Felix was self-critical after dropping from first to sixth in the opening FIA Formula 3 European Championship race of the weekend at the Norisring on Saturday morning.
Felix was leading the race from pole position in the early stages, but then dropped back following a series of safety car restarts. He accidentally pressed the pit speed limiter – positioned on the steering wheel – on two occasions, allowing his rivals to blast past, and was then unable to fight back as a lack of straightline speed did little to help matters.
Felix eventually came home sixth behind Britain’s Jake Dennis, while Max Verstappen won from championship leader Esteban Ocon, the duo both muscling their way past Felix following the second safety car restart.
Qualifying for tomorrow’s second and third races will be staged later this afternoon.
[yes_list]
- Felix: pole lap “almost perfect”
- Video: Norisring track guide
- Gallery: the latest pictures from Germany
[/yes_list]
FELIX:
“A poor race, and I have to take responsibility for it. There was nothing I could do about the lack of straightline speed, but I did make life too easy for Esteban (Ocon) when he overtook me and then I accidentally pressed the pit speed limiter twice. That button has given me similar problems in the past, but at the end of the day, I know it’s there and I am the one driving the car.
“The other teams have different solutions and we might have to look at that as well.
“I think we had the outright pace to win today if I’d been allowed to break free in the beginning without safety cars, but it wasn’t to be. I am my own harshest critic, and today wasn’t good enough. We’ll give it another go in qualifying this afternoon.”
RESULTS
Pos. | No | Driver | Laps | Time | Gap |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 30 | Max Verstappen / NED Van Amersfoort Racing | 37 | 35:15.791 | |
2 | 2 | Esteban Ocon / FRA Prema Powerteam | 37 | 35:16.916 | 1.125 |
3 | 3 | Lucas Auer / AUT kfzteile24 Mücke Motorsport | 37 | 35:19.223 | 3.432 |
4 | 1 | Nicholas Latifi / CAN Prema Powerteam | 37 | 35:22.255 | 6.464 |
5 | 28 | Jake Dennis / GBR Carlin | 37 | 35:22.804 | 7.013 |
6 | 27 | Felix Rosenqvist / SWE kfzteile24 Mücke Motorsport | 37 | 35:23.478 | 7.687 |
7 | 4 | Roy Nissany / ISR kfzteile24 Mücke Motorsport | 37 | 35:25.020 | 9.229 |
8 | 21 | Félix Serrallés / USA Team West-TecF3 | 37 | 35:26.856 | 11.065 |
9 | 20 | Sean Gelael / INA Jagonya Ayam with Carlin | 37 | 35:28.007 | 12.216 |
10 | 31 | Tom Blomqvist / GBR Jagonya Ayam with Carlin | 37 | 35:28.669 | 12.878 |
11 | 9 | Mitchell Gilbert / AUS Fortec Motorsports | 37 | 35:31.191 | 15.400 |
12 | 29 | Santino Ferrucci / USA Eurointernational | 37 | 35:37.623 | 21.832 |
13 | 22 | Hector Hurst / GBR Team West-TecF3 | 37 | 35:37.793 | 22.002 |
14 | 17 | Sandro Zeller / SUI Jo Zeller Racing | 37 | 35:38.273 | 22.482 |
15 | 10 | John Bryant-Meisner / SWE Fortec Motorsports | 37 | 35:38.617 | 22.826 |
16 | 12 | Alexander Toril / ESP ThreeBond with T-Sport | 37 | 35:48.567 | 32.776 |
17 | 11 | Richard Goddard / AUS ThreeBond with T-Sport | 37 | 35:49.759 | 33.968 |
18 | 15 | Jules Szymkowiak / NED Van Amersfoort Racing | 33 | 32:30.326 | 4L |
NOT CLASSIFIED | |||||
– | 8 | Michele Beretta / ITA Eurointernational | 30 | 29:47.088 | 7L |
– | 5 | Jordan King / GBR Carlin | 27 | 27:31.359 | 10L |
– | 18 | Tatiana Calderón / COL Jo Zeller Racing | 16 | 16:25.826 | 21L |
– | 19 | Antonio Giovinazzi / ITA Jagonya Ayam with Carlin | 15 | 15:13.589 | 22L |
– | 16 | Gustavo Menezes / USA Van Amersfoort Racing | 5 | 5:17.590 | 32L |
– | 25 | Antonio Fuoco / ITA Prema Powerteam | 5 | 5:17.919 | 32L |
– | 26 | Dennis van de Laar / NED Prema Powerteam | 0 | 00.000 | 37L |
– | 14 | Felipe Guimaraes / BRA Double R Racing | 0 | 00.000 | 37L |