the ladder to F1. Therefore, we decided that we could not accept the application presented by Carlin. This season the FIA introduced new eligibility criteria with the specific intent to define the characteristics of the FIA F3 European Championship more precisely. Todays decision is a logical consequence of these measures.
Fair enough - I don't have a problem with that. Remarkably sensible for those guys in fact! Although, it would have been interesting to see how he got on. Cheers, Ian
Take the issue of Piquet Jr side, and examine the rules. I think limiting the number of years in that category is daft myself. I don't see why a driver can only compete for 3 years in F3. He may not have the budget to move up the ladder to GP2, etc... So what's wrong with staying in F3? Remember Conny Anderson? Well, he race 10 years in F3. Other drivers in the 60s and 70s (when I was following these series) surely did more than 3 years (Charles Lucas? Roy Pike?, etc...). Also, I remember at least one ex-F1 driver going back to F3 later in his career; ex-Scuderia driver Willy Mairesse drove for Alpine-Renault.
Why not? It's just another formula. I am myself surprised that Haas proposes to Grosjean to try NASCAR. Really ?
Yep I can see the motivation behind him crashing the car. Underperformed all year at that point, and he just wanted the chance to prove himself for a while longer so did the only thing he could do. Remember he was a very strong competitor for Hamilton in GP2 and only just lost out the title to him.
I do. I understand he was under immense pressure, & his boss told him to do it. But, if your boss told you to knowingly & willingly put your life as well as many others at risk, would you? Plus, he's dicking around in FE etc. F3 is meant to be a feeder series, not a hangout for has beens. Ian
And if I'm reading that FIA release correctly, PK's running in the electrics (very well, defending champion apparently) as well as LMP1. No need for him to run in what is meant to be a feeder series. Cheers, Ian
I think the FIA shouldn't be so restrictive; they should allow drivers to go back to feeder series later on. F1 seems to be at the top of the staircase, with a big drop after. I cannot see what could be wrong with ex-F1 drivers to do GP2 or F3 if they want. They could bring some much needed exposure to these less advertised championship.
Piquet decision shows what's wrong with motorsport Nelson Piquet Jr's desire to contest Formula 3's Pau Grand Prix this weekend offered the European Championship a spot in the limelight. The FIA's decision to reject his entry is a foolish own goal, says GLENN FREEMAN Piquet decision shows what's wrong with motorsport - F3 - Autosport Plus The first thing you do when word of a story like Nelson Piquet Jr entering the Pau Grand Prix round of the Formula 3 European Championship reaches the Autosport office is check the date. It wasn't April 1 at any point this week, so it was real. The reigning Formula E champion, an ex-Formula 1 driver who last raced in F3 in 2004, really was coming back for a one-off this weekend. Then the fun police stepped in.
Nonsense. Just because your boss asks you to cheat to save your job at that time, doesn't mean you can ignore ethics, and worse...the safety of the people around you. That's just plain selfish.
OK, but that's in the past and has been dealt with. This thread is about him being banned from making an appearance in a F3 race.
The F3 race at Pau is the Blue Ribbon event of the F3 World (It's their equivalent Monaco), so why should a far more experienced driver be allowed to come in from a higher discipline for this single race, to try and add it to his resume, stealing it away from those who are competing in the whole season? Had they have been available this weekend, would it have been fair to all of the current F3 drivers to have allowed Hamilton, Vettel, Alonso, Rosberg, Kimi, Ricciardo, Button, Massa, Bottas et al to all have a go at winning the race too, as a one off outing?
Actually, in the old days it was not unusual for F1 drivers to also race in lesser series. For example, they raced in F2 as well as Formula Atlantic. One-off appearances at marquee events, such as the Three Rivers Atlantic race, often highlighted the appearance of F1 drivers which, of course, generated great attendance. We even had a reigning F1 WDC drive one of our Atlantic cars during a F1 summer break.
I'm with Ian on this one. While it might have been interesting to see how he did against the current crop of F3 drivers, he has no business in that race, and it was a sensible decision by the FIA to say no. Yes, in years past current at the time F1 drivers drove in lower series on the off weekends. That doesn't happen any more. Risk to the drivers and the teams and sponsors that pay them, along with defeating the purpose of the 'feeder series' concept put an end to that some time ago. OK, so it's a one-off appearance and not a full season entry. So that just means he is taking a seat away from an up and coming driver for no real benefit other than his own enjoyment and satisfaction, and potentially taking positions and points away from young hard working drivers looking to move up. Sorry, Nelsinho. The FIA made one of their rare sensible and well reasoned decisions.
It's not the old days now though and F3 has a much more specific purpose for up and coming drivers careers, who do not deserve to have their chances of winning the blue ribbon event of the series seriously hampered by more experienced drivers coming in on a guest drive. As for the old days, if they hadn't allowed F1 drivers to make guest appearances in lower formulas then we wouldn't have lost Jim Clark in a meaningless F2 race decades before he should have passed away!
Absolutely right !!! Clark, Stewart, G.Hill, Brabham, Hume, Rindt regularly used to race in "feeder series" (as now they call them) against up-and-coming young racers. It's the participation of well-known drivers that attracted the public to come and watch them. Imagine, instead of watching Clark, or Graham Hill once a year at Silverstone for the GP, people could see them a many events in Britain, like Ou;lton Park, Brands Hatch, Croft, etc... Not only that gave great exposure to the events, but also brought to attention the skills of new talents: for example unknown Jochen Rindt defeating Graham Hill at Crystal Palace in F2 and obtained a seat in F1 after that performance. Also, Gilles Villeneuve was spotted after defeating James Hunt in Formula Atlantic, etc... I think the series are too compartimented nowadays, and used like a one-way system. Looking at the attendance at a F3 race is pathetic; no one knows any of the drivers on the programme, therefore hardly anyone attends these meeting. Most countries have given up organising a F3 national series. Even GP2, mostly run alongside 10 GPs, wouldn't attract the public if it had to stand alone. I really cannot understand the reasoning of the FIA.
