Race Report

2019 Formula 1 Belgian Grand Prix
FIA F3 CHAMPIONSHIP

Circuit: Spa-Francorchamps (B), Length 7,003 km, 30^th August - 1^st September 2019, Rounds 11 & 12
www.spa-francorchamps.be

JENZER MOTORSPORT 2019:
Yuki Tsunoda (JPN), Andreas Estner (D) and Giorgio Carrara (ARG)

Tsunoda with 2^nd place podium in Spa

The 2019 FIA F3 met up for their sixth race event of a total of nine as part of the Formula 1 Belgian Grand Prix 2019 program on the legendary Spa-Francorchamps (B) circuit. Spa is one of the most challenging venues on the calendar, and is one where much overtaking is to be expected.

Race One Qualifying

Friday, 30/08/19, 17.50 – 18.20, Weather: Cloudy, 21°C

Giorgio Carrara drove our F3 racing machine here again as he has now decided to race in this category for the remainder of the season.
In free practice on Friday morning, Andreas set a very good 10^th fastest time, and Giorgio was doing well in 14^th. Yuki did not do any running on new tyres and was 20^th.
In the qualifying session on Friday evening Yuki claimed an excellent 3^rd place on the grid. Giorgio was in a decent 18^th place in the 30-car strong field and Andreas, who probably drove rather too carefully this time out, was in 26^th place.

FIA F3 Championship

Race One (40 Minutes)

Saturday, 31/08/19, 10.35, Weather: Sunny, 24°C

Yuki held on to 3^rd place at the start, but almost immediately there were several accidents and the Virtual Safety Car had to be deployed. At the restart, Pulcini shot ahead and Yuki was 4^th, though he counter-attacked immediately to dart through to claim 2^nd. Shortly afterwards Daruvala and Shwartzman began to push up ahead. About halfway through the race everything calmed down a bit, and Yuki held on to 5^th for a long time. Shortly before the end he was involved in a fight for places between four drivers who all wanted to make progress and Yuki finally crossed the finish line in an excellent 6^th place. Giorgio lost some ground at the start and was 19^th, but then he found his rhythm and after several place changes, left Kari and Drugovich behind and went on to overtake Verschoor at the end. Giorgio reached the finish after an eventful race in a very respectable 16^th place. Andreas started well and immediately made up several places, holding station in 21^st for a long time. Towards the end of the race there was more movement throughout the field and Andreas ran rather wide on one corner, which meant he dropped back and finally took the flag in 23^rd.

The grid for the second race of the weekend was set by reversing the order of the first eight finishers in the first race, with the rest of the places set according to finishing order in the first race.

FIA F3 Championship

Race Two (40 Minutes)

Sunday, 01/09/19, 11.00, Weather: Overcast, 18°C

Yuki made a good start and immediately slotted in in 2^nd place behind Armstrong. There were a few accidents and the Safety Car had to be deployed. It was a full four laps before the restart could be permitted. Yuki was well prepared and held onto 2^nd place. A little later, Lundgaard managed to pull past Yuki with the help of the DRS. However, two laps later, Yuki was able to counterattack and reclaim 2^nd place. After a hard race, Yuki came home in an excellent 2^nd place, his first podium in this category! Giorgio was not so lucky. After contact after the start, he soon had to retire with a flat tyre. Andreas held his place at the start and then moved steadily forward, finally finishing the race in 17^th place.

We look forward to the next race which will be held in just one week’s time at Monza (I).

Championship standings after 12 out of 18 races:

1^st Robert Shwartzman (RUS), 152 points; 2^nd Jehan Daruvala (IND), 129 points; 3^rd Juri Vips (EST), 122 points; 4^th Marcus Armstrong (NZ), 119 points; 5^th Christian Lundgaard (DK), 93 points; 6^th Pedro Piquet (BRA), 74 points; 10^th Yuki Tsunoda (JPN), 37 points

Yuki Tsunoda (JAP)

Andreas Estner (D)

Giorgio Carrara (ARG)

© Photo Pellegrini

2019 FIA F3 Championship

For more information:

• www.fiaformula3.com
• www.italiaracing.net