Your guide to… Spielberg

Round 3 of the 2021 FIA Formula 3 Championship gets under way this weekend at the Red Bull Ring, Spielberg, Austria.

WHEN TO WATCH All times local (GMT +2)

Friday Free Practice: 09:30 – 10:15 Qualifying: 13:50 – 14:20 Press conference: 16:05

Saturday Race 1: 10:35 (24 laps) Press conference: 11:40 Race 2: 17:45 (24 laps) Press conference: 18:50

Sunday Race 3: 11:05 (20 laps) Press conference: 12:10

THE STORY SO FAR

It has been an enthralling start to the season for the 2021 FIA Formula 3 Championship. After a six-week interlude following the opening round at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, the 30-strong field arrived at Paul Ricard ready to jump back into the fray and get their Championship campaigns in motion.

ART Grand Prix got off to a strong start in Qualifying, with Frederik Vesti claiming pole by almost two-tenths of a second. The French outfit was the only team to see all three of their drivers qualify in the top ten, with Alexander Smolyar lining up in P7 and Juan Manuel Correa in P9.

It was Smolyar who went on to seal an impressive victory in one of the most dramatic Formula 3 races in recent memory, clinching the win in Race 1 from a starting position of sixth. The ART driver beat out MP Motorsport’s Victor Martins, who was up from 10th, seizing the lead from the Frenchman with a last gasp move on the final lap. Meanwhile, reverse polesitter Calan Williams came home third to take not only his first points in the category but also his first podium as well.

A sensational drive for Arthur Leclerc in Race 1, which saw the Ferrari protégé climb from 30th to 12th, was followed by a controlled lights-to-flag victory in Race 2, with the PREMA driver taking his first victory in Formula 3 from reverse grid pole. The Monegasque’s teammate, Dennis Hauger secured a one-two finish for the Italian team beating out Martins, who made his second podium appearance of the day.

Sunday saw rain roll over the hills of Le Castellet, with the grid obliged to start on wet tyres. Trident’s Jack Doohan, seemingly unphased by the rainy conditions, drove a brilliant race to seal his first Formula 3 victory from fourth on the grid. The Australian came home ahead of long-time race leader Hauger, who finished P2 for the second time in two days, and MP’s Caio Collet who crossed the line in third.

THE CHALLENGERS

After two rounds Dennis Hauger (66 points) has edged further ahead in the Drivers’ Championship with a 6-point lead to Victor Martins (60), with both drivers having made three visits to the podium so far this season. The Trident duo of Jack Doohan (58) and Clément Novalak (49) sit in third and fourth respectively after both picked up a solid haul of points in Le Castellet. PREMA’s Olli Caldwell (41) rounds out the top five.

PREMA Racing (122 points) continue to lead the way in the Teams’ Championship after a win for Leclerc and two podiums for Hauger at Paul Ricard. Second-placed Trident (107) are just 15 points back and head MP Motorsport (95) by 12 points. ART Grand Prix (81) are in fourth meanwhile Hitech Grand Prix (19 points) trail in 5th.

Campos Racing’s László Tóth has made a full recovery after testing positive for Covid-19 ahead of Round 2 in Le Castellet. The Hungarian driver returns to action in car #20 this weekend.

FROM THE GRID – DAVID SCHUMACHER (TRIDENT)

“I really like how technical the Red Bull Ring is. If you have a bad exit from Turn 10, you're going to lose a lot of time on the main straight. Since there are quite a few straights, it is not easy to make up a lot of time and a small mistake can cost you a lot, so this is probably one of the sides of the track that I like. I also really like that the last two corners are high-speed ones, which are really my thing, so I'm looking forward to those.

“When it comes to the best overtaking zones, that’s easy: into Turn 3 and probably the Rauch corner, which is Turn 4. These are the main spots for overtaking, so that's where the most action will be happening. I'm pretty sure this is the number one circuit on our calendar this year for overtaking. It's pretty much a drag race to get the DRS, and whoever has the biggest tow will be quickest on the straight. It is easy to overtake on the straight, so that's where we'll see the most moves and the most interesting racing.

“Finishing in the top ten in Qualifying is the number one objective. The tests at the Red Bull Ring went pretty well for us. We had good Qualifying pace and good long run pace as well so I think it should be a pretty good weekend.”

TYRE TALK – MARIO ISOLA (PIRELLI’S HEAD OF F1 AND CAR RACING)

Mario Isola, Pirelli Head of F1 and Car Racing: “Austria is the first time that the P Zero Yellow medium compound tyres have been nominated this season in Formula 3 – although the drivers had the chance to get to grips with them during pre-season testing at the same circuit. Generally, the Red Bull Ring is a low-degradation track characterized by a smooth surface, with a focus on traction and braking rather than significant lateral demands.

"I’m sure we can look forward to a very close and competitive weekend, where getting a clean lap in qualifying will be important over such a short track and with the high number of F3 cars attending the event. We also know that the weather can play a role, having experienced both extreme heat and heavy rain there in recent years.”__

STAT PACK

• The Formula 3 race lap record at the Red Bull Ring is 1:19.429 set by Sebastián Fernández with ART Grand Prix in 2020.
• At 4.318km in length the Red Bull Ring is the second shortest circuit on the 2021 calendar, just 59 meters longer than Zandvoort Circuit.
• The Red Bull Ring also has the fewest corners of any track on this year’s calendar at just 10, four fewer than Zandvoort.
• Three of the current grid have previously stood on the podium at the Red Bull Ring, Frederik Vesti, Clément Novalak. and Logan Sargeant.
• MP Motorsport Caio Collet was quickest around the Red Bull Ring in pre-season testing, beating the F3 race lap record by more than eight tenths, with a 1:18.592.
• Seven drivers on the current grid now have Formula 3 race wins to their name (Hauger, Leclerc, Caldwell, Doohan, Vesti, Smolyar and Sargeant).
• Just two drivers have scored in every race of the season so far, Victor Martins and Clément Novalak.
• After six races across two rounds, a total of 13 different drivers have led at least one race lap.
• 11 drivers from six different teams have stood on the podium so far this season.
• Dennis Hauger has led 47 laps, more than any other driver on the grid. Logan Sargeant has led 44, and Alexander Smolyar 40.
• ART Grand Prix have already claimed two victories in the first two rounds of the 2021 season alone, the same number of wins they finished the 2020 season with.
• MP Motorsport have already achieved five podiums this season, two more than they achieved in the entirety of the 2021 season.