Race Report

Formula 1 British Grand Prix 2015
GP3 SERIES

Circuit: Silverstone (GB), Length 5.901 km, 4^th/5^th July 2015, Rounds 5 & 6
www.silverstone.co.uk

JENZER MOTORSPORT 2015:
Pal Varhaug (NOR), Mathéo Tuscher (CH) and Ralph Boschung (CH)

First podium for Boschung in Silverstone

The GP3 Series reconvened on the demanding Silverstone Circuit, racing as one of the support races for the Formula 1 British Grand Prix. This was their third outing supporting the 2015 Grand Prix Programme. Already in free practice on Friday it was clear that the 24-car strong field would produce a very close fight for positions.

Race One Qualifying

Saturday, 04/07/15, 08.45 – 09.15, Weather: Sunny, 19°C

Free practice on Friday evening took place in very warm weather with the temperature at 25°C. Again the tyres were the main topic of concern, with super hard versions in use. None of the drivers could find a normal rhythm in the session, every other lap the tyres needed to be cooled down. By the end of the session Mathéo was 10^th, Pal was 11^th and Ralph was 18^th.
When the session started the sun proceeded to break through the must and the large field began an absorbing chase after ever faster lap times. Our rookie Ralph managed to claim the best place with 11^th, while Pal was 16^th. Mathéo had damaged the undertray when he went off track and ended up in 20^th.

GP3 Series

Race One (40 Minutes)

Saturday, 04/07/15, 16.20, Weather: Sunny, 25°C

The weather remained summery and everyone in the large field made a good start. All drivers were aware that it was important to follow exact instructions to keep the tyres alive throughout the longer race distance. Ralph made a good start and was in 10^th at the end of the first lap. Mathéo shot up to 13^th and Pal was now 17^th. On the third lap Mathéo managed to overtake Tunjo, which put him 12^th. Fong dropped back, and Palou returned to the pits to abandon the race. That moved Ralph up to 8^th place, Mathéo to 10^th and Pal to 16^th, During the last third of the race lap times were a little quicker throughout the field, but there was no dramatic dropping back happening as it had in the last few races. Ralph managed to come home in 8^th after a flawless run, and by doing so also secured pole position for the Sunday race. Mathéo drove cleanly and also claimed a top ten place in 10^th which provided him with a good base for the second race. Pal took the chequered flag in 16^th.

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 the finishing order in the first race.

GP3 Series

Race Two (30 Minutes)

Sunday, 05/07/15, 08.25, Weather: Overcast, 18°C

Ralph managed a good start from pole position, but despite that Ceccon and Ocon both got more speed and were quickly past him. Ralph then drove an excellent race and didn’t make any mistakes. He managed to keep a good distance ahead of Eriksson, and was never under any pressure from him. The result was his first ever podium in the series. Mathéo managed to overtake Janosz at the start and then drove a clean race and claimed another good top ten place by coming home in 9^th. Pal lost several places at the start and then drove a steady race to finish 20^th.

We are now looking forward to the next race in three weeks time at the Hungaroring.

Championship standings after 6 out of 16 races:

1^st Luca Ghiotto (I), 82 points; 2^nd Marvin Kirchhofer (D), 77 points; 3^rd Esteban Ocon (F), 64 points; 4^th Emil Bernstorff (GB), 63 points; 5^th Jimmy Eriksson (FIN), 38 points; 6^th Kevin Ceccon (I), 33 points; 11^th Ralph Boschung (CH), 19 points; 16^th Mathéo Tuscher (CH), 1 point

2015 GP3 Series

For more information:

• www.gp3series.com
• www.italiaracing.net