#1 Dennis Hauger (NOR – Prema Dallara Mecachrome)
FIA F3 Championship position: 1st – 152 points – after 12 of 21 races
#4 Jack Doohan (AUS – Trident Dallara Mecachrome)
FIA F3 Championship position: 2nd– 89 points – after 12 of 21 races
Dennis Hauger has a handsome 63 point lead in the FIA F3 championship as the teams arrive in the Ardennes with nine races remaining. The 18-year-old Norwegian’s closest rival is fellow Red Bull Junior Jack Doohan and the 18-year-old Australian is well capable of taking the battle to him.
The rest of the Juniors are in their first F3 season and Jak Crawford, Jonny Edgar and Ayumu Iwasa are all up for the unique challenge in Belgium.
Hauger enjoys the circuit
“I’ve only had one race weekend at Spa, last year in F3, but the track itself I’ve always enjoyed driving on,” enthuses the Prema driver.
“I think it’s going to be interesting to see what happens, with the slipstream and all on the long straights. This has a big effect in F3 so there is always something happening in the race especially but also in the Qualifying, making sure you have the right space to the guy in front to put the best lap together using the slipstream. It’s going to be interesting to see how that plays out.”
“The track is really cool, it’s long, a lot of hight speed and a lot of combinations so I am very much looking forward to it, it’s very cool to be racing there.”
“I’ve seen the forecast and it looks like it’s a bit up and down, it’s been like that a few other race weekends so… if it’s wet it’s wet, if it’s dry it’s dry, just get on with it.”
Doohan concentrating on his own plan
“I’m really looking forward to the weekend, obviously I’m looking to pick up as many points as possible,” explains the Trident driver. “It would be amazing to put it on pole and to finish on the top step but I think we just need to take it one session at a time and not worry about the championship.”
“There is a big points deficit but I don’t think it would be the right approach to just think 100% about closing that gap. If it happens then all well and good but I think we need just to focus on ourselves.”
“I like the circuit, I think we should have things sorted after the last couple of rounds and we should be in a good position. All the prep went well and I am feeling good.”
“Qualifying is obviously important but there are passing opportunities so you can afford to start from the second or third row at worse. I’m happy with whatever the weather does, just try and adapt and perform the best.”
Spa weekend schedule – all times CEST
Friday 27th August
10:05 – Practice (45 minutes)
13:55 – Qualifying (30 minutes)
Saturday 28th August
10:05 – Race 1 (17 Laps or 40 Mins)
17:55 – Race 2 (17 Laps or 40 Mins)
Sunday 29th August
10:40 – Race 3 (17 Laps or 40 Mins) |
