Feature
SPIELBERG ANALYSIS: How experience shone through in the Feature Race
The Spielberg Feature Race was the first time this season that there were no rookies on the podium, and if not for Nikola Tsolov’s disqualification, there would have been none in the top four.
Our top two were second-year drivers Martinius Stenshorne and Tim Tramnitz, while Mari Boya, who is in his third season, took the last spot on the podium in the final classification.
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But given that all three started from outside the top 12, all 11 teams will be analysing the data from the Red Bull Ring this week to understand why things played out the way they did.
In doing so, they will look at things like their car setup or whether they should have saved a new set of tyres for the Feature Race. But a few teams might also talk to their rookie drivers about race management.
Here’s why…
EXPERIENCE VS ROOKIES: THE START
Stenshorne lined up in P15, Tramnitz in P17 and Boya in P14, so to get through the field they would have had to have had great pace. But they also had to manage their races perfectly.
Tyres, for instance, would have been a huge talking point for MP and Tramnitz, as he started on used Softs, and with no Safety Car, he would have had to keep those in check for all 26 laps.
But the first thing all three needed to do was get good starts, and Boya was up to ninth by the start of Lap 2, followed by Stenshorne in P10, with Tramnitz in 12th.
What makes the Red Bull Ring such a fun track is that with three DRS zones in the first two sectors, you can overtake. The 86 completed on Sunday was the second highest tally for a Feature Race this season, behind the 110 in Sakhir.
It is also not a circuit that is too hard on the tyres, but that does not mean drivers don't manage them. Running in the dirty air, constantly fighting with cars, the warm temperatures as well as the stress the high-speed final section puts on front axle, can all affect tyre longevity.
So, while Stenshorne got past Boya into Turn 4 on Lap 4, they made sure not to fight each other too hard for position so early on. Behind them, Tramnitz made a clean overtake on Charlie Wurz for P11. The trio had clearly decided to not push too hard early on.
However, ahead of them, the likes of Ugo Ugochukwu, Noah Stromsted and Rafael Câmara were battling hard for P2 from Laps 4 to 7, constantly running off the racing line to defend or attack, as they changed positions multiple times.
INTO THE MIDDLE PHASE
Câmara settled into P2 on Lap 8, but TRIDENT came on the radio to tell the Brazilian to “drive clean and pay attention to the peak on braking". It is likely that they wanted him to manage his race and tyres better.
READ MORE: Tsolov disqualified from Spielberg Feature Race
Behind them though, Stenshorne, Boya and Tramnitz were running in seventh, eighth and ninth. Onto Lap 9, and the Hitech TGR driver made a clean move past Brando Badoer for sixth at Turn 3.
On the next lap, Tramnitz used the switchback effectively to get past both Badoer and Boya on the run to Turn 4, with the Spaniard following him through past the PREMA rookie.
Stenshorne continued to pick up places, making an easy move past Callum Voisin for P5 on the run to Turn 4.
Tramnitz and Boya also made their way by the Rodin driver easily on Lap 13, while up ahead, Ugochukwu could be seen locking up attempting a big dive on Stromsted at Turn 4 for P3.
The PREMA driver again tried to get past his fellow rookie at Turn 3 on Lap 14, looking to go around the outside. In doing so, he opened the door for Stenshorne, who used the DRS to also pick off Stromsted, putting him third.
Such was Stenshorne’s pace advantage at this point, that within the space of three corners, he was a second clear of the squabbling pair.
THE FINAL FEW LAPS
Despite running in the dirty air and having to make his way through the field, Tramnitz had clearly kept his tyres in good order. Despite running on Used softs, he had maintained enough grip to go around the outside of Ugochukwu at Turn 6, and to also defend his position when required.
READ MORE: Laurens van Hoepen disqualified from Spielberg Feature Race
Stenshorne was flying and was onto the back of Câmara by Lap 18. Tramnitz was biding his time in P5, while Boya was keeping a watching brief behind Ugochukwu.
Their patience paid off as Stromsted ran wide at the final corner, allowing Tramnitz through with ease down the main straight. The Dane continued to struggle, and now with dirty tyres, he went off at Turns 3 and 4, allowing Ugochukwu and Boya through.
Tramnitz had pulled out a 1.5s gap to Ugochukwu on Lap 21, and Boya had clearly seen that the MP driver was getting away. In frustration, while going side-by-side with the American, he gave him the push signal, calling on them to work together to try and chase down the cars ahead.
To Ugochukwu’s credit, he obliged, and they had cut the deficit to Tramnitz from 1.8s to one second by the end of Lap 23.
But they were also catching Câmara and by Lap 25, all three had overtaken the Championship leader, relegating him to sixth.
Tsolov though had handled things perfectly to cross the line in first, ahead of Stenshorne, while Boya had tremendous pace in hand as he pushed Tramnitz all the way to the line.
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The Aston Martin junior settled for P4 on the road before taking P3 after Tsolov’s post-race disqualification.
Ugochukwu wound up fifth ahead of Câmara, who had clearly suffered a big drop in performance at the end of the race.
WHY DID THE ROOKIES STRUGGLE
Speaking after the race, Câmara said: “Unfortunately, we don't really understand what exactly the problem was, we had this massive drop at the end. Even for myself, I was not pushing that much.”
As for Stenshorne, who wound up winning the race, he said: “Trying to manage whenever there was a possibility when making a move while catching up to the next car, trying to save in the corners where it’s most important.
“But still being close for overtaking opportunities. I think we did it well and I think everyone felt it towards the end, but we were one of the quickest at the end as well. So overall I think we can be happy with our performance.”
FEATURE RACE: Tsolov puts Championship lead in his sights with dominant victory
It’s clear that the experienced drivers had managed things perfectly, being patient and clean with their moves, especially early on, and keeping their tyres in check.
This was a podium that not only rewarded outright pace, but also expert race management.