FIVE
FORMULA 3 CHAMPIONS SET FOR
SOUTH KOREAN CLASH
The international
Formula 3 season grand finale event, the International F3 Korea Super
Prix, has once again attracted a top line-up of talent, with no fewer
than five national champions and a grid representing 17 nations making
the trip to the Far East.
British F3 Champion
Robbie Kerr, Tristan Gommendy winner of the French F3 Championship, Milos
Pavlovic this year's Italian Champion, Takashi Kogure winner of the Japanese
series, and newly-crowned Spanish champion Marcel Costa, will all do battle
on Changwon's testing 3.014km street circuit for the final honours of
the 2002 season.
Kerr is joined by
several of his regular British Championship rivals, including Australian
James Courtney, Fortec Motorsport's Heikki Kovalainen of Finland who is
making a second visit to Korea this year, and Brazilian Fabio Carbone,
who won the Zandvoort Masters event in August.
Kerr is eagerly anticipating
his first visit to Korea and the Super Prix saying recently, "I'm
looking forward to racing in Korea at such a big international event,
and to visiting a country and culture that I've never seen or experienced
before.
Another driver from
the British series, Bruce Jouanny, who finished 5th overall in Korea last
year, will be looking to improve on that result.
Such is the quality
of the entry that seven of the top eight Japanese championship drivers
will be making the trip to Korea, along with the top three French F3 series
pilots.
Renaud Derlot, who
finished second in the French series this year, showed his mettle on a
street circuit when he dominated the Pau European Cup earlier this year,
and is being tipped as a contender for victory in Korea.
The German series is well represented, with championship runner-up Kousuke
Matsuura of Japan, and former world karting champion Vitantonio Luizzi
of Italy.
Winner of the Korean
Super Prix in 2000, Indian ace Narain Karthikeyan returns with the crack
Carlin Motorsport team. Karthikeyan has competed in all three Korean events
since the season-closer debut in 1999, and will be looking to repeat his
victory of two years ago after a serious shunt during qualifying put pay
to his chances last year.
Another driver who
is a big fan of the Changwon circuit is Italian Paolo Montin, runner-up
in the Japanese F3 Championship this year. Montin's best result so far
was 6th last year, and the ebullient Italian will be going all out for
a podium finish.
Flying the flag for
Korea will be Alan Cho, who last competed at the event in 1999, and is
guaranteed the support of the enthusiastic home crowd.
The popularity of
international motorsport is increasing rapidly in South Korea, and the
Super Prix attracts a long list of prestigious sponsors. In addition to
Kumho Tires, official tire of the event, corporate giants Samsung Corporation
and Daewoo Engineering and Construction are both supporting the Super
Prix.
Samsung, a multinational
corporation with diverse interests including electronics, machinery and
heavy industry, chemicals and financial services, is committed to participating
in international sports events as part of its plan to return corporate
profits to the community, and bring people of all nationalities together
through sport.
Daewoo Engineering
& Construction Company Limited is another corporate heavyweight which
has put its support behind Korea's F3 Super Prix. The company has been
a leading contractor for decades in both the domestic and international
markets.
The International
F3 Korea Super Prix will be held from November 22 to 24, and will be run
over two legs of 25 laps each on Sunday. The Super Prix is organised by
Gyeongsangnam-do Province and the Korea Automobile Racing Association.
Further information
on the 2002 International F3 Korea Super Prix can be found at www.f3korea.net
November 7, 2002
Issued on behalf of
the 2002 International Formula 3 Korea Super Prix by PR Plus Limited.
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