Silverstone beckons for F3 Round 7
Round 7 - SIlverstone - Preview
Hitech TGR have hotfooted their way from the Austrian hills and back to home asphalt for Round 7 of the FIA F3 Championship at Silverstone. The team can’t wait to soak up the spectacular British Grand Prix vibes and maintain the momentum from a very successful Spielberg event, with the hope of putting on a great show for our home crowd.
With just four rounds remaining, we’ve reached a pivotal juncture in the season, where every point counts.
Last time out, Martinius Stenshorne claimed a second F3 victory and a 30-point haul that propelled him back up the Drivers’ Standings to P4 and within striking distance of a top three position come the end of the season.
Martinius Stenshorne:
“I think we can be very happy with our performance in Austria. We had great pace and did a really good job of managing the race and making the most of the overtaking opportunities. I was really happy to get my second victory - and my first Feature Race podium – and it was a really nice reward for the whole team after all the hard work. Now to keep pushing right through until the end of the season.”
Spielberg was a sensational step forward across the whole team and on Sunday alone, the drivers made up an impressive 34 places between them.
With Jesse Carrasquedo’s two-round agreement having reached its conclusion, it is Hitech GB3 driver Nikita Johnson who now steps up to the seat of car number 15, to race alongside Martinius and Gerrard Xie at the team’s home event.
Nikita made his F3 debut last week with another team, but he will continue his progress within the Hitech family for this weekend’s event.
As one of the very fast circuits, Silverstone places unique demands on the drivers, but it is pressure they relish as the track is frequently cited as one of the firm favourites on the calendar. Copse, Maggotts, Becketts and Stowe are classic high-speed corners, for which the drivers will rely on a stable car with good grip, to give them the confidence to push, particularly in Qualifying.
The primary overtaking opportunities are into Stowe, at the end of the DRS zone, while Turn 3 has witnessed some great moves under braking.
Tyre management will be a key factor throughout the weekend as the track pushes a lot of energy through the Pirelli rubber.
Paul Bellringer, Hitech's F3 Team Manager:
“The whole team is excited for our home event this weekend. There is no place quite like Silverstone and we’re determined to put on a show for the fans, consolidating all the progress we’ve made in recent weeks, back at base and on the racetrack.”
Paul continued:
“Austria was a real turning point after a more challenging start to the season, but we seem to have found a good rhythm and that is translating into podiums, points and places gained.
“We look forward to welcoming Nikita Johnson to the line-up here and judging by his debut performance last weekend, he will quickly be up to speed.”
The action gets underway on Friday 4 July with Practice at 08:45 and Qualifying at 14:00. Saturday’s 18-lap Sprint Race begins at 09:15, while the 22-lap Feature Race on Sunday will start at 09:30.