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Coloni C3

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Coloni C3
Coloni C3B
Coloni C3C
CategoryFormula One
ConstructorColoni
Designer(s)Christian Vanderpleyn
Gary Anderson
PredecessorColoni FC188B
SuccessorColoni C4
Technical specifications[1]
Chassiscarbon fibre/kevlarmonocoque
Suspension (front)KONIdampers
Suspension (rear)KONIdampers
Axle track1,810 mm (71.3 in)/1,600 mm (63.0 in) front/rear (C3)
1,810 mm (71.3 in)/1,670 mm (65.7 in) front/rear (C3C)[2]
Wheelbase2,800 mm (110.2 in) (C3)
2,850 mm (112.2 in) (C3C)[2]
EngineCosworth DFR3,494 cc (213.2 cu in)V8(C3 and C3C)
Subaru 12353,500 cc (213.6 cu in)B12(C3B)
TransmissionColoni6-speed (C3 and C3C)
Minardi6-speed (C3B)
FuelAgip
TyresPirelli
Goodyear
Competition history
Notable entrantsColoni Racing Srl
SubaruColoni Racing
Notable drivers31.BrazilRoberto Moreno
31.BelgiumBertrand Gachot
32.FrancePierre-Henri Raphanel
32.ItalyEnrico Bertaggia
Debut1989 Canadian Grand Prix
EntriesRacesWinsPolesF/Laps
273000

TheColoni C3(also known as theColoni FC189) was aFormula Oneracing cardesigned byChristian Vanderpleynfor the1989 Formula One season.Built to replace theColoni FC188used in the previous season, the C3 used a 3.5-litreCosworth DFRV8 engine.Although not ready for the start of the 1989 season, the C3 made its début at the1989 Canadian Grand Prixin the hands ofRoberto MorenoandPierre-Henri Raphanel.The C3 was not successful and frequently failed to pre-qualify for races during 1989. It was updated to theC3Bfor the1990 season,with the Cosworth DFR being replaced by aSubaru 1235flat-12 engine;however, this engine was large, heavy and underpowered.Bertrand Gachot,Coloni's only driver for 1990, failed to pre-qualify in any of the eight races that he drove the C3B. Following a fallout betweenEnzo Coloniand Subaru, theC3Cwas developed, once again using the Cosworth DFR; although Gachot was usually able to pre-qualify this version, he never managed to qualify for a race. In1991,the C3C was evolved into theC4,but results did not improve and Coloni folded at the end of that season.

Design and development

[edit]

Christian Vanderpleyndesigned the Coloni C3 as a replacement for theColoni FC188in1989.[3]One notable difference from the FC188 was the presence of anairboxin place of the older car'srollbar.[3]The C3 used a 3.5-litreCosworth DFRV8 engine.[3]However, the car arrived late, and was quite underdeveloped; in particular, it was lacking in straight line speed, which was most noticeable atMonzaandSpa-Francorchamps.[3]After Vanderpleyn quit the team, freelancerGary Andersonwas tasked with extracting some more performance from the C3; he developed a new nosecone and front wing, and this helped the team to its best ever qualifying position at thePortuguese Grand Prix.[3]Even with the new configuration, however, the car still lacked straight line speed, and results did not noticeably improve after Portugal.[3]

Following the poor 1989 season,Enzo Colonistruck a deal withSubaruprior to the1990 seasonto become the Japanese manufacturer's works team.[3]This deal, where Subaru bought half of theColoniteam, meant that the Cosworth DFR was replaced by Subaru's1235flat-12 engine.[3]This engine, which was of Subaru's typicalboxerformat, was developed byMotori Moderni,and had originally been intended forMinardi.[3][4]However, the engine was not a noticeable improvement over the DFR; it only produced a modest 417 kW (559 hp; 567 PS), with Motori Moderni targeting a power output of 447 kW (599 hp; 608 PS),[3]and it was also overweight, weighing 159 kg (351 lb).[4]Although this was only 10 kg (22 lb) heavier than the old DFR, the complete engine assembly was actually 112 kg (247 lb).[3]To make matters worse, it would also prove to be unreliable, and prone to failure.[4]The engine was designed to use a Minardi gearbox.[3]The C3 was updated to the C3B specification in order to accommodate the new engine, and was actually quite a major change; for example, the airbox was removed, and replaced by two sidepod-mounted air ducts, which led to the sidepods being taller and longer.[3]The weight of the Subaru engine also caused the C3B to have somewhat unpredictable handling, as the weight balance was quite heavily centred towards the rear of the car.[3]

