Castle Combe racetrack preparing for an action-packed weekend (From Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard)

Castle Combe racetrack preparing for an action-packed weekend

CASTLE Combe circuit is preparing for record crowds this weekend (Saturday and Sunday, June 19 and 20) with the John Guest Speedfit British Formula 3 and GT Festival set to make its annual visit.

Three years ago, spectators at the Wiltshire venue saw Takuma Sato and Anthony Davidson battle it out in the British Formula 3 Championship.

Although Davidson won both races from Sato, it was the Japanese rookie who went on to become a full-time F1 driver and currently one of the most talked about men on the grid after his stunning performances in the BAR.

Davidson is also highly likely to be on our screens next year, following some highly impressive testing performances, also for BAR coincidentally.

His second fastest time at Monaco made many sit up and take notice and a Williams drive is already being mooted by some.

This year, Nelson Angelo Piquet, current leader of the British Formula 3 Championship, is the man most would tip to make the leap to F1.

With the help of his father, former triple world champion Nelson Piquet, the youngster appears to have the necessary qualities to make it to the top.

Nelson senior says the British F3 Championship - backed by Melksham-based Avon Tyres - holds good memories for him.

He explains: "I had a wonderful time in the British series. It was the first time I had control of my own team, and I spent a lot of the season trying not to buy a transporter as I did not have any money left!

"I learned a lot about the setting up of a car, running for the first time with slicks and wings and having to fine-tune a car to each individual track.

"It was so important to my Formula One career and it was me who introduced tyre-warmers to Formula One having developed them in F3."

Unfortunately for young Piquet, Castle Combe was one of the few tracks he did not perform particularly well at in his debut season last year.

Nevertheless, with another year's experience under his belt, his rivals, such as Adam Carroll and James Rossiter, will still see him as their main opposition.

This weekend is not just about Formula 3 though. The British GT championship is always a big draw, too, with event sponsor John Guest also sponsoring driver Mike Jordan in the GruppeM Tech 9 Porsche GT3 RS, as driven by current championship leaders Tim Sugden and Jonathan Cocker.

As if F3 and GTs were not enough, there's a full programme of support races.

The Carlube TVR Tuscan Challenge has been delighting the crowds at Castle Combe for years, the thunderous machines making an awesome sight as they mount the sweeps and crests on the 1.85-mile circuit. Local interest centres on Salisbury's Richard Stanton in his DeWalt/Racesport entry.

The Caterham R400 Challenge will also have two races, the feature of both likely to be the closeness of the competition in the evenly matched cars.

More sports car action comes from the AVO Ginetta championship which Stewart Linn is currently leading.

The Special GT championship race sees the return of Wootton Bassett's Rupert Crook in the Moonraker Forklifts Jade Trackstar 3.5 V6 with Cirencester's Robert Nash in a two-litre Lola Hart, Chippenham's Russell Spence in a Radical SR3 Supersport, Westbury's Shane Marshall in a Mallock Mk28, and last winner, Tetbury's David Krayem, in the awesome Stealth.

The weekend gets under way on Saturday with practice from 8.30am. The first race on Sunday is at 9.25am.

Admission prices on Saturday are £8 for adults with OAPs £4 and children and paddock transfer free.

Sunday's charges are £18 for adults, OAPs £9 with children FOC.

Paddock transfer is £5. An advance two-day pass is available for £22.

More information is available on the Castle Combe event line on 09003 405418 or online at www.castlecombecircuit.co.uk