Bringing back the best of the 00s: Oliver Bearman’s dream F3 weekend

6 December 2022

Wanting to turn his school day scribbles into reality, Oliver Bearman gives us the lowdown on his dream Formula 3 race weekend.

No stranger to podium finishes this season, the PREMA Racing driver has taken inspiration from some of his favourite moments of the 2022 campaign to craft the ultimate challenge in the sweltering British summer heat.

WHERE WOULD THE RACE BE HELD?

“In the UK – I would hold it close to home. Probably not in London because there’s no open areas, but maybe where Goodwood is. It’s quite a bit nearer the coast there and there’s nicer weather down in the South.”

WHEN WOULD YOU HOLD THE RACE?

“Considering the race would be in the UK, I would have it at the end of July with the hottest month of the year. I think at the end of July we can get some really hot days here, easily into the mid-30s, so that’s good. At least everyone who comes here won’t experience the typical British rain."

DAY OR NIGHT?

“A day race, just keep it simple and give them the hottest conditions. It’s more fun like that.”

STREET TRACK OR PERMANENT CIRCUIT?

“A permanent one – I would build it myself. I wouldn’t name it after myself though, I think that’s too big headed, but I’d be practicing on it every day.”

WET OR DRY RACE?

“The track is much more fun in the dry, so it needs to be dry and sunny.”

HOW WOULD THE TRACK BE LAID OUT?

“I used to draw tracks in school during class, so I’ve got some experience on this. I think it’s important that you can overtake, so I’m going to make Turn 1 into a nice tight corner, a heavy braking zone. Not quite a hairpin, but a medium speed slow corner then on to a back straight.

“I’d add Maggots and Becketts from Silverstone – of course, the best corners in the world. Then, I would add the double right in Suzuka, the two Degners. I would have a really quick chicane like back in the old days at Spa in the early 2000s, the last chicane was like flat out, kind of like Magny Cours’ last chicane so you can really cut the kerbs. Then, I’d have a slow middle sector with some nice slow corners and hairpins to calm you down a bit because Sector 1 has been a bit crazy.

“Finally, a big back straight before another high-speed section – like Pouhon probably. It’d be a nice mixture with a slow Sector 2, a really high-speed Sector 1 and a medium to high-speed Sector 3.”

WHAT TYRES WOULD YOU PICK?

“My track’s going to be high deg, so I’m going to go for the hard tyres.”

WHICH CELEBRITIES WOULD YOU INVITE TO THE RACE?

“Someone from America, like a movie star or something – I like Tom Hanks. I would have a big party with a DJ like Martin Garrix to really set the mood.”

WHAT WOULD THE PODIUM AND TROPHIES LOOK LIKE?

“I like the podium in Mexico where they put the car in the elevator, maybe having the drivers go up on that. The podium is important, I would have it above all the fans over the start-finish line so they can run on to the track. That’s the cool thing I saw in Monza, I’ve never seen anything like that, the second the cars are in the box, everyone comes flooding on to the track, which is a really nice experience.

“I really like the old trophies from the start of the 2000s, those were mega. Nowadays they are a bit similar, there’s been a few cool ones but generally they are kind of similar. The big dark dishes and the steering wheels, those are really cool. You can see how much time and effort has been put into them and you know it’s a trophy that feels worthy of a race winner, something that stands out.”