NEWS
15.05.10
Hancock’s month of all things GP3
Drivers Club founder Sam Hancock has become the new GP3 Series’ resident expert after testing the single seater at Paul Ricard for Autosport magazine and becoming the championship’s co-commentator.
Following other track-test and feature writing assignments for the world’s weekly motorsport authority, including the current generation GP2 car, Sam was invited to southern France as part of the new Series’ media day where he got his hands on the 280bhp “office” of tomorrow’s F1 drivers.
Sam’s four-page, self-penned colour feature was published in Autosport’s May 6 edition, in which he described the Dallara-built, Renault-powered car as “so well set up, so immeasurably aided by a remarkable level of downforce, that it is virtually effortless to drive.”
With his newly acquired firsthand knowledge to rely on, Sam swapped cockpit for commentary box at the championship’s opening round in Barcelona last weekend alongside Martin Haven for Eurosport’s live GP3 coverage.
Despite having not described a race in nearly a decade, when he worked as part of Sky Sports’ Indycar and Champ Car coverage, it wasn’t long before Sam was back up to speed offering expert analysis.
“Driving the new GP3 car was a great experience,” said Sam. “I haven’t been in a proper single seater for a couple of years so it was good to get back behind the wheel of a contemporary slicks and wings racer. Commentating has always been something I’ve enjoyed too and hopefully, thanks to my experience of the car, I was able to offer the sort of intimate insight a regular pundit couldn’t.”
Sam will continue to commentate on Eurosport’s GP3 coverage for the remainder of the season, as well as racing in the SPEED and VdeV Series alongside Drivers Club pupil Simon Dolan.