The calendar features further six races and Daniel Ticktum (Motopark), currently leader in the drivers’ championship, must fear to lose his lead as Mick Schumacher (PREMA Theodore Racing), his toughest rival, closed the gap to Ticktum prior to the Austrian FIA Formula 3 European Championship race meeting to just three points. And at the 4.318-kilometre Red Bull Ring, the German who won all the three races at the Nürburgring wants to keep on pushing to take the lead.

19-year old Mick Schumacher likes Spielberg and demonstrated in the pre-season tests that he knows how to be fast at the F1 circuit in Styria by securing the top position on the time sheets on the second day of testing. On the other hand, Daniel Ticktum, 19 years old like Schumacher, also knows how to shine in Austria. In the tests held in March he was the quickest on day one, just a thousandth of a second ahead of Schumacher.

Schumacher currently is in great shape and secured a total of six race wins in the past four race meetings. His triumph at Spa-Francorchamps was followed further wins at Silverstone, Misano and the three wins at the Nürburgring. Red-Bull-Junior Ticktum, however, celebrated the last of his four wins to date in mid-August at Silverstone.

Meanwhile, Ferdinand Habsburg (Carlin) will be the driver who has got the fondest memories of last year’s FIA Formula 3 European Championship weekend at the Red Bull Ring. The only Austrian on the international FIA F3 European Championship grid came fourth in that race meeting and was pipped in the battle for the podium. This year, the 21-year old wants to make it to the top 10.

Ferdinand Habsburg (Carlin): “I’m looking forward to racing at Spielberg. I like the circuit, the environment and the hospitableness of the people. I think that the Spielberg region with its circuit is a perfect ambassador for Austria. I’m not happy with my season so far as the results don’t match the relatively high expectations. I certainly am not yet perfect as a driver but our car also isn’t optimum. But there’s still hope that I will secure a good result in my home meeting, with the necessary dose of luck.”