Ready for the second half of the F3 season
Hitech TGR are at the Red Bull Ring in the heart of Austria’s Styrian mountains for Round 6 of the FIA Formula 3 Championship and the start of the season’s second half.
The racing tends to come thick and fast from this point on the calendar, and the teams have been using the four-week break to consolidate the learnings of the first five races, ready for a stronger assault on the next five.
For second-year protagonist Martinius Stenshorne, this event marks a return to the scene of his second-place Sprint podium last year. He had a strong race, demonstrating good pace, and making the most of the overtaking opportunities provided by this short but punchy circuit.
For Gerrard Xie, this weekend will provide his first taste of the Red Bull Ring, while fellow Rookie Jesse Carrasquedo has raced here numerous times in different junior formulae.
At just 4.326 kms, this track is short, but packs a punch in terms of circuit characteristics. It winds its way through significant shifts in altitude, leading to spectacular inclines (max. gradient 12%) and dramatic descents (max. gradient 9.3%).
The first half of the circuit rewards power, with three straights intersected by a couple of uphill right-hand corners. It then drops downhill into a series of quick corners, including the exhilarating Rindt right-hander, named after Austria’s first F1 Champion.
While the weather can be unpredictable in the mountains, the forecast is for perfect conditions for the season to resume following a four-week mid-season hiatus.
Although the track surface is very abrasive, there is plenty of grip, as the track is used regularly. The long straights provide a number of overtaking opportunities, notably down the inside of Turn 3 or a DRS pass into Turn 4.
Paul Bellringer, Hitech’s F3 Team Manager:
“Despite the four-week break in track action, we’ve been hard at work back at base evaluating the first half of the season and setting ourselves up for a stronger second half of the season.”
Paul continued:
“Martinius had a phenomenal Sprint Race here last year, and he will be looking for a repeat performance this weekend. For Gerrard, another new circuit, but Monaco showed that once he settles in and finds his groove, he can make it his own. This will be Jesse’s second race with the team and in F3 machinery, but we were really impressed with how well he adjusted in Barcelona, and he has the advantage here of having raced at this track previously in multiple different categories.
‘We’re optimistic for the next half of the campaign, and that we can strengthen our position in both the Drivers’ and Teams’ Standings.”
The action in Austria gets underway on Friday with Free Practice at 09:55, followed by Qualifying at 15:00.
The first of the two races – the 21-lap Sprint – is scheduled for 10:05 on Saturday, while Sunday’s 26-lap Feature Race begins at 08:30 local.