Felix Rosenqvist brought the 2015 FIA Formula 3 European Championship to an emphatic end by winning the final race of the season at Hockenheim this weekend, scoring his 13th victory of the year.
Rosenqvist, who was crowned European Champion with a round to spare at the Nürburgring last month, won the third and final race of the weekend in Germany to become the first-ever driver to accrue more than 500 points (508) in a single FIA F3 European Championship season.
The Swede finished third in each of the opening two races at Hockenheim, where he also bagged another pole position and two fastest laps on a weekend where the main aim was otherwise to support Prema Powerteam colleague Jake Dennis’ case for an overall position inside the top three of the championship standings. Dennis (UK) ends up third in the 2015 classification, with Antonio Giovinazzi (Italy) taking second behind Rosenqvist.
“This really is the perfect way to end the season,” says Felix Rosenqvist. “It did feel a bit weird driving without basically any pressure – that rarely happens at this level – but it was never difficult to maintain focus. The most important thing this weekend was getting the best possible overall result for the team, and on that end, I’m really happy that Jake managed to get third. Going on to then win the final race of the season is just fantastic.”
Rosenqvist’s Sunday win sees him cap the season off with 15 consecutive podiums. In total in 2015, the 23-year-old has made the rostrum on 24 occasions from 33 starts, claimed 17 pole positions, and set the fastest lap in 13 of this season’s races. On all three accounts, the Swede has broken the previous FIA F3 European Championship season records, while equalling that of the greatest number of wins – 13 – set by current GP2 racer Raffaele Marciello in 2013.
“It’s been a super year, and I’m proud of what we achieved together as a team,” Rosenqvist concludes. “It’s been an important season for me to prove what I’m capable of in this new environment with Prema Powerteam, so it’s nice to have done the job. That said, and while the European Championship title was my main target this year, we still have one more task ahead of us this season, so let’s not relax just yet…”
With his European Championship campaign now completed, Felix Rosenqvist has just one final challenge ahead of him in 2015; the standalone blue-riband F3 Macau Grand Prix. Returning to the prestigious Chinese street race as defending champion on the back of his 2014 win, Rosenqvist will sport the number one on a car entered by Prema Powerteam in conjunction with Theodore Racing – the squad that famously carried Ayrton Senna to victory in the first-ever Macau F3 event in 1983.
The 2015 Macau Grand Prix takes place on November 19-22.
Season statistics – Felix Rosenqvist
FIA F3 European Championship 2015
Wins: 13 (equalled season record)
Second: Jake Dennis/Antonio Giovinazzi (6)
Podiums: 24 (new season record)
Second: Antonio Giovinazzi (20)
Pole positions: 17 (new season record)
Second: Jake Dennis (6)
Fastest laps: 13 (new season record)
Second: Charles Leclerc (6)
RESULTS (TOP FIVE)
Hockenheim (GER) | Round 11/11
Race 1
1: Lance Stroll (CAN/Prema Powerteam)
2: Jake Dennis (GBR/Prema Powerteam)
3: Felix Rosenqvist (SWE/Prema Powerteam)
4: Maximilian Günther (GER/Prema Powerteam)
5: Alexander Sims (GBR/HitechGP)
Race 2
1: Antonio Giovinazzi (ITA/Carlin)
2: Jake Dennis (GBR/Prema Powerteam)
3: Felix Rosenqvist (SWE/Prema Powerteam)
4: Maximilian Günther (GER/Prema Powerteam)
5: Mikkel Jensen (DEN/Mücke Motorsport)
Race 3
1: Felix Rosenqvist (SWE/Prema Powerteam)
2: Alexander Albon (THA/Signature)
3: Antonio Giovinazzi (ITA/Carlin)
4: Alexander Sims (GBR/HitechGP)
5: Callum Ilott (GBR/Carlin)
CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS (TOP FIVE)
After 11/11 rounds
1: Felix Rosenqvist (SWE/Prema Powerteam), 508 p.
2: Antonio Giovinazzi (ITA/Carlin), 412.5 p.
3: Jake Dennis (GBR/Prema Powerteam), 377 p.
4: Charles Leclerc (MON/Van Amersfoort Racing), 363.5 p.
5: Lance Stroll (CAN/Prema Powerteam), 231 p.