2021 Round 3 post-Qualifying press conference

Thoughts from Hauger, Vesti and Smolyar

FIA Formula 3: Congratulations to the top three qualifiers for Race 3 of the FIA Formula 3 Championship here at the Red Bull Ring. In third place, Alex Smolyar for ART Grand Prix, in second place Frederik Vesti, also for ART, and taking the first pole position of the year for PREMA, Dennis Hauger. Dennis, a great session, you said you wanted the points for pole, and you got them. How good was that final lap?

Dennis Hauger: It's really close around here, and I think it's just a few hundredths between us three as well. So, I knew it was going to be close one, unfortunately Collet got his lap time deleted, but I'm happy for myself and happy to be getting the points and the pole for Race 3 on Sunday.

FIA Formula 3: Where was the car particularly strong? It looked good through the final sector but anywhere else?

Hauger: The final sector was really good, and I had a bit of a tow from the guy in front. It's a long straight around here so it's important to maximize Sector 1. We made some small changes, and it felt pretty good. Obviously with the red flag it was kind of messy, so you really had to get your head down and push those last few lap. In the end it worked out well.

FIA Formula 3: As you say, it was a messy session. What was your plan for those final eight minutes?

Hauger: I was in the rhythm with the other drivers, it's so important to be in a rhythm here. You saw that if you get out of touch with the others around you it is really hard to put a lap together here. So that was the plan. After the red flag you just had to play it smart. In the end, all the cars got that one last lap and you just had to maximize it. It was nice to get it on top.

FIA Formula 3: Now you've you got to wait until Sunday to benefit from this pole position, how easy is it to overtak.e around here because tomorrow you'll be starting from P12 for Race 1?

Hauger: It's easy to get caught up in a mess at the beginning here with Turn 1 and the long straight and then going up to Turn 3 uphill. I think you've got to be a bit careful but there are good opportunities here, so we'll see. Obviously, you have to play it smart for Race 2 in the evening so it's going to be a bit of management as well. But there’s good opportunities around here so you've got to push for it!

FIA Formula 3: Great job, thank you Dennis. Fred, coming to you many congratulations as well. Now after taking pole position at Paul Ricard, how frustrated are you to be so close this time just three hundredths from Dennis?

Frederik Vesti: It's quite frustrating considering we were P1 in most of the session. In the end I got caught up in a bit of traffic. It's how it is. It's really close here at the Red Bull Ring as always. I'm pretty happy for the team in P2 and P3, it's a good starting point for the weekend and it's a long Championship. It's about having good pace at every track, and I think this shows that now two weekends in row we are in the top two in Qualifying which is very positive.

FIA Formula 3: As you say, you were on provisional pole after the first runs, were you surprised by the gains everyone managed to make at the end?

Vesti: Well not really, in Formula 3 the second run is always quicker, less fuel and new tyres, so there was always going to be a big step. It was starting to rain actually in the last run which was a bit tricky, it could rain a bit more and be slower but in the end the track was faster and I did a decent lap but then I couldn't improve on my final lap when Dennis and the other guys improved which was a shame, but it's ok.

FIA Formula 3: Fred, let's look ahead to Race 1 as well. You'll be starting 11th, what's the plan?

Vesti: There is no plan, it's important to keep the head clear because anything could happen. Red Bull Ring Lap 1 is always a bit of a mess. It's going to be important to score the points so we will push as usual and move forward hopefully.

FIA Formula 3: Thank you Fred, Alex coming to you as well. Your strongest Qualifying of the year. How pleased are you?

Alexander Smolyar: Definitely pleased, even though I'm a little bit frustrated that I was so close to Dennis as the car was good enough to make it to pole. But I'm happy enough with P3 as I didn't manage a good qualifying in Round 1 or Round 2. Obviously need to push on Sunday because the main points are there, but overall, yeah I'm happy. I had a messy session, before my last push I was P21, so there was a lot of pressure was on me and I definitely felt that. I took the risk; I was more or less on the edge on every corner and it paid off.

FIA Formula 3: As Fred says, it was starting to rain as well, you had to really nail that lap didn't you?

Smolyar: Well, my engineer didn't tell me I was P21, and that was a good job from him, because that would have put more pressure on myself. But I knew I was nowhere at this point, and I saw the raindrops on my visor. Everyone was improving, and then I managed to make a good Sector 2. The car was definitely strong so I'm looking forward to the races.

FIA Formula 3: Alex, two wins this season already, how confident are you of getting another one here?

Smolyar: I wouldn't say I'm really confident, for sure it will be hard to win another first race tomorrow, but we will see. With the new format you need to play a little game here, we will be looking to get a good result in Race 2 and then we will see in Race 3. I don't think it's the worst to start P3 here, rather than P1, it's a long straight until Turn 3 and a lot of things can happen. Definitely looking for the win in the third race.

FIA Formula 3: Good luck to you all.