F3000.com
Durango Press Kit (Imola)

FIA Formula 3000 International Championship

F3000 Week-end Program
The track
A few words from our driver...
The Championship
The scoring system
The race calendar
Some more news...

ITALIAN RACE
April 14^th, 2001

Circuit: Enzo e Dino Ferrari
SAGIS SpA Via F.lli Rosselli 2 40026 Imola (BO), I
Tel : +390542 31444 Fax : +390542 30420Lenght: 4,019 Km

F.3000 Race - tot. laps: 31 (152,923 km)

F.3000: 2000
Pole – B.Junqueira -Petrobras 1:38.038
Podium: 1-Minassian 2-Junqueira 3- Webber

F.1: 2000
Pole: M. Hakkinen –McLaren 1:24.714
Podium: Schumacher – Hakkinen - Coulthard

F3000 Week-end Program

Friday:	4:15pm – 5:00pm 5:30pm – 6:15pm
Saturday:	2:30pm 3:00pm – 4:15pm

Qualifying session 1
Qualifying session 2

Open Pit Lane
Race 31 laps

The track

This track is unhappily remembered for the tragic accidents occurred in 1994 F1 season to Roland Ratzemberger (Simtek) and the unforgettable F.1 Champion Ayrton Senna (Williams). Since that year the circuit has been modified at Tamburello and Villeneuve’s curves. Further to this modification (required for the drivers’ safety) Imola track has lost its speed and the added chichanes need a good balanced car and a deep work on the set up. This historic circuit, thanks to binding curves and ups and downs, is considered very fascinating and permits overtakings. The first GP here was held in 1979, a week after the Italian GP and it was a non-championship event. The track was built in the ‘50s and it was originally 3,1 miles in length. Niki Lauda won the first championship race that was held in 1980 when it saw the Italian GP raced here instead of Monza.

A few words from our driver...

GABRIELE LANCIERI (n° 29)

I: This is your first year in the International FIA F.3000 Championship. What are your expectations about this important and demanding season?

G.L: “I think it will be an exciting experience for me. My participation to the domestic F.3000 Championship made my choice easier under different points of view, from the technical to the physical’s one. Last year if someone would have told me that in 2001 I would have competed in the International F.3000 Championship… I wouldn’t have believed them!!!

I think this will be a strong and demanding season: the championship is very competitive even if I have a talented and experienced team-mate such as Jaime that can be a valid datum point for me. I know only 6 circuits on 12 and unfortunately no free practice are allowed by the sporting regulation so it will be harder for me to battle for first position, but I have a very good feeling with my team and this aspect is very important in motor-racing. At Imola, I especially want to score points.”

I: At Imola and Silverstone you could have an idea about this championship. Who do you think could be the favourite driver this year?

G.L: “The FIA F.3000 International Championship is on an high level, people and teams are very professional, but I’m not worried about it. When things go well, the car is good and you work well with your team and team-mate everything is possible, also to stay in first positions.”

I: The Lola T96/50 (used last year in the F.3000 Italia Championship) – Lola B99/50. What are the differences?.

G.L: “The Lola B99/50 is absolutely better than the prior T96: this car is more precise, better to manage in the curve, with a better traction and faster in the curves. The B99/50 race car is 15% more aerodynamically efficient than its 1998 predecessor, a significant improvement on T96/50 Lola. “

The Championship

In 2001 the F.3000 teams will use the Lola B99/50 for the last time. Three years ago, in 1999, the B99/50 chassis substituted the T96/50 (now used in the Euro 3000 Series) and represented an important improvement. The race car, in fact, was 15% more aerodynamically efficient than its 1998 predecessor.
The race calendar is composed of 12 races that follows F.1 races in Europe. From this year the FIA has decided to give more importance to the F.3000 category adding 2 prestigious dates:

1 in South America in BRAZIL, Interlagos circuit - 1st race

1 in ITALY, at Monza – last race

Free practice: not allowed by the FIA Sporting Regulation
Qualifying: on Friday, the day before the F.3000 race
1^stq. session: 4:15pm – 5:00pm, local time
2^nd q. session: 5:30pm – 6:15pm, local time
Race: on Saturday (after the F.1 qualifying) of a distance of 150 Km.
Only the first 26 cars are allowed to start.
Until last year the race weres 205 km long, like 2/3 of a F.1 GP.

The scoring system

There are a lot of similar aspects to F.1: it’s a Championship organized, manage and owned by the FIA, the races are on the same circuit, during the same weekend; the aerodynamic aspect, the professionalism and the capacity that the drivers must have to feel and set up their car are very close to the F1 world.

1° Position             -     1st place     10 points
2° Position             -     2nd place      6 points
3° Position             -     3rd place       4 points
4° Position             -     4th place       3 points
5° Position             -     5th place       2 points
6° Position             -     6th place       1 point

The race calendar

The International FIA F.3000 Championship moves closer and closer to F.1 and starts to become a Junior F.1. There are some important and interesting NEWS in the 2001 season, such as the extra-continental race in BRAZIL, at Interlagos, and the race of MONZA, one of the most famous and historic track in the world. They represent respectively the 1^st and the last race in calendar.

Some more news...

All the F3000 CHAMPIONS since 1985

2000	Bruno Junqueira	Petrobras
1999	Nick Heidfeld	West Competition Team
1998	Juan Pablo Montoya	Super Nova Racing
1997	Ricardo Zonta	Super Nova Racing
1996	Jorg Muller	RSM Marko
1995	Vincenzo Sospiri	Super Nova Racing
1994	Jean-Christophe Bouillon	DAMS
1993	Olivier Panis	DAMS
1992	Luca Badoer	Crypton
1991	Christian Fittipaldi	Pacific Racing
1990	Eric Comas	DAMS
1989	Jean Alesi	Eddie Jordan Racing
1988	Roberto Moreno	Bromley Motorsport
1987	Stefano Modena	Onyx
1986	Ivan Capelli	Genoa
1985	Christian Danner	BSA
1985: the first year of FIA INTERNATIONAL F3000 CHAMPIONSHIP