Interview
THOUGHTS FROM BECKMANN, PIASTRI AND HAUGER
FIA Formula 3: David, P1 today, in unusual circumstances, but a very good and well-deserved result. How was the race for you?
David Beckmann: The result was quite good in the end, although we were a bit lucky because Bent Viscaal got a penalty. He was extremely fast. I think the safety car destroyed my pace a little bit, because my tyre pressure was a little bit too low and I had problems keeping it on track at the beginning. As the circuit was drying, I was able to find more grip, and then the safety car came, and my tyres cooled down again. I was able to overtake Dennis Hauger though and began to catch up with Bent a little bit. I think that the race was a little bit too short for my tyre pressure, but in the end, I was lucky and really happy to make such a good recovery after a difficult qualifying session and bring home some decent points.
FIA Formula 3: We have a one-week break and then we are back for another triple header. In what mind are you, ahead of the next part of the season?
David: I think that we have had a good first part of the season. I think that the first round could have gone a little better, but I was not in perfect shape, in the mind, as I had gone a long time without being in the F3 car, without any test days or anything. So, I was jumping in cold a little bit. The second round at the Red Bull Ring was really good though. We had a bit of bad luck in Qualy here this weekend, but we were able to fight back and score points and a race win is always really nice - my first in FIA F3. It is nice to be able to take a big trophy home. For the second part of the season, I am really confident. Maybe in the rain we have to improve a little bit, the tyre pressure, the chassis, we will analyse where. In the dry we have really good pace, and at Silverstone, Trident were really fast last year, so I think we can repeat that or make it even better and score good points.
FIA Formula 3: Oscar, P2 today in an action packed, eventful race, how was it in the car for you?
Oscar Piastri: It was pretty hectic. I got a pretty good start and made up a position or two. Our pace was really quick, but I think I overheated the tyres a bit, so the safety car was very helpful for me. I got stuck behind a couple of people at various points and I got stuck behind Dennis and David at the end. I knew that Bent had a penalty, so I was trying to get past them as quickly as I could, but David was really quick. When I got past Dennis, we were super-fast and I was quite annoyed that the last safety car came out, as I felt like we had the pace to catch David. Two second places in a weekend is certainly good though, and I think that I got the fastest lap as well. I think that is three fastest laps on Sundays so far, so I seem to be making that a thing. Very positive, and I am looking forward to a bit of a break for a week.
FIA Formula 3: You wrap up part one of this very condensed Championship season, and have a week off, where you can relax a little bit. How will you start part two of the Championship?
Oscar: I will go back to the UK now and will also do some preparation with PREMA, so I will still be busy in the week off. I will go back to the UK though and luckily my apartment in the UK is only half an hour from Silverstone, so I can stay home for the whole two weeks. It will be nice to have two home away from home races. I am really looking forward to Silverstone, I had a good run there last year, and it is one of my favourite tracks.
FIA Formula 3: You are leading the standings at the moment, who do you see as your toughest competition for the remainder of the season?
Oscar: I think that both my PREMA teammates will still be incredibly strong. Obviously, Fred {Vesti} didn’t have the best of weekends, he was very unlucky. Theo Pourchaire has had a really good run in the last couple of races, so he could be strong, but to be honest, I am expecting my teammates to be the strongest competition.
FIA Formula 3: Dennis, P3 today, your first podium in FIA F3, how are you feeling right now?
Dennis Hauger: I am quite happy. I think that it could have been better, and we had the pace to be P1. I had mega pace at the beginning, but then I struggled towards the middle and the end. Overall, I can't really say too much, I am happy with it, and I have just got to keep progressing. I think that we made a step forward this weekend, both myself as a driver and ourselves as a team. To be a rookie and come on the podium is positive and I have just got to look forward to Silverstone and keep pushing.
FIA Formula 3: You made a strong start and were then leading for a part of the race, what was missing today for you to have finished even higher?
Dennis: I think that in the beginning and middle of the race we had really good pace, but then I started to struggle with the tyres and that ruined it a bit for me. I think that I have got to learn from this and hopefully we can make it better for the next race.
FIA Formula 3: It has not been an easy season for Hitech so far, it was been tricky. There has been a win for Liam, but things didn't go his way this weekend and at times they haven't gone your way either. How confident are you that together as a team, you can progress in the next part of the Championship?
Dennis: It wasn't the best beginning, in Qualifying especially we struggled a bit at the Red Bull Ring, but I think we are building up more and more now and the pace is getting better and better. Going into Silverstone we will keep working as a team and hopefully we can get some more points and podiums. Hopefully, I can be on the top step of the podium next.