The penultimate rounds of the 2017 BRDC British F3 season take place on the full Snetterton 300 circuit this weekend (26/27 August), with three races at the Norfolk venue
The UK’s premier single-seater championship returns to the Snetterton 300 circuit this weekend (26/27 August), with points leader Enaam Ahmed on the brink of title success.
Having taken his ninth and tenth victories of the season at Brands Hatch last month, Ahmed is 106 points clear of his nearest rival and with 95 points on offer each weekend, could win the title with one event remaining. Ahmed won twice at Snetterton earlier this season, and is tipped for title glory on the 300 circuit.
Closest rival James Pull is also Ahmed’s team-mate and is on the verge of taking his first series victory, having come close in Norfolk back in May, when he took pole position for the opening race of the weekend and led at the start. Carlin’s third driver, Cameron Das, has won a race this season, but has so far failed to match his colleagues’ consistency, so a return to the winners’ circle would be most timely as he aims to make the championship table a Carlin 1-2-3.
Ahmed’s chief rival in many of the races has been the highly-talented Toby Sowery. Fortune has not worked in the 20 year-old’s favour this season and Brands Hatch was a disaster, having lost his third win of the year in the second race after failing post-race scrutineering. However Toby will be determined to close the gap at his local circuit.
Fortec’s Ben Hingeley will also be aiming to add to his win tally, having taken three in hard-fought races including the high speed Silverstone and Spa circuits. Consistency has been Ben’s greatest bugbear of late, whilst team-mate Nicolai Kjaergaard has his eyes on seventh place in the championship standings at Snetterton.
Douglas Motorsport’s Callan O’Keefe is searching for his first win, having occupied second and third spots on the podium, as he aims to end his debut British F3 season on a high. Team-mate Jordan Cane won here in May – sensationally in just his second British F3 race – and is on the verge of breaking into the championship top ten.
Hillspeed with Cliff Dempsey Racing’s Chase Owen has been a consistent top ten runner, but has yet to make the podium, so this will be the American’s target this weekend.
Title winners last year, Double R Racing heads to the penultimate meeting of the season having just taken their first win of 2017 with British F3 returnee Krishnaraaj Mahadik benefitting from Sowery’s Brands Hatch exclusion. Meanwhile team regular Jamie Chadwick made her debut appearance on the podium at Rockingham on the way to a current ninth place in the standings.
The championship top ten as it stands is completed by Chris Dittmann Racing’s Omar Ismail, who is aiming to end his season on a high having just passed his A-levels.
If Ahmed does win the title this weekend, he’ll join a prestigious roll-call of British F3 Champions that includes Ayrton Senna, Mika Hakkinen and Daniel Ricciardo. Last year’s winner Matheus Leist is currently impressing across the Atlantic in Indy Lights, winning the Indy 500-supporting Freedom 100 in the process.
This weekend's action at Snetterton gets underway with the 30-minute qualifying session at 10:40 on Saturday and race one at 14:30. The partially reversed-grid race two begins at 11:40 on Sunday morning before the third and final race of the weekend gets underway at 15:00.
You can keep up with all the action from Snetterton through live timing and updates on the official British Formula 3 website. Highlights of the racing will also be broadcast on ITV4, BT Sport and Motorsport.tv one week after the meeting.
BRDC British F3 Championship standings after 18 of 24 rounds
1. Enaam Ahmed, 489pts
2. James Pull, 383pts
3. Toby Sowery, 356pts
4. Cameron Das, 339pts
5. Ben Hingeley, 319pts
6. Callan O'Keeffe, 310pts
7. Chase Owen, 209pts
8. Nicolai Kjaergaard, 195pts
9. Jamie Chadwick, 191pts
10. Omar Ismail, 186pts
