With the dust settled after another enthralling FIA Formula 3 race weekend at Silverstone in Great Britain, we take a look at the talking points from Round 4.

CONSISTENCY IS VITAL

This time last year, Robert Shwartzman and Jehan Daruvala had taken the Championship by storm, with four victories between them from the opening eight races. The duo led the Drivers’ standings, and fans were in little doubt as to why.

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It’s been a slightly different story in 2020. Piastri leads the standings, but only has one win to his name so far. Instead, it’s been his consistency which puts him top of the pile. He hasn’t had the ‘wow’ moments the PREMA duo had enjoyed this time last year, but three consecutive P2s in a row, quite rightly has him above the rest.

BECKMANN DESERVES MORE CREDIT

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Beckmann became the third double-winner of the season in Silverstone, but has the unusual caveat of not yet crossing the line first in F3. Both victories came from penalties being applied to the winner, and many may claim they come with an asterisk next to them. This all feels a little unfair though.

Both penalties were of course applied for a reason, and had the offences not been committed, then Beckmann would arguably have taken the victory – he certainly looked quick enough to have done so in Race 2 on Sunday, when Alex Smolyar was penalised for changing direction, in an effort to break the tow.

The German is well in the hunt for the title, and don’t let anyone tell you anything different.

QUALIFYING IS CRUCIAL

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Hitech Grand Prix showed exactly how vital Qualifying is in the grand scheme of a weekend. The 2019 vice-champions had struggled to consistently put points on the board in the leadup to Round 4, and this was largely due to their poor form on a Friday.

Prior to Round 4, they hadn’t qualified higher than eighth, but turned this around in Silverstone, as both Liam Lawson and Max Fewtrell made it into the top four. Race pace has never been an issue and Lawson went on to convert a front row start in a first Race 1 win.

POURCHAIRE STRUGGLED IN SILVERSTONE

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Maybe the Frenchman was a victim of his own success, but such are the standards that the 16-year-old has set for himself so far this season, Silverstone felt like a bit of a low point. The ART Grand Prix racer was the first double-winner of the year, and remains one of just three men to achieve that feat, and yet, he sits in sixth place in the Drivers’ Championship.

Consistency is arguably what is setting him apart from the likes of Piastri at this point in time, after he took just one point from Round 4. That will of course come with age and experience, after all, he is the second youngest driver on the grid.