Igor Fraga to Make Formula 3 Debut This Weekend

Rangeraus
Fraga handily beat Tsunoda to the TRS title (as his team-mate) only 6 months ago... but it is Tsunoda who is being touted for an F1 drive by Helmut Marko.
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Tsunoda is now an F2 race winner, whilst Fraga is struggling with a backmarker team in F3.
Looks like Red Bull made the right choice on who to promote/push.

Happy to be proven wrong, but I don't think Fraga will make it.
 
leeboy910
Tsunoda is now an F2 race winner, whilst Fraga is struggling with a backmarker team in F3.
Looks like Red Bull made the right choice on who to promote/push.
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This is some serious mental gymnastics.

leeboy910
Happy to be proven wrong, but I don't think Fraga will make it.
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He may not make it to F1. My point is that I don't think it is due to lack of talent when you look at other drivers mentioned in this thread, who he beat in the same car, in the same team, who are now on F1 teams' radar.
 
Can't quite understand the mental gymnastics some are pulling to write Fraga off already. The facts are plain and his record speaks to his capability.

I'm glad some of you aren't in charge of F1 teams as we probably wouldn't have Max Verstappen - "he crashes too much "- Charles LeClerc - "well the sauber is slow so he must be slow" hanging around for long.

I hate to lay cheap bait (might be a lie) but are y'all still mad about the lift at Eau Rouge or something?
 
leeboy910
Tsunoda is now an F2 race winner, whilst Fraga is struggling with a backmarker team in F3.
Looks like Red Bull made the right choice on who to promote/push.

Happy to be proven wrong, but I don't think Fraga will make it.
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He also is driving in a Carlin, probably the best team in UK.

Fraga will bounce back if he can get a good team for next year given results in past series, however it's wrong to say it wouldn't set him back a bit.
 
Rangeraus
To highlight that results aren't everything:

https://f1i.com/news/381226-tost-fantastic-tsunoda-will-join-alphatauri-sooner-or-later.html

Fraga handily beat Tsunoda to the TRS title (as his team-mate) only 6 months ago... but it is Tsunoda who is being touted for an F1 drive by Franz Tost.

Edit: wrong name
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Honda is probably behind this too, to get a Japanese driver as soon as possible in F1. Watch this be another premature promotion like Latifi.

IMO, they'd be better off promoting Naoki Yamamoto instead. 2x Super Formula and 1x Super GT champion and was only 0.1 sec behind Kvyat in Suzuka FP1 last year.
 
LeGeNd-1
Honda is probably behind this too, to get a Japanese driver as soon as possible in F1.
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I didn't say that... ;)

But it does highlight that results aren't everything, you either need a lot of money or a rich or connected benefactor/sponsor to keep progressing.

I am convinced Igor has the talent (and results in F3 and TRS show it)... so I hope he gets the opportunities to advance further.

LeGeNd-1
IMO, they'd be better off promoting Naoki Yamamoto instead. 2x Super Formula and 1x Super GT champion and was only 0.1 sec behind Kvyat in Suzuka FP1 last year.
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Yamamoto is 32, if he was 10 years younger I would probably agree.
 
I believe he going get another shot in feeder series with a top team by looking at it after each race performance. Fraga the only one score the point for his team plus his other teammates quiting on the team because the car is not very competitive compare to the other top team. I think redbulll know that he showing his best driving skill in the backmarker, they will give him chance to move in the better car keep pushing himself. If fraga want go up faster f1, he could go super fomurla which his home town. But it will be hard series compare to F2 and cost less. Honda and PD will provide him with better car since he have connections.
 
LeGeNd-1
Honda is probably behind this too, to get a Japanese driver as soon as possible in F1. Watch this be another premature promotion like Latifi.

IMO, they'd be better off promoting Naoki Yamamoto instead. 2x Super Formula and 1x Super GT champion and was only 0.1 sec behind Kvyat in Suzuka FP1 last year.
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How was latifi premature? He was in F2 for four years...

Also who compares FP1 times when teams are running so many different setup types, runs and tires. Reading into base stats to tell a narrative you like isnt really reading data correctly.
 
I want to know what happened in Monza race 1. Fraga was sixth and then started dropping positions like a stone. Such a shame. The official broadcast didn't mention it.
 
LMSCorvetteGT2
How was latifi premature? He was in F2 for four years...

Also who compares FP1 times when teams are running so many different setup types, runs and tires. Reading into base stats to tell a narrative you like isnt really reading data correctly.
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Latifi had a late start into racing. He only started karting age 13, so relative to a lot other drivers his age he's definitely not as "experienced". Also the 6 years of GP2+F2, apart from his final year where he finished 2nd in the championship he didn't make any waves either. Clearly he's not in the same league as super rookies like Leclerc/Russel/Norris who hit the ground running in their first year in F1. Staying another year in F2 and winning the championship outright might have been better for him. But we'll never know...

Yes I know FP1 times don't count for much. But being a few tenths off with no previous experience with an F1 car is still something. Super Formula, as fast as it is, still cannot be compared to a full blown F1 car.
 
Pfei
I want to know what happened in Monza race 1. Fraga was sixth and then started dropping positions like a stone. Such a shame. The official broadcast didn't mention it.
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He locked up going into turn one on lap six, which caused the initial drop, then started losing positions either from the flat-spot or a slow puncture, which then became a full puncture late on in the race.
 
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Igor hasn't participated in FP or Qualifying at Mugello. Word on the street is he was due to drive for another team this weekend, but for some reason it hasn't happened...

