Venue: Monza
Track length: 5.793 kilometres
Lap record FIA F3 EC: Pascal Wehrlein 2012 (1:44.743 minutes)
Distance: 19 laps

This weekend, the field even features 35 young guns. With Antonio Giovinazzi (Jagonya Ayam with Carlin), an Italian currently is holding the championship lead and it goes without saying that he is keen on defending this position, in his home races. But doing so will be anything but easy as the competition is tough, with rookie Charles Leclerc (Van Amersfoort Racing) and the two experienced F3 drivers Jake Dennis (Prema Powerteam) and Felix Rosenqvist (Prema Powerteam) representing a possible threat for the championship leader.

Two of the aforementioned four drivers already were on the Monza grid of the FIA Formula 3 European Championship debut weekend in 2013: Antonio Giovinazzi and Felix Rosenqvist. While the Swede came close to securing a podium by finishing fourth in race two, the Italian failed to make it to the top 10, in his first Formula 3 meeting. The current season, however, has taken a far more successful course for the 21-year old from Martina Franca, Southern Italy, to date. He made it to the podium in every single race contested so far – and wants to continue this streak of success this weekend a the high-speed circuit located not far from the Italian metropolis Milan. At the tradition-rich circuit built back in 1922, engine power is crucial and in addition, you will witness many slipstream battles on the long straights.

Further to Antonio Giovinazzi, his compatriots Michele Beretta (kfzteile24 Mücke Motorsport) and Alessio Lorandi (Van Amersfoort Racing) also will represent the Italian colours. 16-year old Lorandi advanced from karting right to the FIA Formula 3 European Championship, this year, and secured his first championship points in Pau. His sixth place in the first of the three races contested in Southern France was the best result in the career of the teenager from Brescia to date. His compatriot Michele Beretta is four years older but the Mücke driver residing some 30 kilometres from Monza still is waiting for scoring his first points in the 2015 season.

Furthermore, there also are two Italian teams taking on the competition: Prema Powerteam and Eurointernational. Prema Powerteam contest the 2015 season with the driver quartet Felix Rosenqvist, Jake Dennis, Lance Stroll and Brandon Maïsano while Argentina’s Facundo Regalia and Artur Janosz are racing for Eurointernational. For them it will be the first appearance on the FIA Formula 3 European Championship grid.

Antonio Giovinazzi (Jagonya Ayam with Carlin): “Two weeks before the Monza weekend I won the Grand Prix de Pau. A great success that boosted my confidence for the races in Italy. Furthermore, I’m particularly delighted with having made it to the podium in each of the nine FIA Formula 3 European Championship races contested in the 2015 season to date. Of course it would be great if I could continue this streak of success in the only Italian race meeting on the 2015 FIA Formula 3 European Championship calendar. I love the fast Monza circuit that offers drivers the opportunity to often make use of the slipstream. This means that overtaking will be possible and therefore, the qualifying sessions at Monza won’t be as crucial as at other race venues. I really would like to win all the three races but I won’t take unnecessary risks for a race win. My main goal is the championship and therefore, I won’t risk to be forced into early retirement.”