ARA F3 VRS Super Series | Starting Saturday 8th August!
This Saturday, at 22.50 GMT, drivers will roll out on track for the opening round of the Apex Racing Academy F3 VRS Super Series. Running in identically set up Dallara F3 cars, drivers have a truly even playing field to showcase and develop their skills.
With racing across five iconic circuits, a fast-paced format and live broadcast coverage on Apex Racing TV, the series promises to be a thriller for drivers and fans alike.
The Tracks
The series begins in fine style with the grandeur of Monza, in Italy. Known as “The temple of speed”, Monza has attracted top level motorsport for nearly a century. Since inception, Monza has always been associated with incredibly high speeds and drafting battles. Pietro Bordino won the second Italian Grand Prix at an average speed of 140 kilometres per hour. In 1922! As an added treat, Monza’s pesky opening chicane, will be bypassed. Instead, drivers will charge all the way from the Parabolica to the second chicane. Live viewers on Apex Racing TV will be spoiled with a tactical battle, as drivers draft back and forth.
Round two takes the series stateside to the undulating Weathertech Raceway Laguna Seca. In recent times, Laguna Seca has been more associated with motorcycle and sports car racing. However, in the sim racing world, Laguna presents a stern challenge in a single seater car. Unlike at Monza, overtaking for track position will be hard earned. Expect attrition rates to be higher at this fickle, Californian circuit.
As the season arrives at its halfway point, drivers will take on the infamous Mount Panorama circuit at Bathurst. Renowned for a divisive, tribal rivalry between two Detroit automakers, the Bathurst 1000 race is a highlight of the Antipodean sporting calendar. Only used occasionally for blue riband events, Bathurst oozes notoriety. A long drag up the mountain straight and the charge down Conrod will provide two key opportunities for overtaking manoeuvres. Bathurst’s infamous mountain section presents little opportunity to overtake and concrete walls linger, ready to punish the slightest of mistakes. Patience will be key to survive this trip down under.
Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari, or Imola as it is more commonly known, will return to the Formula One calendar this year for the first time since 2006. Racing fans hope that a safe return to Imola will assist in recovering a dark reputation which has haunted the circuit since that tragic weekend in 1994 when Ayrton Senna and Roland Ratzenberger lost their lives. In the sim racing world, Imola is an ever-popular layout. Highly technical, yet rhythmic. With pressure mounting as the season nears its finale, expect fireworks around this beautiful parkland circuit.
Interlagos will host the season finale of the Apex Racing Academy F3 VRS Super Series. For years, this tight Brazilian circuit hosted many dramatic Formula one season finales. Most memorably in 2008, when Lewis Hamilton took his first F1 world title at the final corner. With the quick fire, heat racing format, prepare for a similarly dramatic conclusion to the season.
The car
Since engineering wizard, Giampaolo Dallara, founded his own firm in 1972, winning race cars have rolled out of his Varano de Melegari HQ ever since. After stints at Ferrari, Maserati, De Tomaso and Lamborghini, Mr Dallara branched out to build his own race cars. A record number of IndyCar wins, building Italy’s first wind tunnel with a moving floor and countless other race wins-Dallara is the last word in race car chassis technology.
Alongside their motor racing exploits, Dallara’s surprisingly young workforce relished the challenge of developing Alex Zanardi’s hand cycle for the 2012 Paralympic games.
Since 1980, Dallara have produced dominant F3 cars, which have won countless championships worldwide. Dallara’s superb F3 machines have launched the careers of F1 drivers like Daniel Ricciardo, George Russell, Lando Norris and many more.
With such a fine pedigree, the flyweight Dallara F3 car is the perfect choice for the Apex Racing Academy F3 VRS Super Series.
The format
With 15-minute heat races allowing no time to hesitate, drivers will need sharp elbows to gain their place in the critical feature race. For those not fortunate enough to gain a place in the feature race, the consolation race provides a last chance opportunity to sneak onto the grid. Tired of sitting through processional grand prix length races? Then tune in to the Apex Racing Academy VRS Super Series on Apex Racing TV!
The Apex Racing Academy VRS Super Series begins on Saturday the 8th of August and will run weekly for five rounds. Places on the grid are still available and you can secure your place at:
https://www.apexracingleague.com/ara-f3-vrs-super-series-season-1/#SeriesInfo
Every race will be broadcast live on Apex Racing TV:
Images by Andy Taylor