F3
Carlo van Dam Paul Ricard test summary
CARLO VAN DAM CASHES GP2 SERIES TEST AT PAUL RICARD On the Paul Ricard circuit in France Carlo van Dam tested a GP2 car for the first time. The reigning ATS Formula 3 Cup champion was offered the test by the ATS organisers, after winning the ...
Published: Oct 31, 2007, 5:22 PM
Copy link
Share on Viber
CARLO VAN DAM CASHES GP2 SERIES TEST AT PAUL RICARD
On the Paul Ricard circuit in France Carlo van Dam tested a GP2 car for the first time. The reigning ATS Formula 3 Cup champion was offered the test by the ATS organisers, after winning the title. Van Dam grabbed the opportunity to do the 85 lap test with both hands. Driving the Spanish BCN Competicion car he finished the day in sixteenth place out of 26 drivers, with a fastest lap time of 1:14.503.
Under ideal weather conditions Van Dam started his one-day test. On used tyres the Dutchman went out on the track for the first time. After he had explored the nice HTTT-circuit owned by Bernie Ecclestone he started to set fast lap times. He was however hampered by heavy oversteer problems on the '3D circuit'. After his first run a fresh set of tyres was mounted on his 580bhp strong car. Van Dam got into the right rhythm straight away and was able to improve his lap times all the time. The 21-year old driver got closer to the top 10 of the day.
Just before Van Dam went out after the lunch break on new tyres the team altered the set-up again, but it did not bring the wanted result. Because he was sent out on new tyres too early, the peak of the tyres was reached way before the end of the day. With the track becoming quicker towards the end of the session Van Dam dropped back in the standings. He was however much quicker than his Finnish team-mate of the day, Henri Karjalainen, who was 1.8 seconds behind Van Dam.
CARLO VAN DAM: "It was a great experience. After fitting a seat last Thursday in their workshop near the Circuit de Catalunya, I made my debut in the GP2 Series car today. When I drove out of the pit lane for the first time today the powerful car really launched me like a catapult. A splendid feeling! The team changed the set-up several times, but it did not work out the way we wanted. We suffered from oversteer problems the whole day and we re unable to get rid of them. I was given the test by the ATS organisers and was limited to 200 kilometres of testing. I specially want to thank Bertram Schafer from the ATS Formula 3 Cup organisation for this free test. I also want to thank team-owner Enrique Scalabroni of BCN Competicion for the nice cooperation. Next week I will get back in action again in a World Series Formula Renault 3.5 car for Red Devil Team Comtec and then I will travel to Macau for the Formula 3 races with HBR Motorsport. We are already working hard to make another step in my motorsport career next year."
-credit: carlovandam.com
We want your opinion!
What would you like to see on Motorsport.com?
Take our 5 minute survey.
- The Motorsport.com Team
Read and post comments
Read also :
Share Or Save This Story
Copy link
Share on Viber
Previous article AUSF3: Oran Park: Top female trio to race in decider
Next article AUSF3: Oran Park preview
Top Comments
There are no comments at the moment. Would you like to write one?
View More & Comment
More from
Carlo van Dam
Changeable weather conditions foretaste for Sepang 12 Hours
Endurance
Endurance
Sepang 12 Hours
Changeable weather conditions foretaste for Sepang 12 Hours
Ferrari claim another endurance victory in Sepang
GT
GT
GT Asia: Sepang
Ferrari claim another endurance victory in Sepang
TP12 Racing take maiden GT Asia Series victory in Fuji
GT
GT
GT Asia: Fuji
TP12 Racing take maiden GT Asia Series victory in Fuji
Latest news
Phillip Island to remain in use despite MotoGP and WorldSBK departures
MotoGP
MGP MotoGP
Australian GP
29 min
Phillip Island to remain in use despite MotoGP and WorldSBK departures
Did Max Verstappen already know the impact of Red Bull’s big upgrade when he signed his new deal?
Formula 1
F1 Formula 1
Singapore GP
1 h
Did Max Verstappen already know the impact of Red Bull’s big upgrade when he signed his new deal?
WEC: Barcelona 6 Hours schedule and TV times
WEC
WEC WEC
Barcelona
2 h
WEC: Barcelona 6 Hours schedule and TV times
Brennan Poole joins Jordan Anderson Racing for 2027 NASCAR O'Reilly season
NASCAR O'Reilly
NOAP NASCAR O'Reilly
Phoenix II
4 h
Brennan Poole joins Jordan Anderson Racing for 2027 NASCAR O'Reilly season
Subscribe and access Motorsport.com with your ad-blocker.
From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.
You have 2 options:
- Become a subscriber.
- Disable your adblocker.
Subscribe now Already subscribed? Sign in here
Already disabled your adblocker?
Reload page
Manage Alerts
Subscribe