Event: 08 Nürburgring
Session: Race 3
Track: Nürburgring sprint circuit / DEU
Pole position: Callum Ilott (Prema Powerteam)
Race winner: Lando Norris (Carlin)
Weather: sunny, slightly clouded, 14.4 °C

At the 3.629 kilometres long Nürburgring sprint circuit, Lando Norris (Carlin) extended his lead in the FIA Formula 3 European Championship drivers’ standings. The Brit scored his ninth victory of the season and now has an advantage of 73 points from Maximilian Günther (Prema Powerteam), who is second in the drivers’ standings. Next to McLaren protégé Norris, British driver Jake Hughes (Hitech Grand Prix) and Estonian Ralf Aron (Hitech Grand Prix) stood on the podium for the prize-giving ceremony.

The third FIA Formula 3 European Championship race at the Nürburgring had a turbulent start. Callum Ilott (Prema Powerteam) took the lead from Norris and Hughes while Guanyu Zhou (Prema Powerteam) and Ferdinand Habsburg (Carlin) collided in the first corner. For both drivers involved in the accident, the race was over and the safety car was deployed. Also on the opening lap, there was contact between Joey Mawson (Van Amersfoort Racing) and Tadasuke Makino (Hitech Grand Prix), after which both drivers had to turn into the pits for quick repair works on their cars.

Racing resumed on lap four and Norris overtook Ilott. Later on, the Prema driver lost further positions and he was fourth at the end of the fifth lap. Further down, meanwhile, newcomer Max Defourny (Van Amersfoort Racing) overtook David Beckmann (Motopark) and moved up into the top ten. The Belgian gained another position as Nikita Mazepin (Hitech Grand Prix) had a brief excursion into the gravel trap and he eventually finished ninth.

Further up, Lando Norris was first across the line from Jake Hughes and Ralf Aron. Callum Ilott took the chequered flag in fourth from Jehan Daruvala (Carlin), Harrison Newey (Van Amersfoort Racing), Maximilian Günther and Joel Eriksson (Motopark). Newcomer Sacha Fenestraz (Carlin) claimed the point for finishing tenth.

Lando Norris (Carlin): “My start wasn’t particularly good, but my opponents around me weren’t much better. I wanted to overtake Callum on the opening lap, but I didn’t manage until the safety car came out. Right after the restart, I got past. Because I wanted to avoid a collision with him, I briefly came off the track. I am very happy with the victory and the 25 points.”

Jake Hughes (Hitech Grand Prix): “My start wasn’t good, enabling Ralf to attack me in the first corner, but I was able to stay in front. After the safety car had left the track again, I overtook Callum and I was second. For Hitech Grand Prix, the Nürburgring weekend was the best of the entire season so far. We have been working hard for this and I hope that it will now continue like that.”

Ralf Aron (Hitech Grand Prix): “I had a good start and I even was almost able to overtake Jake. Because of the pit stops by Tadasuke Makino and Joey Mawson, I was third after five laps. For me, this position wasn’t good enough, so I wanted to close up to the drivers in front of me. I made a slight mistake while doing so and got my tyres dirty. After that, I had no more opportunity to attack Jake and Lando. Our speed was similar and when nobody is making a mistake, you don’t have a chance in such a situation. Unfortunately, nobody but me made a mistake in this trio, so it didn’t particularly help me…”