The action began on the grid, with an aborted start throwing proceedings into chaos. Several drivers left the grid slowly as part of the aborted start procedure, while others seemed to make full race starts and crashed into the cars in front. Several cars were instantly out of the race, while others received contact, such as Carlin’s Nasr when Menasheh Idafar ran over the top of his rear right tyre.

The race was run over just six laps after a botched initial start that caused a multi-car pile up on the grid and led to the first red flag of the season.

Sino Vision's Hywel Lloyd stalled while the red lights were on and the start gantry proceeded to flash from red to yellow to green in quick succession.

In the confusion, it appeared several drivers were unsure whether the race had started, or the start had been aborted, with some accelerating towards the first chicane and others backing off.

The first start was an abortive affair with the lights flashing amber after the reds were extinguished; some drivers took this is a cue to start, others were more hesitant. Inevitably there was contact in the pack, with the two Double R cars of Pipo Derani and Scott Pye in collision and Bart Hylkema’s T-Sport machine striking the rear of a slower starter. The race was abandoned and a six-lap restart ordered; none of the three damaged Dallaras was able to go.

I like the rounds at Spa and Monza but I really wish they'd ditch Nurburgring and Paul Ricard. It would be so much better to see them at Thruxton, Croft or Knockhill. Maybe it's me wanting to be able to go to more races.

Thruxton is probably 2 and a half - 3 hours from me but F3/GT would definitely be a good excuse to make my first trip. What's it like for spectating? I assume the back section is very much out of bounds?

I went to Brands this year and the infield paddock was indeed out of bounds, but that was only for the GT field. The F3 guys were in the outer paddock and that was easilly accessible. I almost walked into Jack Harvey, and Nasr was in the garage with another driver I didn't recognise. So if it's F3 autographs you're after then Brands isn't a bad shout. Snetterton was better in that respect because they have the pit lane walk about and all the cars on show, but Brands is the better circuit. It feels like another world out on the GP loop. Few people had bothered to walk round that far and there are no catchfences in the way of photos.

Rockingham isn't actually too bad. You can't take many decent photographs from the stand, but you can see pretty much the entire track. You can spectate from the roof of the pit garages and get photos from up there, and also another spot on the infield where there aren't any high fences in the way.

Thruxton is probably 2 and a half - 3 hours from me but F3/GT would definitely be a good excuse to make my first trip. What's it like for spectating? I assume the back section is very much out of bounds?