After just eight races, Subaru and Coloni's relationship broke down; following some political wrangling between the two companies, Subaru pulled out altogether.[3]Coloni thus reverted to using the Cosworth DFR engine prepared by Langford & Peck in an updated version of the C3, known as the C3C; this chassis had been designed with the Subaru engine in mind, but was much closer to the original C3 than the C3B, with its airbox and low sidepods.[3]The C3C was a noticeable improvement over the C3B, and, although still unpredictable, it did lead to a modest improvement in the team's fortunes.[3]For theBelgian Grand Prix,an updated engine cover was brought, but it failed to make a major difference to the C3C.[3]For1991,the C3C was updated into theC4.[3]

Racing history

[edit]

The C3 took a while to be developed, and this led to an updated version of the FC188, the FC188B, being used until the1989 Canadian Grand Prix.[3]It would prove to be a mixed début for the car;Pierre-Henri Raphanelfinished dead last in pre-qualifying, but not only didRoberto Morenomanage to qualify the car, he managed to complete 57 laps before succumbing togearboxtrouble.[5]However, neither driver managed to qualify for the following race, which was the1989 French Grand Prix.[6]Moreno did manage to qualify for the1989 British Grand Prix,but only lasted two laps before suffering another gearbox failure.[7]It was not until the1989 Portuguese Grand Prixthat Coloni managed to qualify again;[8]by then, Raphanel had been replaced byEnrico Bertaggia,whilst Moreno qualified 15th in what would prove to be Coloni's best qualifying session ever.[3]However, afterArrows'Eddie Cheeverwiped out the C3 on Saturday, the updated front wing was destroyed, and Moreno struggled until electrical gremlins forced him to retire on lap 11.[9]This would be the last time a Coloni made it onto the grid in 1989.[8]

For 1990, the new-look Subaru Coloni team slimmed down to a single-car effort, driven byBertrand Gachot.[3]Things started inauspiciously for the team, when Gachot pre-qualified dead-last for the1990 United States Grand Prix.[10]In fact, Gachot failed to pre-qualify in each and every race that he drove the Subaru-powered C3B, and also the1990 German Grand Prixand1990 Hungarian Grand Prixin the new Cosworth-powered C3C.[8]By the1990 Belgian Grand Prix,however, things had improved marginally; Gachot pre-qualified a Coloni for the first time in a year, but was still 30th and last in qualifying proper.[11]From then onwards, Gachot would regularly pre-qualify his C3C, but never once managed to get through qualifying proper, and Coloni finished the season without ever actually competing in a race.[8]

  • 1989 Coloni C3
    1989 Coloni C3
  • 1990 Coloni C3C
    1990 Coloni C3C

Complete Formula One results

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(key) (results shown inboldindicate pole position; results initalicsindicate fastest lap)

Year Chassis Engine Tyres Driver 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 Pts. WCC
1989 Coloni C3 Ford DFRV8 P BRA SMR MON MEX USA CAN FRA GBR GER HUN BEL ITA POR ESP JPN AUS 0 NC
Roberto Moreno Ret DNQ Ret DNPQ DNPQ DNPQ DNPQ Ret DNPQ DNPQ DNPQ
Pierre-Henri Raphanel DNPQ DNPQ DNPQ DNPQ DNPQ
Enrico Bertaggia DNPQ DNPQ DNPQ DNPQ DNPQ DNPQ
1990 Coloni C3B Subaru 1235F12 G USA BRA SMR MON CAN MEX FRA GBR GER HUN BEL ITA POR ESP JPN AUS 0 NC
Bertrand Gachot DNPQ DNPQ DNPQ DNPQ DNPQ DNPQ DNPQ DNPQ
Coloni C3C Ford DFRV8 DNPQ DNPQ DNQ DNQ DNQ DNQ DNQ DNQ

References

[edit]
  1. ^"Coloni FC189".STATS F1.Retrieved3 January2015.
  2. ^ab"Coloni FC189C".STATS F1.Retrieved3 January2015.
  3. ^abcdefghijklmnopqrstuv"Coloni – Profile".26 April 2004. Archived fromthe originalon 28 December 2010.Retrieved3 January2015.
  4. ^abcNyberg, Rainer (11 November 1999)."Engine failures..."8W.Retrieved3 January2015.
  5. ^"Canadian GP, 1989 Race Report".Grandprix.com.Retrieved3 January2015.
  6. ^"French GP, 1989 Race Report".Grandprix.com.Retrieved3 January2015.
  7. ^"British GP, 1989 Race Report".Grandprix.com.Retrieved3 January2015.
  8. ^abcd"Coloni – Grands Prix not started".STATS F1.Retrieved3 January2015.
  9. ^"Portuguese GP, 1989 Race Report".Grandprix.com.Retrieved3 January2015.
  10. ^"United States GP, 1990 Race Report".Grandprix.com.Retrieved3 January2015.
  11. ^"Belgium GP, 1990 Race Report".Grandprix.com.Retrieved3 January2015.
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