MARCH 29, 2003

Americans to the fore in Formula 3000 test

Some of the Formula 3000 teams were in action during the week at Jerez de la Frontera and the results of the test suggest that American drivers Townsend Bell and Derek Hill are going to be in a position to make waves in the series this year. Bell was a match for his Arden International team mate Bjorn Wirdheim, a previous winner in the series and the man who starts the year as favorite for the title. Bell set a time which was only three-one thousandths slower than Wirdheim. The pair were beaten only by the PSM ISR-Charouz entry of Jaroslav Janis, who was just a couple of tenths faster. Also in the running was Giorgio Pantano, back in F3000 after his plans to move to CART failed. Pantano was driving a Durango entry and was a couple of hundredths of a second slower than Derek Hill in his Jordan Grand Prix Junior Team.