The 2024 Formula 3 season is now well into its second half, as the 10 teams head to Great Britain for round seven of the season, taking place at the historic Silverstone Circuit. As always, British weather is very unpredictable, and this year seems to be no different: Feeder Series spoke to the drivers on Thursday regarding the possible challenging weather conditions this weekend.

By Daniele Spadi

The 5.891km track has always produced great racing in Formula 3, and the overall level of the 2024 grid will for sure prove to be able to keep this streak going. With the championship fight as alive as ever, experienced drivers and rookies alike – including first-timer James Wharton, who will substitute for the barred Martinius Stenshorne at Hitech GP – are getting ready to put on a show.

Among the many variables that usually impact the British race weekend, weather is arguably the most difficult one to predict, as rain can never be ruled out at Silverstone. As F3 doesn’t give drivers as much track time to learn the car’s behaviour in wet conditions compared to other series, rain can usually become a twist that drastically changes the outcome of a race – as weekends such as Spa proved last season.

An important factor

This could be helpful for drivers who perhaps are in need of some external factors to turn their season around. A prime example is home favourite Callum Voisin. The reigning GB3 champion is yet to score points this year, though an unpredictable weekend around one of the tracks he knows best might just be what he’s looking for. “Well from my side, bring anything on!” the Brit told Feeder Series. “I think we’ve got good pace in both wet and dry conditions, so let’s see what the British motorsport randomiser brings – it could be anything. I think the weather looks interesting out there; at the moment it’s fine, but I think especially on Friday it should be interesting.”

A three-time podium finisher in 2024, MP Motorsport’s Tim Tramnitz was also hinting his preference for wet-weather running this weekend. “I would be happy with rain actually,” he said to Feeder Series. “I feel like I’ve been always quite strong in the rain, and it would be cool to spice things up a little bit and have a wet race, or a wet qualifying maybe. I feel like you can do a bit more as a driver in wet conditions: there’s a bit more things you can play with. So yeah, I’d be happy with rain.”

Experience from the past

Though this season has rarely seen any drops of rain, the series enjoyed a decent number of wet sessions in 2023 – including a challenging weekend in Silverstone. This could prove to be a big advantage for those who raced last season, one of them being race winner Nikola Tsolov. The Bulgarian is one of three drivers to have won more than once in 2024, and he will now be looking for more success as he looks to consolidate a top 10 spot in the drivers’ standings.

“For me it doesn’t really matter.” he told Feeder Series when asked about his preferences for this weekend’s weather. “I think we’re pretty strong in dry and wet conditions both, so I’m confident with whatever comes. Last year we’ve had mixed conditions, half race in the dry and half race in the wet, so I think I’m quite well prepared for those kind of extreme conditions.”

Voisin also talked about his previous experience on the British feeder series ladder, knowing – and hoping – that it could prove to be an advantage if the rain was to hit the track during any session. “Obviously I’ve driven this track in the wet, in the dry, anything, you name it – even in the snow. So yeah, whatever happens I’m pretty happy with anything.”

Header photo credit: Dutch Photo Agency