Tatuus iMagazine

29 by Jacopo Rubino T he fifth edition of the series, again promoted by Jonathan Palmer and MotorSport Vision, was also very significant on a technical level. The Tatuus racecars, introduced in 2016, were fitted with an upgrade kit to increase downforce and safety, evolving them into the BF3‐020 specs. The wing, splitter and rear diffuser were upgraded too, as well as the shark fin on the engine cover. The chassis was reinforced and a mini‐fin was installed to protect the driver compartment in the event of a rollover and to divert any debris. The engine, now prepared by Mountune, is a 2‐litre L4 capable of delivering 230 horsepower and combined with a Sadev gearbox. The British category, like many others, was forced to review its plans due to the Coronavirus emergency but showed good ability to handle the shockwave. There were 24 total drivers lined‐up during the season, with the debut of a prestigious team like Hitech Racing, that added the British F3 program to those in F2, F3 and F3 Asia. Lining‐up the returning Kush Maini, they even went close to the title. The Indian held the lead of the overall classification for some time thanks to his consistency. In the end, however, it was Frederick who prevailed, the American being considered the favourite since testing in March. Driving for Carlin, Frederick capitalized on his 2019 experience and turned out to be the fastest of the pack, with 9 wins and 8 pole‐positions. Due to a tough weekend in Brands hatch, he found himself navigating in P5 but then started his ascent, slipped into fifth place after a difficult weekend at Brands Hatch. From that point on, he started his comeback and was eventually crowned with a brilliant performance in the Silverstone finale. The season was more intense than ever, with 7 rounds concentrated in around 100 days. To recover the trip across the British border towards Spa‐Francorchamps, which was cancelled due to obstacles caused by COVID‐19, the opening rounds at Oulton Park, Brands Hatch and Snetterton featured four races, becoming key turning points. The format of race 2, with the grid, completely reversed compared to the first race, and bonus points based on the positions gained by each competitor, made for surprises and excitement, leading to 9 different winners and a great rotation on the podium. Among the main stars of the BRDC British F3 2020, Belgian Ulysse De Pauw of the Douglas team was able to finish third in points, prevailing at the last gasp over Louis Foster (Double R), the best‐placed among the British drivers and rookies, and on Malaysian Nazim Azman (Carlin). Ulisse De Pauw Kush Maini