Season race: 32 of 33
Track: Hockenheimring Baden-Württemberg
Winner: Antonio Giovinazzi (Jagonya Ayam with Carlin)
Pole position: Antonio Giovinazzi (Jagonya Ayam with Carlin)
Weather: dry and cool

In the 32nd race of the FIA Formula 3 European Championship season at the Hockenheimring Baden-Württemberg, Antonio Giovinazzi (Jagonya Ayam with Carlin) beat his rivals and celebrated his sixth win of the season. Jake Dennis (Prema Powerteam) and Felix Rosenqvist (Prema Powerteam), who had already sealed the FIA Formula 3 European Championship title prior to the final race weekend, finished in second and third place respectively, followed by Maximilian Günther (Prema Powerteam) as the best-placed rookie and Alexander Sims (HitechGP). With his victory, Giovinazzi also secured runner-up spot in the final FIA Formula 3 European Championship drivers’ standings.

Having started from pole position, Antonio Giovinazzi took the lead, but had to fend off an attack by Jake Dennis. Felix Rosenqvist, Maximilian Günther and Alexander Albon (Signature) followed in third to fifth place. Only one lap later, the Thai driver slid into the tyre stacks in the first corner, causing the first safety car intervention. Directly after the restart on lap five, Nabil Jeffri (Motopark) and Tatiana Calderón (Carlin) collided. That was sufficient reason for race control to send out the safety car a second time. After the next restart, Rosenqvist overtook Dennis for second and put race leader Giovinazzi under pressure soon after that. However, the Swede failed to find a way past the Italian and lost his second place to team-mate Dennis on lap 17.

Later on, Antonio Giovinazzi didn’t have to worry about any attacks anymore and after 21 laps, he took the chequered flag as the winner of the race. Jake Dennis finished second from his two team-mates Felix Rosenqvist and Maximilian Günther. Alexander Sims crossed the finish line in fifth place and thus repeated his result from the first race, in which he had scored the best result for his team HitechGP in the FIA Formula 3 European Championship to date. Mikkel Jensen (kfzteile24 Mücke Motorsport), Lance Stroll (Prema Powerteam), Sérgio Sette Câmara (Motopark), George Russell (Carlin) and Markus Pommer (Motopark) rounded out the top ten.

The battle for runner-up spot in the drivers’ standings now having been decided in Antonio Giovinazzi’s favour and Jagonya Ayam with Carlin having sealed second place in the teams’ standings behind Prema Powerteam, the duel for second place in the rookie standings behind Charles Leclerc (Van Amersfoort Racing) remains open. Tomorrow, George Russell will be starting the final race of the year with an advantage of 8.5 points over Lance Stroll.

Antonio Giovinazzi (Jagonya Ayam with Carlin): “This wasn’t an easy race. I didn’t have the best of starts, but I was able to stay in first place. Then, we had two safety car interventions, during which it was almost difficult to keep the tyres at the right temperature because it was so cold. When I suddenly saw Felix in my rear-view mirror after the second restart, I became slightly nervous and I started making mistakes. Then, I decided not to look into the mirrors anymore, which was a good idea. Now, I am happy to have sealed second place in the FIA Formula 3 European Championship drivers’ standings and that I can simply enjoy the last race of the season tomorrow.”

Jake Dennis (Prema Powerteam): “My start was good and I was in front, but Antonio used more than just the width of the track and thus was able to stay in the lead, which I don’t really approve of. Later on, Felix overtook me. He was much faster and he was also able to put pressure on Antonio. When he had gearbox problems, I was able to claim back second place. In the second half of the race, my car also handled considerably better than in the first half.”

Felix Rosenqvist (Prema Powerteam): “After the second safety car intervention, I first overtook Jake and I already was able to put Antonio under pressure for the lead two laps later. I had almost gone past, but only almost. Then, I suddenly had a gearbox problem. Jake overtook me again and I was lucky that the race was over soon after that.”