VCARB’s opening weekend supplied a strong answer to how much good reserves can be worth. Nesbi’s D3 victory and Walter and Forestal’s D0 appearances brought sixty of the team’s eighty-two BOTT points. The drivers covering those cars kept Forestal’s team fifth, just four points behind Williams in third, despite two D1 retirements and a scoreless E3 race.
The three appearances required different jobs. Nesbi supplied a winner in D3. Walter added a D0 race to his regular D1 assignment, while Forestal took his L2 licence into the fastest field before racing in his own D2 seat. A strong reserve network gave VCARB more than a way to fill a gap on the entry list: it supplied most of the weekend’s score.
Our preseason forecast put VCARB fifth while flagging uncertainty around their newcomers and promoted D1 pair. Forestal has reached that position after one round through a different combination of cars: the reserve appearances supplied most of the points while both D1 entries went scoreless.
| Driver | Cover appearance | Race points | BOTT points |
|---|---|---|---|
| NesbiLeGrand | D3 | 30 | 30 |
| Walter9500 | D0 | 11 | 16 |
| ForestalWaif1 | D0 | 9 | 14 |
| Combined | Three appearances | 50 | 60 |
The winner was only part of the cover
Nesbis win was a pleasant and welcome surprise, he’s the top scorer for vcarb and bagged my first win since s6, so I’m really glad he was down to drive for us. Nesbi drove his heart out, and I was luckily able to get decent midfield points in d0 and d2, completing a non perfect but solid weekend for the team
— ForestalWaif1Walter’s D0 sixth was particularly useful after his D1 race had ended without points. Forestal finished seventh in D0, and their two classified finishes also earned five BOTT-only licence points apiece. The pair supplied thirty towards the overall team fight from twenty ordinary race points. Those extra ten belong to BOTT; they do not increase their drivers’ or constructors’ scores.
Nesbi puts the team’s objectives first
Nesbi’s explanation starts with the ambition of the team offering the seat, then turns to the preparation needed to make that appearance useful:
When choosing a team, I look for ambition, whether it’s an established team fighting for wins or one building towards that goal. As a reserve driver, I’m open to opportunities depending on my availability. When I commit to a race weekend, I do my best to score valuable points through strong qualifying and race pace. Adapting to the new cars can be challenging, so I practise, race and sometimes start from the back to understand their behaviour better. I also learn from my Team Principal and drivers in D2, D1 and D0.
— NesbiLeGrandHis distinction between a fast reserve and a good one is especially relevant to a team whose cover supplied most of its opening score. The target has to be agreed before the driver gets into the car.
For me, the difference between a good reserve driver and someone who is simply fast is commitment. A fast driver might win a race or take pole, but a good reserve driver puts the team’s objectives first. Before a weekend, the driver and Team Principal should agree on realistic goals, whether that means scoring points, fighting for a win or securing a podium. A reserve driver should act as a full member of the team while respecting the priority of the full-time driver, even when they are faster. It’s also important to protect the team’s points and avoid unnecessary risks rather than focus only on personal results.
— NesbiLeGrandThat commitment comes with limits he wants a Team Principal to understand:
When speaking with a Team Principal, I ask what they expect from me and explain my strengths and limitations honestly. These new cars are still challenging for me, so I prefer realistic expectations over promises I cannot guarantee. Ultimately, I believe success comes from clear communication, proper preparation, realistic objectives and putting the team first.
— NesbiLeGrandSpain gives the same network a different test
Nesbi is currently entered for Ferrari in Spain D3, while Golden is listed for VCARB. The Singapore winner can strengthen a rival on the next weekend; Forestal has to make the next combination work without treating that earlier contribution as a claim on every future appearance.
Ferrari turn to a familiar reserve
Sammy describes Ferrari’s four-point D3 return as bad luck and says Contex’s absence prompted an immediate call to Nesbi. His expectation for the pairing is ambitious, but conditional on avoiding another disrupted race:
We got unlucky in Singapore. Contex got a drive-through starting from 2nd, and aban got taken out from 4th. Contex is unable to race so I immediately asked long time Ferrari goat Nesbi to step in. All I ask is that Nesbi and aban do their best again, and if we can avoid any incidents or bad luck I’m sure we’ll have both cars at the front.
— Sammy278The choice also reflects a preference for drivers Ferrari already know. Sammy puts availability first, then explains where pace, familiarity and the risk of losing a result enter the decision:
Of course availability is the first thing to take into account when finding a reserve. If someone has the pace to win then of course I won’t hesitate to give them the seat. There’s not always the luxury of having multiple options so sometimes you just have to make do with what you’ve got (*cough* connor *cough*). I definitely tend to prioritise people that have been a part of the Ferrari family if possible, it’s always nice having that familiarity. But yeah of course in all of that, when you have the luxury, you have to weigh up the chance of that driver getting involved in an incident or making mistakes. I have also been fortunate enough in my time as Ferrari TP that many of our full time drivers will step up and reserve to help the team, even if it’s at an inconvenience to them. I will always be incredibly grateful for the commitment and selflessness of our drivers.
— Sammy278Golden gets the next VCARB opportunity
Golden has set a clean-driving, points-scoring target for his first VCARB race. His preparation has come with encouragement from the rest of the team:
The VCARB lads have been very supportive behind the scenes, not just to me, but each other. That's the kind of energy I'd thrive on, and I hope to repay that with a good first race for the team. I want to push myself mentally to maximise the points for VCARB this weekend.
— GoldenThe support Golden describes is an investment in the next result. The 'brotherhood' at Forestal's VCARB has been a binding force of the team for as long as we can remember. Singapore’s reserve score has kept VCARB close to Williams and Ferrari; Spain asks a different set of drivers to sustain it. Forestal’s approach makes room for that change rather than demanding that every useful reserve belong to him alone.
I think the key to being a successful tp is to always have a large group of reserves ur close with. Ofc reserves also drive for other teams, but it’s always important to know that ur drivers do their best while driving for u, and that’s all that matters to me.
— ForestalWaif1
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