On the coming weekend, the FIA Formula 3 European Championship will contest its season finale at Hockenheim. And although Lance Stroll (Prema Powerteam) already won the drivers’ championship title, some battles remain to be decided at the 4.574-kilometre long Hockenheimring Baden-Württemberg. On the one hand, the fight for the rookie of the year title is not over yet and on the other, it is still open who will finish the season as vice-champion behind Lance Stroll. And while Sweden’s Joel Eriksson (Motopark) has got the best chances of prevailing in the fight for the rookie title, Maximilian Günther (Prema Powerteam) is the favourite when it comes to securing second place in the drivers’ championship, at the German GP circuit. 

In the fight for second position in the drivers’ championship, Maximilian Günther – one of two German drivers on the grid – will have to defeat three rivals: George Russell (HitechGP), Nick Cassidy (Prema Powerteam) and Callum Ilott (Van Amersfoort Racing). While there are just two rivals who still could steal Joel Eriksson’s lead in the rookie ranking: Ralf Aron (Prema Powerteam) and Anthoine Hubert (Van Amersfoort Racing). Both Günther and Eriksson hold a comfortable lead over their main rivals, prior to the final race meeting of the season at Hockenheim, where still a maximum of 75 points can be scored. The Prema driver’s lead over Russell amounts to 36 points while the gap in the rookie standings of Aron to the leading Motopark driver even adds up to 39 points. A special motivation in the battle for the rookie title is the prize money introduced by the FIA this year. In the 2016 season, a total of €200,000 will be distributed to the rookies, with the driver who wins the rookie title being awarded €100,000 and €50,000 each will go to the drivers finishing second and third in the rookie standings.

Furthermore, the grid for the FIA Formula 3 European Championship will feature three new faces and a driver well-known from previous seasons. The three British hopefuls Lando Norris, Daniel Ticktum and Jake Hughes (all Carlin) will complete their first laps in the competitive young-gun series while their compatriot Alexander Sims (HitechGP) already has got some FIA Formula 3 European championship experience under his belt, some of which was gathered in races contested last year for HitechGP. In last year’s season finale, the experienced F3 driver came close to making it to the podium in two races but had to settle for finishing fourth and fifth, in the end.

Maximilian Günther (Prema Powerteam): “I like the circuit at Hockenheim and already celebrated several successes at this track. In last year’s season finale at Hockenheim, I contested my first races for my current squad, Prema Powerteam, what actually represented the kick-off into my successful 2016 season. The layout of the Hockenheimring is diverse and challenging. There are fast and slow corners and with the Mercedes-Arena and the Motodrom it also features two special sections. And this applies in particular to the Motodrom with its unique stadium-like atmosphere. My goal for the season finale: To secure the second place in the drivers’ championship. I will be motivated to the max, will fully focus on myself and would love to make it to the podium. Actually, I even like that the battle was taken down to the season finale. This situation keeps the tension high and makes for a thrill – and that’s one of the reasons why we are in this sport – isn’t it?”