|
Paul Ricard is the venue for the second F3 race weekend of the season and 5 Red Bull Juniors are keen to get back on track after over a month off. Dennis Hauger heads the title chase following his brilliant Race 3 win ahead of Jack Doohan in Barcelona.
Dennis Hauger heads the points table
“It’s a special track,” explains the 18-year-old Norwegian. “Especially the last sector is technical with a lot of loads going through the car, long corners. I think that will make it a bit special for the tyres, a bit more wear, especially compared to Barcelona.”
“It’s a track I haven’t driven too much, I don’t have the experience, I’ve never been there on a race weekend. So I’ve been really working hard this last week to be as well prepared as I can, time in the sim, talking it all through with the team.”
“It will be interesting, I think it is super important to keep the stability, now that I am at the top of the championship, to keep the stability and not make any mistakes like in Race 2 in Barcelona. To always be up there and keep the points.”
“Looking forward to it, I think the track is really cool and there are definitely overtaking opportunities,” added the Prema driver.
Jack Doohan on form and ready
“I’m very excited to get back into the car after quite a long break,” enthused the 18-year-old Australian Trident driver who was 2nd in Race 3 in Barcelona. “Glad to be back racing and hopefully to pick up where we left off.”
“It’s a decent track, I don’t think it is particularly a driver’s favourite, just because of how open and wide it is, the amount of run-off. But I enjoy driving it and hopefully it will bring some good racing.”
“With the long Mistral straight down the back and there are two long DRS zones so maybe it can provide some good racing and opportunities to pass without using the tyres so much.”
Jonny Edgar returns and expects more
“My first F4 race was here,” explained the 17-year-old Briton. «That went quite well but that was a long time ago so I haven’t been here for a while. I was in the sim on Monday and obviously that helps quite a bit to relearn the brake points and everything.”
“In practice I need to get up to speed as soon as possible. I need to see, hopefully the pace will be a bit better than in Barcelona. At the tests in Jerez and the Red Bull Ring we were better than we were in Barcelona which was the worst track for us so I am expecting to go better here.”
“I think we should be quicker and for Quali, try and get in the top 12, then see what I can do in the races,” asserted the Carlin driver.
Ayumu Iwasa on familiar ground
“I’m so excited because I had three rounds here last year in French F4,” enthused the 19-year-old Japanese who won the French title last season and had 3 wins, 3 2nds and a 3rd out of the 9 races at Ricard where he clinched the title.
“So I know the track very well, but of course the F3 car is very different and much more difficult than the F4 car. I have been in the Hitech and the Red Bull sim so I think I am well prepared.”
“It is a fun track for me, it is one of my favourite tracks because there are a lot of overtaking points, especially the back straight.”
Jak Crawford with recent Ricard success
“I’m excited to race here, of course I’ve got recent track experience as I did the Euroformula here a month ago,” pointed out the 16-year-old American who dominated that event with pole position, two wins, a second and three fastest laps.
“It will be fun, a different car obviously so the driving is a bit different but I like the track and I’m going to enjoy it. It will be different, obviously the competition aspect is a bit tougher.”
“Generally most of the lines are the same, the power and downforce are a bit different so I just have to adjust to that but the track layout is exactly the same.”
#1 Dennis Hauger (NOR – Prema Dallara Mecachrome)
FIA F3 Championship position: 1st – 34 points – after 3 of 21 races
#4 Jack Doohan (AUS – Trident Dallara Mecachrome
FIA F3 Championship position: 5th – 21 points – after 3 of 21 races
#25 Jonny Edgar (GBR – Carlin Dallara Mecachrome)
FIA F3 Championship position: 10th – 11 points – after 3 of 21 races
#11 Ayumu Iwasa (JAP – Hitech Dallara Mecachrome)
FIA F3 Championship position: 12th – 4 points – after 3 of 21 races
#10 Jak Crawford (USA – Hitech Dallara Mecachrome)
FIA F3 Championship position: 13th – 2 points – after 3 of 21 races
Paul Ricard weekend schedule – all times CEST
Friday 18th June
10:05 – Practice (45 minutes)
13:50 – Qualifying (30 minutes)
Saturday 19th June
10:10 – Race 1 (20 Laps or 40 Mins)
16:40 – Race 2 (20 Laps or 40 Mins)
Sunday 20th June
11:40 – Race 3 (20 Laps or 40 Mins) |
