Max Verstappen unbeatable at Norisring

Max Verstappen (Van Amersfoort Racing) is the first driver to score two consecutive triple victories in the FIA Formula 3 European Championship. Following his clean sweep at Spa-Francorchamps, the 16-year-old Dutchman also won all three races at the 2.3 kilometres long Norisring in Nuremberg. Esteban Ocon (Prema Powerteam) in second place and third-placed Jordan King (Carlin) accompanied him on the podium. In the drivers’ standings, the son of ex-Formula 1 driver Jos Verstappen reduced his gap to points’ leader Esteban Ocon to 74 points.

Starting from pole position, Max Verstappen took the lead right away and turned into the first corner while leading the field. Tom Blomqvist (Jagonya Ayam with Carlin) was still second at that time, but when he took the Grundig hairpin for the first time, Jake Dennis (Carlin) collided with him. Following this accident, after which Dennis and Blomqvist retired, Felix Rosenqvist (kfzteile24 Mücke Motorsport) and Lucas Auer (kfzteile24 Mücke Motorsport) dropped to the back of the field. Earlier on, Roy Nissany (kfzteile24 Mücke Motorsport) and Jules Szymkowiak (Van Amersfoort Racing) had collided; the safety car was deployed.

At the restart on lap seven, Max Verstappen managed to hold on to his lead from Ocon and King. While the first three positions remained unchanged until the end, Santino Ferrucci (Eurointernational), Sean Gelael (Jagonya Ayam with Carlin) and Gustavo Menezes (Van Amersfoort Racing) battled for fourth place. Eventually, American youngster Ferrucci had the upper hand and scored his best result to date with fourth place on his second weekend in the FIA Formula 3 European Championship. Menezes and Gelael took the chequered flag in fifth and sixth place respectively. For Indonesian Gelael, this was also his best result of the season so far.

Antonio Giovinazzi (Jagonya Ayam with Carlin) brought seventh place home from Lucas Auer, whose recovery saw him finish eighth. Antonio Fuoco (Prema Powerteam) and Tatiana Calderón (Jo Zeller Racing) also scored championship points in ninth and tenth place respectively.

Max Verstappen (Van Amersfoort Racing): “Basically, the race was similar to the dry part of the second race. I had a good start and I was able to pull a gap quite quickly. Eventually, the only thing I still had to do was to stay out of the barriers and the walls and to bring first place home safely.”

Esteban Ocon (Prema Powerteam): “My start was good. When we drove through the Grundig hairpin for the first time, I had to open the steering to avoid a collision with Jake Dennis. He hit Tom Blomqvist and I was second after the corner. Today, Max was a little bit too quick, so I tried to control the gap to third-placed Jordan King and get the maximum score that was possible for me today by finishing second.”

Jordan King (Carlin): “It is great to be back again where I was at the start of the season: on the podium. Almost, I was even able to take second place, but third place is good, too, particularly so as I am satisfied with my lap times.”

FIA F3