Exotics ThreeBond make it to the top 10

Despite new engine regulations, the 2014 entry list mainly featured single-seaters powered by the well known power units of Volkswagen and Mercedes-Benz. The only squad relying on another engine partner was ThreeBond with T-Sport who were supplied with engines by Neil Brown Engineering. Richard Goddard, Alexander Toril and – in the closing stages of the season – guest driver Nick Cassidy secured 10th position in the team championship, for their squad.

In 2013, the squad of Team Principal Russell Eacott also amazed the pundits by opting for contesting the FIA Formula 3 European Championship – as only team on the grid – with a ThreeBond-Nissan engine. They opted for a similar approach for the 2014 season but this time, they went for the Formula 3 engine designed by Neil Brown Engineering.

First points

Richard Goddard entered the season as the team-internal spearhead: after all, the Australian already knew both the FIA Formula 3 European Championship and the team due to having contested the 2013. And it didn’t take the 22-year old long to score his first points – in the second meeting, at Hockenheim, Goddard finished 10th. A short time later, in Pau, he added more points to his tally by taking the chequered flag in ninth position to finish 23 in the championship, in the end.

But the Nürburgring weekend proved to be the personal highlight of the young-gun that was born in the USA. There, he started into the race on the still wet track on wets to soon take the lead until his tyres’ performance decreased more and more on the drying track – and he dropped out of the point-positions.

His team-mate, Alexander Toril, advanced from the European F3 Open to the FIA Formula 3 European Championship and needed his time for familiarising himself with the planet’s most competitive young-gun series. With the point he scored at the Red Bull Ring, the 18-year old Spaniard finished 26th in the championship.

The third Dallara

For the final two race weekends of the season, ThreeBond with T-Sport entered a third Dallara for Nick Cassidy. The Kiwi already had attracted attention with two appearances on the 2013 FIA Formula 3 European Championship grid and made his comeback at Imola. But the 20-year old had to cope with a dose of bad luck – particularly in the qualifying sessions.

At the end of the day, an 11th place was his best result. A few weeks after the FIA Formula 3 European Championship season finale, however, at the street circuit of Macau, he demonstrated his and his team’s true potential in impressive style by finishing third in the Macau GP.

FIA F3