2021 Round 3 post-Race 1 press conference

Thoughts from Hauger, Caldwell and Sargeant

FIA Formula 3: Congratulations to the top three finishers for Race 1 of the FIA Formula 3 Championship here at the Red Bull Ring. Finishing in third place, Logan Sargeant for Charouz Racing System, in second place Olli Caldwell for PREMA and taking his second victory of the season our winner, Dennis Hauger, also for PREMA. Dennis, what a tremendous victory from P12 on the grid, what were your expectations coming into the race?

Dennis Hauger: To be honest I didn't have too many expectations. I didn't expect to be up there, definitely not at the top at least. I wanted to keep my nose clean for the first couple of laps and just get some points for Race 2. But I felt I had the pace, and we were good in the train, so I was just waiting for the people in front to degrade. In the middle of the race, we sound some good pace and I got up some places. In the beginning the first three corners were kind of crazy with such a bunch up into the turns, so I gained a bit there by taking different line. I had a lot of fun out there and didn't expect it to go that well but happy to be on top in the end.

FIA Formula 3: What was the key to your race Dennis?

Hauger: I was staying in the middle of the train at the top, after it settled down a bit in the first couple of laps. We tried to play it smart and not take too much out of the tyres, I saw people starting to struggle and obviously people started to fight as well. I just had to try and gain as much as I could without losing too much from the tyres. I also had to try and stay cool in the middle of the race and it paid off in the end.

FIA Formula 3: Would you say that was one of your best ever races?

Hauger: Probably one of them! Definitely, one of those I've enjoyed the most that's for sure.

FIA Formula 3: Can you do it all again this afternoon?

Hauger: We'll see. Obviously, I didn't go with that mindset, I wanted to gain some places and get some good points but we'll see how it goes. A lot of things can happen during the race, so I just have to keep my head cool.

FIA Formula 3: Dennis, final one, what was your view on what happened between Clément Novalak and Matteo Nannini towards the end of the race?

Hauger: I saw that, Clément was struggling to get away without the DRS and Matteo was always on his tail in Turn 3 and Turn 4. I was sort of just in the back trying to see what was going to happen. Turn 4 is really, really, hard because if you try to go around the outside, it doesn't often end well. In the end after a couple of fighting they came together. It's racing in the end but Turn 4 is a risky corner anyways.

FIA Formula 3: Thank you Dennis, and very well done. Olli coming to you, a great race by you as well. Just how hectic was it out there?

Olli Caldwell: It was crazy. I was starting mid-pack a bit ahead of Dennis and once the DRS opened up between the front three guys it was crazy, they were overtaking each other every corner. My mindset was just to finish a sort of similar position, gain if I can without taking too big a risk, maximizing points and then see where I was nearer the end with the tyres. Unfortunately, I started to struggle mid-way through being close behind the other cars which allowed Dennis to get past. I mean, crazy race, but there's still a lot to learn from following and seeing if you can get into a gap up front as well.

FIA Formula 3: As you say a lot to learn, what's the biggest thing you've learnt in that race that you can carry into Race 2 this afternoon.

Caldwell: I think the starts. I saw a lot of people didn't get a good start. The start seems to be the key point where you can either gain or lose a lot of positions, like Dennis, he gained three or four positions on our first lap so I think before the DRS opens that's where the moves are going to be made.

FIA Formula 3: Great stuff, thank you Olli. Logan coming to you, that was a hugely exciting race to watch at the front. How do you begin to sum it all up?

Logan Sargeant: Well first off, I need to fix my start for the next one, that didn't go too well. I know we have good pace, yesterday we didn't get everything out of it. It was a tricky qualifying with all of the traffic, so I thought we had a good chance today. Throughout most of the race we did, it was a really good battle with me, Novalak and Nannini. Everyone was clean up until that point. The pace was solid but those last five laps I just couldn't quite hang with them, I just lost the rears a bit. We need to go back and look at the data, make a few changes and this afternoon we have to be super aggressive.

FIA Formula 3: You say you need to fix your start, but your initial getaway looked good?

Sargeant: I just bogged down a little bit and that gave him the run. I think a little bit less aggressive on the bite point and we'll have a good one.

FIA Formula 3: Thank you Logan.