Formula European Masters

Mercedes Adria race notes

Third places for Dallara Mercedes drivers Christian Klien and Olivier Pla Dallara Mercedes drivers Christian Klien and Olivier Pla finished third each in rounds 3 and 4 of the 2003 Formula 3 Euro Series at Italy' Adria International Raceway. Klien ...

Published: May 12, 2003, 12:21 PM

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Third places for Dallara Mercedes drivers Christian Klien and Olivier Pla

Dallara Mercedes drivers Christian Klien and Olivier Pla finished third each in rounds 3 and 4 of the 2003 Formula 3 Euro Series at Italy' Adria International Raceway. Klien started from his first Formula 3 career pole position in his third race on Saturday and achieved his first podium finish. Pla came home third on Sunday and is now tied for second overall with Klien (16 points each). Sunday' race winner Ryan Briscoe (Dallara-Opel) is the overall leader with 35 points. Timo Glock (Dallara-Opel) won the race on Saturday.

Race 1: Klien started from pole position and maintained the lead until the beginning of lap six when he was passed by Glock. Two laps later, also Fabio Carbone (Dallara-Renault) passed the Austrian. Klien defended third position until the chequered flag against César Campanico (Dallara-Opel) and Briscoe. Jan Heylen (Dallara Mercedes/Kolles Racing) came home 19th whilst his team mate Charles Zwolsman retired after a collision as well as Markus Winkelhock (Dallara Mercedes/Mücke Motorsport).

Race 2: Pla had qualified third fastest and was third into the first corner, behind Briscoe and pole sitter Nico Rosberg (Dallara-Opel). Pla maintained his position until the finish. His team mate Alexandre Premat was eighth fastest in qualifying and improved to fifth until lap four. 22 laps later, he came home in the same position.

Zwolsman finished seventh whilst his team mate Heylen ended up 15th. Winkelhock was pushed into a spin in the second corner and came home 17th due to a damaged diffusor. His team mate finished 21st.

Norbert Haug, Vice President Mercedes-Benz Motorsport: "Two podium positions for Christian Klien and Olivier Pla are a reasonable result. We didn't manage to win yet, but we work on it."

Christian Klien (Mücke): "I am happy about my first podium finish in my third Formula 3 race. I made a good start, but when the rain began to fall I was not able to go the pace of Glock and Carbone, as my car was set up for a dry track. On Sunday, I was involved in an incident after the start. I had to re-start the engine and my front wing was damaged - that was it."

Olivier Pla (ASM): "On Saturday, I had a coming together which damaged the left side of my front wing and led to an imbalance of the car. On Sunday, I once slid off the brake pedal and therefore lost a bit contact to the front runners.""

Alexandre Premat (ASM): "Both starts were good and my car worked well, although I almost hit Alexandros Margaritis' stalled Dallara-Opel on Sunday' grid. I'm satisfied to have won points in both races."

Markus Winkelhock (Mücke): "My starts were good, but in both races I was involved in collisions. Yesterday I had to retire. Today my diffusor was damaged and as a consequence I suffered from strong oversteer."

Charles Zwolsman (Kolles): "I came on the gras in the first corner, however, this didn't slow me down and I was able to pass two drivers later. I'm happy about my first points of the season."

-dcm-

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