FIA Formula 3 European Championship: more thrilling battles at the Red Bull Ring

Shortly before the FIA Formula 3 European Championship summer break, the young guns travel to the Austrian Alps. At the Red Bull Ring, located about 80 kilometres from Graz, they will contests races 22, 23 and 24 of the 2015 season. At the GP circuit that was re-opened in May 2011, Antonio Giovinazzi (Jagonya Ayam with Carlin) wants to defend the championship lead he regained only in the previous race meeting. Meanwhile, his biggest rival in the battle for the title, the only 17-year old Charles Leclerc (Van Amersfoort Racing), will try as hard as he can to once again replace the 21-year old Southern Italian as championship leader. And behind them, Felix Rosenqvist (Prema Powerteam) is waiting for his chance of making it to the very top.

Apart from the street circuits, the Red Bull Ring definitely is my favourite racetrack.

Charles Leclerc

The gaps between the top three underline that the racing in the FIA Formula 3 European Championship currently is extremely close. The lead of Antonio Giovinazzi over Charles Leclerc amounts to only 7.5 points and the gap of third-placed Felix Rosenqvist to championship leader Giovinazzi adds up to just 27 points. So, Leclerc and Rosenqvist will really go for it. And the Swede has particularly fond memories of the Red Bull Ring as he won all three races of the Austrian FIA Formula 3 European Championship race weekend in 2013.

But Giovinazzi, also likes racing at the Austrian GP circuit. In 2014, it was the venue of his first two FIA Formula 3 European Championship poles and his first race win in the series. For Leclerc, however, it’s a Formula 3 debut at the Red Bull Ring. To date, he raced at the circuit only in Formula Renault 2.0 and hasn’t completed a single lap with a Formula 3 vehicle, there.

Due to the fact that he broke his right arm while mountain biking, Nicolas Pohler (Double R Racing) won’t be able to contest the Austrian FIA Formula 3 European Championship meeting. His number 18 Dallara car will be raced by Brazilian Matheus Leist (Double R Racing) who otherwise is contesting the British Formula 4 for Double R Racing. With five podiums under his belt, Leist currently holds fourth position in the championship. Before coming to Europe and joining Double R Racing, he already gathered first single-seater racing experience in the Brazilian Formula 3.

Charles Leclerc (Van Amersfoort Racing): “Apart from the street circuits, the Red Bull Ring definitely is my favourite racetrack. So far, I only know the circuit from my Formula Renault 2.0 races contested here but I’m optimistic that I will be able to also be fast with a Formula 3 vehicle. Unfortunately, the race weekend at Spa didn’t run as I had hoped it would which was a particular shame as it was the home event for my team, Van Amersfoort Racing.

We had several problems and then, we also had to cope with a dose of bad luck. Nonetheless, I still am relaxed when it comes to the championship – although Antonio Giovinazzi stole my championship lead, at Zandvoort. First of all I think that it’s completely normal that you encounter weekends where you deliver on a lower level, in a championship as competitive as the FIA Formula 3 European Championship and in addition, all the circuits we are going to race at in the coming months suit me well.”

FIA Formula 3