Felix went from seventh on the grid to fifth by the chequered flag in the first of this weekend’s three FIA Formula 3 European Championship races at the Hockenheim finale.
Felix got away well off the line, immediately passing 2014 champion Esteban Ocon for sixth with a bold move into the first corner. As the field bunched up at the apex of the Spitzkehre hairpin further around the opening lap, however, the Frenchman snuck back ahead, only for Felix to finally settle the dispute as he reclaimed the position once and for all in the Mercedes Arena.
In grabbing sixth from Ocon, Felix also swept past Jordan King for fifth, a position he would then maintain throughout the race.
Max Verstappen converted pole position into a 3.7-second victory over Lucas Auer, with Carlin duo Tom Blomqvist and Antonio Giovinazzi taking third and fourth respectively ahead of Felix.
The second race of the weekend takes place later today (starting at 16.10 local time), with Felix set to start from fifth on the grid.
FELIX:
”Good points to start off the weekend. It was quite an average race – not fantastic, not bad – and it pretty much settled in after the first lap. It will certainly help to start a bit further up the grid in the final two races, and my aim for the rest of this weekend remains clear; I want to return to the podium.”
RESULTS
| Pos. | No | Driver | Laps | Time | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 30 | Max Verstappen / NED Van Amersfoort Racing | 22 | 34:20.525 | |
| 2 | 3 | Lucas Auer / AUT kfzteile24 Mücke Motorsport | 22 | 34:24.308 | +03.783 |
| 3 | 31 | Tom Blomqvist / GBR Jagonya Ayam with Carlin | 22 | 34:30.668 | +10.143 |
| 4 | 19 | Antonio Giovinazzi / ITA Jagonya Ayam with Carlin | 22 | 34:32.184 | +11.659 |
| 5 | 27 | Felix Rosenqvist / SWE kfzteile24 Mücke Motorsport | 22 | 34:34.992 | +14.467 |
| 6 | 5 | Jordan King / GBR Carlin | 22 | 34:36.785 | +16.260 |
| 7 | 2 | Esteban Ocon / FRA Prema Powerteam | 22 | 34:39.147 | +18.622 |
| 8 | 16 | Gustavo Menezes / USA Van Amersfoort Racing | 22 | 34:42.667 | +22.142 |
| 9 | 21 | Félix Serrallés / USA Team West-TecF3 | 22 | 34:48.044 | +27.519 |
| 10 | 20 | Sean Gelael / INA Jagonya Ayam with Carlin | 22 | 34:51.184 | +30.659 |
| 11 | 4 | Roy Nissany / ISR kfzteile24 Mücke Motorsport | 22 | 34:53.615 | +33.090 |
| 12 | 18 | Tatiana Calderón / COL Jo Zeller Racing | 22 | 34:58.199 | +37.674 |
| 13 | 6 | Edward Jones / UAE Carlin | 22 | 34:59.793 | +39.268 |
| 14 | 25 | Antonio Fuoco / ITA Prema Powerteam | 22 | 35:01.579 | +41.054 |
| 15 | 28 | Jake Dennis / GBR Carlin | 22 | 35:02.753 | +42.228 |
| 16 | 32 | Nick Cassidy / NZL ThreeBond with T-Sport | 22 | 35:07.056 | +46.531 |
| 17 | 26 | Dennis van de Laar / NED Prema Powerteam | 22 | 35:11.124 | +50.599 |
| 18 | 17 | Sandro Zeller / SUI Jo Zeller Racing | 22 | 35:21.852 | +1:01.327 |
| 19 | 10 | Santino Ferrucci / USA Fortec Motorsports | 22 | 35:23.833 | +1:03.308 |
| 20 | 11 | Richard Goddard / AUS ThreeBond with T-Sport | 22 | 35:24.401 | +1:03.876 |
| 21 | 12 | Alexander Toril / ESP ThreeBond with T-Sport | 22 | 35:25.591 | +1:05.066 |
| 22 | 15 | Jules Szymkowiak / NED Van Amersfoort Racing | 21 | 34:44.276 | 1L |
| NOT CLASSIFIED | |||||
| – | 29 | Stefano Coletti / MCO Eurointernational | 0 | ||
| – | 22 | Wing Chung Chang / MAC Team West-Tec F3 | 0 | ||
| – | 8 | Michele Beretta / ITA Eurointernational | 0 | ||