Banbury motor racing star Will Bratt heads into the most intriguing event
of his career so far next weekend, 26th/27th July, when the FIAT Spanish Formula
3 series visits the Valencia Street Circuit – a brand new venue for the upcoming
FIA Formula One World Championship European Grand Prix.
Along with his fellow Spanish F3 competitors, the British Racing Drivers’
Club (BRDC) Rising Star will effectively christen the incredible new venue
during the seventh and eighth rounds of the national F3 Championship to ensure
the track is fully up to standard for the European GP which is scheduled to take
place on 23rd/24th August.
The Spanish F3 series will also race at the Grand Prix event, marking the
first time the Oxon 20-year-old will compete at a Formula One weekend – a true
career highlight.
 Before then though, the serious business of rounds seven and eight awaits
Will just over a week from now and he’ll be aiming to challenge for his first
ever Formula 3 race victory after a less than straightforward weekend last time
out in Albacete.
Even though the fifth and sixth rounds of the campaign didn’t go as planned
for Will or his EmiliodeVillota.com Motorsport team, the British ace is only 11
points adrift of the championship lead and is confident he can scythe into the
advantage currently held jointly by Bruno Mendez, Nicola De Marco and Nil
Montserrat at the top of the standings.
“I think we can have a very good weekend and I’m confident the team will do
a good job in sorting out a great set-up”, said Will, “We had the same situation
at Spa-Francorchamps when you think about it. I’d never been to the track
before, we had no set-up data and yet we nailed it pretty quickly. We have the
potential to do the same at Valencia.
“Obviously I want to score as many points as possible next weekend but I
also have a little aim of winning all four races on the street circuit – the two
next weekend and then the F1 support races too. It might be a bit ambitious, and
it certainly won’t be easy, but if we can qualify strongly I’m confident we can
fight for victories.”
Following one hour of free practice at the Valencia Street Circuit at 19.40
(local  time) next Friday evening, Friday, 25th July, the championship runners
will have another 45 minute test session at 11.00 on Saturday, 26th July, with
qualifying set to follow at around 14.30.
Both races, rounds seven and eight of the 2008 FIAT Spanish Formula 3
Championship, will be held on Sunday, 27th July, at 10.00 and 14.00
respectively. Each encounter will be contested over 16 laps or to a maximum
duration of 35 minutes and will be screened live on Spanish television.
Provisional 2008 FIAT Spanish F3 Championship Driver Standings
(after Rd6):
=1st Bruno Mendez, Nicola De Marco & Nil
Montserrat, 35pts; 8th Will Bratt, 24pts
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