Q&A: Tim Bridgman.

Formula BMW UK champion Tim Bridgman aims to be racing in Formula Three next season.

Crash.net caught up with his during his latest test, this time with National class runners Performance Racing, at Donington Park...

Crash.net:
Tim, Formula BMW champion in 2004, looking to make the move into Formula Three for next season. You've tested with a number of teams on the grid, today you are testing with Performance, although conditions aren't ideal, how do you feels it's gone?

Tim Bridgman:
You can't expect too much when the conditions are as poor as these, certainly from what I've seen so far it's good and from what we've been able to do we've been productive and been able to move forward in a good way. We're very restricted with the weather conditions, it's very wet and the track is basically flooded. Both the team and myself are quite restricted in what we can do so I can only go on this morning and from that we've had quite a good day.

Crash.net:
It has to be disappointing for you to have not been able to show the team what you can really do because of the conditions.

Tim Bridgman:
They're an experienced team and they can look at the data and they can pick up on certain things. In an ideal world you would have a completely dry day of running and it would be a lot clearer to see, but I'm sure they will be able to see what they need to see. That's life and there is nothing you can do about it, it's all part of testing in England in the winter unfortunately.

Crash.net:
As I said it was Formula BMW this season and you've tested with a number of F3 teams. What are the main differences between the FBMW and the F3 car?

Tim Bridgman:
Personally I found the driving style that was required for Formula Three to get the most out of the car is quite different to Formula BMW. BMW is a very good series, it's very well presented and it's very professional and BMW back it in an excellent way, but I wouldn't go so far as to say that it is the same as an under powered Formula Three car, because there is a lot less downforce and a lot less power. You can't just jump in an F3 car and drive it like a BMW, and that's not taking anything away from Formula BMW, there is quite a lot of adapting to do, but certainly Formula BMW is the nearest you will get to an F3 car without actually driving one.

There is a jump and it is something that you need to have clear in your mind before you get in a F3 car. You can't believe everything you hear as there is a lot of talk about how you drive it like a BMW and you'll be quick but it doesn't work like that. The F3 car you don't carry quite as much apex speed as you would first think, on the slow speed corners in particular it's all about exit speed, whereas BMW's you just run as much speed as you can through the corners because you are so restricted on power. They are alike, but don't believe the hype.

Crash.net:
The Performance Racing car you've run today is the new National class car with the Mugen Honda engine - what did you make of that package?

Tim Bridgman:
The conditions are restrictive so it's difficult to be a fair judge on the National class engine, but as far I'm concerned I drove an A class car with the Mugen Honda engine here with Alan Docking Racing and that was dry so it's difficult to compare them, but there isn't a lot of difference to be honest they haven't gone too far with slowing the engine down to make it reliable. I think they've found a good balance and I think it's an impressive engine given the fixed costs.

Crash.net:
Be it with Performance or somebody else, how confident are you that you will be in F3 next season?

Tim Bridgman:
We'll be in F3 pretty much whatever happens, National class or A class has yet to be decided. Obviously there is quite a bit budget differential between the two so there is a lot of factors that that depends on. I'm fairly sure that we'll be out on the grid, but obviously nothing is certain. We need to find money along with a lot of other people, but I have two good seasons behind me now as Formula Zip champion and Formula BMW UK champion so I think we are in a good position to get some backing and get a good drive for 2005.

Crash.net:
So whichever class you end up in you'd hope to battling near the front?

Tim Bridgman:
Of course, I wouldn't ever do anything where you couldn't win it. Obviously Formula Three is at a much higher level than Formula BMW, there is a lot of testing so the standard is much higher although next year there is a testing ban which should help the newcomers slightly and I think it could be a good year next year. I don't think 2004 was the strongest year for either class, but I think 2005 could be a good season. There is some good drivers coming up from Formula Renault and Formula BMW and I think the National class could be a good little grid. I want to be running at the front of whatever I do, but you're depending on budgets, so whatever the budget says is what I will do at the end of the day. In an ideal world you'd go straight in with a top A class drive and go from there, but it's not an ideal world so we'll have to do a lot of work over the winter and do as much testing as we can and see where we end up next season.

Crash.net:
Tim, thanks very much for your time.

Tim Bridgman:
Thankyou.