Tatiana Calderon was underwhelmed by her results in Rounds 7, 8 and 9 of the Cooper Tires British Formula 3 International Series on the Brands Hatch Grand Prix circuit (10-11 August).
The world-renowned Brands Hatch circuit in Kent was responsible for exposing subtle deficiencies in the Colombian lady racer’s physicality when she contested rounds of the FIA F3 European Championship on the short Indy configuration in May.
However, she has worked tirelessly on improving her physical strength and endurance in recent months and felt confident in her ability to coax her Double R Racing-prepared F3 racer around Brands Hatch’s extended 3.9km GP layout.
A heavy downpour made wet tyres a necessity for the first 60-minute practice session, which was interrupted by three stoppages as drivers pushed the boundaries on the ever-drying track surface.
The rain and red-flag affected free practice sessions disrupted Calderon’s programme, placing her on the back foot for the remainder of the weekend.
The 20-year old continued searching for pace but struggled to get in among the top five, where she has been a regular fixture this season.
Calderon held position in eighth during Round 7 after a relatively uneventful race, before finishing Rounds 8 and 9 in ninth and seventh places respectively.
The results left the Double R Racing contender frustrated but with a keen desire to push on, as the 2013 British F3 season nears its highly-anticipated climax at the Nurburgring on 21-22 September.
“To be honest, it was a pretty difficult weekend,” said a deflated Calderon. “I forgot how challenging and difficult the Brands Hatch Grand Prix circuit is – it really showed that I still need to focus on improving through fast corners.
“Practice was difficult because there were so many red flags and we didn’t get much running time. I think I improved in qualifying, but that’s where I peaked. I’m very frustrated with my results and my performance through the fast turns. On the other hand, I’ve made big improvements in the technical sections and under braking. Now I’m really looking forward to getting back in the car at the Nurburgring!”
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