Southport's F3 Racing Driver Takes To The Tracks
Pictures on this page by Patrick Trollope.

SOUTHPORT racing driver, James Cole, who was the British Formula Ford champion last year graduated into Formula 3 over the Easter weekend, as he took to the track at Oulton Park. The weekend was a hard learning curve for the 21 year old, who is now finding his feet in the National Class of the Cooper Tires British F3 International Series. The weather on the Saturday was fantastic, despite a wet start; the track quickly dried out and paved the way for a fantastic fight on the track throughout all the racing that was taking place. Sadly for F3 rookie Cole, the circuit was to hold a few surprises over the weekend, with Bank Holiday Monday (5 April 2010) proving to be a very hard day for him. Saturday, 3 April was qualifying in the morning for the F3 drivers and Cole took his first steps in competition in F3 on a slippery track. In the afternoon, Round 1 of the champion ship took place. The National Class provided a great tussle between T-Sport team-mates Menasheh Idafar and James Cole. This opening bout between the two led to Menasheh Idafar surviving a couple of knocks from other cars and a shaky start, to lead the class from lap one to the chequered flag. Cole fought hard but could not find a opening within that 30 minute race to get ahead. Round 2, on Monday, was a very fast moving race, which provided drama and lots of action, with the first-ever 'reverse grid' sprint race of the Cooper Tires British F3 International Series. The 'reverse grid' race had Gabriel Dias starting in pole. Cole paced himself at the start, but spun out and damaged a rear wing and had to retire from Round 2. But later that afternoon he was back again. The last race on Monday, 5 April 2010, Round 3, was to hold many surprises, even before the start of the 40 minute race, with Hywel Lloyd (Wales) taking off his front right wheel at Knickerbrook Chicane on the Outlap! But the race had others in its sight; yes, first-lap mishap for his T-Sport team-mate Menasheh Idafar forcing him to retire from the race. Yet again we witnessed a fantastic effort by Cole who kept going, as he battled to get his car around the track, despite having engine problems. With his car engine showing flames and oil smoke on the down shift overrun and being lapped as a result, James Cole was the sole National Class finisher after Menasheh Idafar failed to finish. So it is all eyes now on Silverstone...

Results so far...

Cooper Tires British F3 International Series Round 1
Oulton Park 4/4/2010 19 laps = 37.69 miles

Provisional results

1 Jean-Eric VERGNE / FRA, Carlin Dallara-Volkswagen 30m 21.288s
2 Oli WEBB / GBR, Fortec Dallara-Mercedes +3.491s
3 Adriano BUZAID / BRA, Carlin Dallara-Volkswagen +5.797s
4 Carlos HUERTAS / COL, RR Dallara-Mercedes +9.698s
5 Rupert SVENDSEN-COOK / GBR, Carlin Dallara-Volkswagen +11.164s
6 Daisuke NAKAJIMA / JPN, RR Dallara-Mercedes +12.572s
7 Gabriel DIAS / BRA, Hitech Dallara-Volkswagen +15.741s
8 Jazeman JAAFAR / MAS, Carlin Dallara-Volkswagen +16.942s
9 Daniel McKENZIE / GBR, Fortec Dallara-Mercedes +17.771s
10 William BULLER / GBR, Hitech Dallara-Volkswagen +20.105s etc

Fastest lap: Vergne 1m 29.073 s/ 108.80mph

National Class

1 Menasheh IDAFAR / GBR, T-Sport Dallara-Mugen Honda +26.259s
2 James COLE / GBR, T-Sport Dallara-Mugen Honda +33.714s
Fastest lap: Idafar 1m 30.564s / 107.01mph

Provisional championship standings

1 Vergne 21 points; 2 Webb 15; 3 Buzaid 12; 4 Huertas 10; 5 Svendsen-Cook 8; 6 Nakajima 6 etc.
National Class: 1 Idafar 21; 2 Cole 15.

Cooper Tires British F3 International Series Round 2
Oulton Park 5/4/2010 13 laps = 35.00 miles

Provisional results

1 Rupert SVENDSEN-COOK / GBR, Carlin Dallara-Volkswagen 20m 08.175s/104.27mph
2 Daisuke NAKAJIMA / JPN, RR Dallara-Mercedes +0.658s
3 Carlos HUERTAS / COL, RR Dallara-Mercedes +3.168s
4 Adriano BUZAID / BRA, Carlin Dallara-Volkswagen +3.618s
5 Jean-Eric VERGNE / FRA, Carlin Dallara-Volkswagen +4.500s
6 Jazeman JAAFAR / MAS, Carlin Dallara-Volkswagen +7.417s
7 Daniel McKENZIE / GBR, Fortec Dallara-Mercedes +7.916s
8 Oli WEBB / GBR, Fortec Dallara-Mercedes +8.240s
9 William BULLER / GBR, Hitech Dallara-Volkswagen +9.378s
10 Alex BRUNDLE / GBR, T-Sport Dallara-Volkswagen +10.860s etc
Fastest lap: Vergne 1m 29.664s / 108.08mh

National Class

1 Menasheh IDAFAR / GBR, T-Sport Dallara-Mugen Honda +20.228s
Fastest lap: Idafar 1m 31.037s / 106.45mph

Cooper Tires British F3 International Series Round 3
Oulton Park 5/4/2010 26 laps = 69.99 miles

Provisional results

1 Jean-Eric VERGNE / FRA, Carlin Dallara-Volkswagen 39m 00.158s

2 Oli WEBB / GBR, Fortec Dallara-Mercedes +1.377s

3 Rupert SVENDSEN-COOK / GBR, Carlin Dallara-Volkswagen +25.912s

4 Gabriel DIAS / BRA, Hitech Dallara-Volkswagen +26.893s

5 Adriano BUZAID / BRA, Carlin Dallara-Volkswagen +27.544s

6 James CALADO / GBR, Carlin Dallara-Volkswagen +28.131s

7 Daisuke NAKAJIMA / JPN, RR Dallara-Mercedes +31.976s

8 Jay BRIDGER / GBR, Litespeed Dallara-Mercedes +40.341s

9 Alex BRUNDLE / GBR, T-Sport Dallara-Volkswagen +40.837s

10 Daniel McKENZIE / GBR, Fortec Dallara-Mercedes +43.024s etc

Fastest lap: Vergne 1m 29.064s / 108.81mph

National Class

1 James COLE / GBR, T-Sport Dallara-Mugen Honda 25 laps
Fastest lap: Cole 1m 31.160s / 106.31mph

Provisional championship standings

1 Vergne 50 points; 2 Webb 33; 3 Svendsen-Cook 30; 4 Buzaid 27; 5 Nakajima 19; 6 Huertas 18; 7 Dias 14; 8 Jaafar 8; 9 McKenzie 7; 10 Calado 6 etc.

National Class:- 1 Cole 36; 2 Idafar 33.

Next rounds: 1 Mar and 2 May 2010 at Silverstone GP

Related archived reports:- 1 | 2 | 3

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