What to Watch For: Some storylines to look out for at Round 6 in Spielberg

25 June 2025

The whistle is about to blow and signal kick off for the second half of the FIA Formula 3 season, with Spielberg the host for this weekend’s Round 6 action.

The Red Bull Ring is a venue known to many on the grid, but also to the fans as it has produced some memorable moments on track.

So before we get going this weekend, let us look at some of the big storylines that you should keep an eye on in Spielberg.

PICKING UP WHERE THEY LEFT OFF

Rafael Câmara and TRIDENT had a tremendous opening five rounds, achieving four Pole Positions and three Feature Race wins, putting him on top of the Drivers’ Championship.

Their goal now will be to maintain that momentum in the second half of the season, starting in Spielberg, where the Italian team have won just once in Formula 3 – in 2021 when David Schumacher won Race 2.

Even last season, none of TRIDENT’s three drivers qualified in the top 12, with Leonardo Fornaroli losing his fastest time after exceeding track limits, dropping him from P8 to P24.

Câmara currently leads the Drivers' Championship thanks to his three Feature Race victories

Câmara though has previous race winning success in Spielberg and will be eager to add a fourth victory to his tally.

If the Brazilian can, it would not only be the perfect start to the final five rounds of the season, but a huge boost in his hopes of becoming the 2025 Champion.

CLOSING THE GAP

Câmara though will expect plenty of opposition from his rivals, with many having used the break after Barcelona to reset ahead of mounting a challenge in Spielberg.

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Nikola Tsolov is currently second in the Standings – 26 points adrift of top spot – and the Campos Racing driver will be eager to beat his rival at the Red Bull Ring, having won the Sprint Race there last year.

The Bulgarian will also want to bounce back from a difficult Barcelona Feature Race, where a slow start from P2 meant he could not challenge pole-sitter and eventual winner Câmara, instead finishing fifth.

Tim Tramnitz is third and has stated his aim of fighting towards the front, while rookies Noah Stromsted and Tuukka Taponen in fourth and fifth will want to build on their early season potential by claiming their first F3 victories.

Tsolov will be eager to have a good weekend in Spielberg

BUILDING SECOND HALF MOMENTUM

The five upcoming rounds are more than just about the top five in the Championship though, as we have often seen that Spielberg can function as a catalyst for a driver’s campaign.

For example, in 2022, Zane Maloney travelled to the Styrian hills 14th in the Standings, but a strong Feature Race kicked off a revival.

What followed was four consecutive Feature Race podiums, including three straight victories to end the year, ending up second and narrowly missing out on the title to Victor Martins.

Similarly, in 2023, Zak O’Sullivan went to Spielberg eighth in the Standings, before winning the Feature Race in phenomenal style from sixth on the grid.

It was his third victory of the year but his first in the Feature, and he followed that up with another Sunday win in Budapest a couple of rounds later before finishing second in the Championship.

Despite how the first half of the season went, there is still a lot to play for, and history shows, a good Spielberg weekend can be the kickstart you need.

Whoever manages their tyres best during the race will be well placed at the end

TRACK CONDITIONS AND TYRES

The Red Bull Ring is a track like no other, and while it has just 10 corners, the characteristics of the circuit make it one of the more intriguing for the teams, especially when it comes to setup.

For example, the opening four corners of the lap are made up of long straights and right-handed low speed corners, so straight line speed, as well as braking demands will be important.

However, the final six turns are all primarily high-speed, so aerodynamic balance and downforce levels are key for the teams.

Plenty of red and a nod to a Brazilian icon: Rafael Câmara on his 2025 helmet

In addition to that, managing the Softs in the races will be key. We have seen in the past that the tyres can start to grain or degrade fairly early, so whoever keeps them in the right shape will definitely be there at the end to make up some positions and possibly achieve the win.

KEEP IT ON THE TRACK

Spielberg is a circuit famous for many things, and one of those is seeing drivers have their times deleted for exceeding track limits, especially in Qualifying.

Last year, Leonardo Fornaroli lost his fastest time, and dropped from eighth to 24th last season, forcing him to produce two comeback drives in the Sprint and Feature Races.

Fornaroli lost his fastest lap in Qualifying last year and started both races from the back

The prior season, Paul Aron had been celebrating his Pole Position, when his time was deleted, dropping him to fourth and giving Grégoire Saucy top spot.

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While the drivers will naturally push to the limit in Qualifying, making sure your lap, in particularly your first laps, are clean as possible is key.

This will give the drivers the banker lap they need to push the limit on their final attempt, taking the pressure off them. Keeping things as clean as possible could prove decisive this weekend.