Formula Three action focuses on Zandvoort in Holland this weekend, as the world's best junior racers gather for the eleventh annual Marlboro Masters.
The leaders of the British, German, French and Japanese Formula Three championships are all present for the 25 lap shoot-out to decide who is the unofficial 'world' champion - until the next international at least.
Zandvoort is the second of the four International Formula Three races held this year, with Macau and Korea still to come. Britain's Anthony Davidson won 'round one' at Pau in south-west France at Whitsun, the street race having replaced the more familiar event around the harbour at Monaco when F3000 became a grand prix support.
Forty-six competitors from 17 nations are expected to be present in Holland - including competitors from the USA, Australia, Japan and China - and at least 17 of them have won in Formula Three this year. Some, however, are making their Formula Three debuts, such as Australia's 19-year old Ryan Briscoe, who has been racing with considerable success in the Italian Formula Renault championship, and Marchy Lee from China.
Despite the pedigree being shown elsewhere, however, it is Davidson's Carlin Motorsport team-mate, Takuma Sato, who starts favourite in Holland. He has won eight rounds of the British Green Flag Formula Three championship this year, and leads the series, as well as winning the British Grand Prix invitation race. Also from the British series are Derek Hayes (currently second), James Courtney (third), Anthony Davidson (fourth), Andre Lotterer (fifth) and Andy Priaulx and Gianmaria Bruni (sixth).
Curiously, Sato's main rivals are his compatriots, although none of them race in Japan, proving that Oriental drivers are finally coming good outside their homeland. Ryo f*ckuda leads the French championship with four wins, and is taking part in his third Marlboro Masters. Second to him in the series is Tiago Monteiro from Portugal who has three wins, while Bruno Besson (third), and Mathieu Zangarelli (fifth) also compete.
Toshihiro Kaneishi currently leads the German Formula Three championship - and finished fifth at Zandvoort last year - but it's unfortunate that the man second to him in the series, Pierre Kaffer, is the only noticeable absentee from Holland. Frank Diefenbacher, 19, is third in the series with three wins, Stefan Mucke is fourth with one win. His team-mate, Markus Winkelhock, is fifth, and all compete at Zandvoort.
For the first time, the leaders of the Japanese Formula Three series are also present - and in a curious turnaround, they are Benoit Treluyer from France, and Paolo Montin from Italy! The former finished fourth in the Masters in 1999 and the latter finished in a similar position in 1998. They could spring a surprise this weekend.
The main problem for 2001 British winners - including Davidson, Derek Hayes, Australian Courtney, Priaulx and Matt Davies - is a lack of familiarity with the Bridgestone control tyre used by all competitors. However, the French use Michelins and the Germans use Yokohamas, so no-one from a European series is any the wiser. The Japanese championship runners will be more familiar with Bridgestones, although the Masters event will use a different compound this weekend.
Nevertheless, in an attempt to stir up the final few laps should the rubber prove to be contentious, the organisers have lengthened the race by five laps to 25, by which time tyre wear on this sandy, abrasive circuit, will have become critical.
Previous winners of the Masters include David Coulthard (1991), Pedro Lamy (1992), Jos Verstappen (1993), Gareth Rees (1994), Norberto Fontana (1995), Kurt Mollekens (1996), Tom Coronel (1997), David Saelens (1998), Marc Hynes (1999) and Jonathan Cochet (2000).
Marlboro, not surprisingly, has also provided several side events at Zandvoort, and there will be daily demonstrations on the circuit of its championship leaders. Luca Badoer will drive a Formula One Ferrari on both days, the only time that a Formula One engine will be heard in anger during the current grand prix break. Carlos Checa and Max Biaggi will be there with a 500cc MotoGP Yamaha, while Freddy Loix and Tommi Makkinen will be demonstrating a Mitsubishi Lancer. Judging from past years, there will be plenty of tyre smoke!
Free practice is scheduled on Friday, with qualifying on Saturday and the race on Sunday. On top of that, there is a full programme of event, including Ruo GTs, Renault Sport Clios, Alfa 156s, Formula Ford, the Dutch Touring Car championship, Toyota Yaris and a demonstration by DTM cars prior to their race here later in the year.