The only other driver not to take part in either session was the #4 Hitech (Fewtrell/Chovet), which coincidentally has two of the other three Red Bull athletes in the other two seats (Lawson, Hauger), one of whom was Fraga's TRS team-mate...

Edit: Oh-ho! Eight minutes in:



I wonder why he hasn't taken part though?
 
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It seems to be contractual dispute. Igor was supposed to finish the season with Hitech but Charouz will not let him go.

Also, from this release it seems Fraga will be with Hitech in 2021?

EhoQogOXYAEEGV3.jpeg
 
IMO, he is a good driver, able to reach F1 at some point, if he is in the right place, at the right time. Looking at it now, running on Charouz was a double-edged sword: It kept him on the F3's radar, but didn't allow him to develop his full potential.

GO IGOR, we're supporting you!
 
LeGeNd-1
Latifi had a late start into racing. He only started karting age 13, so relative to a lot other drivers his age he's definitely not as "experienced". Also the 6 years of GP2+F2, apart from his final year where he finished 2nd in the championship he didn't make any waves either. Clearly he's not in the same league as super rookies like Leclerc/Russel/Norris who hit the ground running in their first year in F1. Staying another year in F2 and winning the championship outright might have been better for him. But we'll never know...

Yes I know FP1 times don't count for much. But being a few tenths off with no previous experience with an F1 car is still something. Super Formula, as fast as it is, still cannot be compared to a full blown F1 car.
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Doesnt really matter there are plenty of drivers who had tons of years of experience karting and never made it or were non existent in F1 as well. I don't rate Latifi high but being in an F2 car that long is unacceptable and typically indicates at best a Journeyman driver.

It's hard to hit the ground running in a Williams of all things which is a very temperamental car. Staying in F2 wouldn't have made him any more better than he is. Being second or first doesnt mean you're that more prepared for F1. Landon finished second, Albon third and so on...yet drive well and keep growing.

Also SF is a good middle ground between F2 and F1. Also these rookies have simulator experience and test sessions too it's not like he came in with no F1 guidance or experience and went out there that fast. Tsunoda is quite deserving of an F1 chance. Yamamoto not at all. Some hot takes you got.
 
LMSCorvetteGT2
Doesnt really matter there are plenty of drivers who had tons of years of experience karting and never made it or were non existent in F1 as well. I don't rate Latifi high but being in an F2 car that long is unacceptable and typically indicates at best a Journeyman driver.

It's hard to hit the ground running in a Williams of all things which is a very temperamental car. Staying in F2 wouldn't have made him any more better than he is. Being second or first doesnt mean you're that more prepared for F1. Landon finished second, Albon third and so on...yet drive well and keep growing.

Also SF is a good middle ground between F2 and F1. Also these rookies have simulator experience and test sessions too it's not like he came in with no F1 guidance or experience and went out there that fast. Tsunoda is quite deserving of an F1 chance. Yamamoto not at all. Some hot takes you got.
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Ok, so not a premature promotion then. Just an undeserved promotion in general. Which reminds me why does Nyck de Vries not get promoted given he won the championship?

We'll see what happens with the driver market. Though with Honda pulling out and Ferrari junior drivers looking strong, neither of them might end up in F1 after all ;)

Don't know what the hot takes comment is about. Seems like everyone is easily offended on the interwebz these days ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
 
LeGeNd-1
Ok, so not a premature promotion then. Just an undeserved promotion in general. Which reminds me why does Nyck de Vries not get promoted given he won the championship?

We'll see what happens with the driver market. Though with Honda pulling out and Ferrari junior drivers looking strong, neither of them might end up in F1 after all ;)

Don't know what the hot takes comment is about. Seems like everyone is easily offended on the interwebz these days ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
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Nick de vries very likely didn't get promoted due to the time it took for him to win, First year results are what teams look for as that is when the drivers have to rely on their talent and skill the most, due to alot of grid rotation experience is a massive advantage.

In my view there should be a time limit for drivers in these series as they are not professional and half the grid is just occupying seats much more skilled drivers could be using.
 
mustafur
Nick de vries very likely didn't get promoted due to the time it took for him to win, First year results are what teams look for as that is when the drivers have to rely on their talent and skill the most, due to alot of grid rotation experience is a massive advantage.

In my view there should be a time limit for drivers in these series as they are not professional and half the grid is just occupying seats much more skilled drivers could be using.
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Got it. I don't really follow F2 as close as F1, so I didn't realise how long Nick has been in it. Still, I think if you win the championship, you deserve an F1 seat of some sorts. Lando and Albon didn't win it outright and they still got promoted. Seems a bit pointless to have a feeder series, but then hit a roadblock because you're not backed by one of F1's junior programs...
 
LeGeNd-1
Got it. I don't really follow F2 as close as F1, so I didn't realise how long Nick has been in it. Still, I think if you win the championship, you deserve an F1 seat of some sorts. Lando and Albon didn't win it outright and they still got promoted. Seems a bit pointless to have a feeder series, but then hit a roadblock because you're not backed by one of F1's junior programs...
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Lando didn't win but coming 2nd after winning 4 championships in a row and then coming 2nd with a team that just entered F2 is more then exceptional.

Albons record isn't as good and he is lucky Redbull picked him up, F1 only has a limited amount of seats so sometimes it does come down to a lucky year to get in.
 
Looking at the F3 roster Hitech now has a full lineup that doesn’t include Fraga. I haven’t seen any news of this separation or signing on to a different team, does anyone know what’s up?
 

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