Event: 10 Hockenheim
Session: Qualifying 1
Track: Hockenheimring / DEU
Pole position: Callum Ilott (Prema Powerteam)
Weather: sunny, 19.8 °C

Callum Ilott (Prema Powerteam, 1m31.646s) already having been fastest in free practice, the Brit also turned out to be unbeatable in qualifying of the FIA Formula 3 European Championship. Ilott’s compatriot Lando Norris (Carlin, 1m31.805s), points’ leader in the FIA Formula 3 European Championship standings and therefore the main favourite for the title, ended up second from Swede Joel Eriksson (Motopark, 1m31.811s) and Jehan Daruvala (Carlin, 1m31.853s) from India. German Maximilian Günther (Prema Powerteam, 1m32.075s), the last remaining rival for Norris in the battle for the title, had to make do with twelfth place.

Qualifying turned into a duel, in which Lando Norris and Callum Ilott battled for first place. The two continuously alternated in the lead until the more experienced Ilott eventually came out on top and was classified first ahead of rookie driver Norris. Ilott may no longer have a chance of winning the FIA Formula 3 European Championship title, but he still is in a position to topple Maximilian Günther from second place in the drivers’ standings. Next to Ilott, BMW junior driver Joel Eriksson is also still in contention for second place in the final drivers’ standings. The Swede got himself into a good position in first qualifying while Maximilian Günther, who is currently holding second place in the standings, concluded qualifying in twelfth position.

Fourth place in qualifying went to Jehan Daruvala, the last remaining rival for McLaren junior driver Norris in the battle for the title of best rookie. The Indian, who is backed by the Force India Formula 1 team, demoted his team-mate Ferdinand Habsburg (Carlin, 1m31.914s) to fifth. Honda protégé Tadasuke Makino (Hitech Grand Prix, 1m31.915s), Pedro Piquet (Van Amersfoort Racing, 1m31.930s), Jake Hughes (Hitech Grand Prix, 1m31.935s), Force India protégé Nikita Mazepin (Hitech Grand Prix, 1m31.989s) and Ferrari junior driver Guanyu Zhou (Prema Powerteam, 1m32.015s) rounded out the top ten.

Callum Ilott (Prema Powerteam): “The second free practice was very good already. For qualifying, we didn’t make many changes on the car and it worked pretty well again. Throughout the session, it has been quite close, but on the final lap, I was able to improve once more. I am very happy with first place and I hope to continue like this in the next sessions.”