Lance Stroll scores a hat-trick of wins in the season finale
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| Stroll wins for 3rd time |
With a hat-trick of wins in the season finale, Lance Stroll (Prema Powerteam) is bowing out of the FIA Formula 3 European Championship. In the third race at the 4.574 kilometers long Hockenheimring Baden-Wurttemberg, the development driver of the Williams Formula 1 team claimed victory from Joel Eriksson (Motopark) and Jake Hughes (Carlin). Yesterday, Swedish driver Eriksson had already sealed the title for the best rookie of the year while Briton Hughes was making his debut in the FIA Formula 3 European Championship at Hockenheim. With his podium finish, he also made the series' return of his Carlin team a successful one.
The final race of the season got underway with a nice duel for the lead, a position that Joel Eriksson still held after the start. His challenger Lance Stroll, however, was determined to get past the Swede and overtook him on lap two. A little bit later, Brazilian Sergio Sette Camara (Motopark) had to defend his fourth place against charging rivals. On lap twelve, Jake Hughes finally managed to overtake him while the member of the Red Bull Junior team lost another position to Alexander Sims (HitechGP) one lap later. Sette Camara eventually managed to bring his sixth place home.
Out in front, Lance Stroll drove an undisputed victory home, ahead of Joel Eriksson. Jake Hughes claimed the final podium slot after successfully having put his rival Nick Cassidy (Prema Powerteam) under pressure during the closing laps of the race and finally having overtaken him on the penultimate lap. Alexander Sims, Sergio Sette Camara, Ben Barnicoat (HitechGP), Ralf Aron (Prema Powerteam), Maximilian Gunther (Prema Powerteam) and Anthoine Hubert (Van Amersfoort Racing) rounded out the top ten.
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| Stroll (C) celebrates his hat-trick |
Lance Stroll (Prema Powerteam): This weekend was really good. After starting from fourth place, I didn't really expect a victory, but my start was very good already. Then I saw a chance against Joel and overtook him. My car was great and I was able to keep a good rhythm until the end. The final weekend has been great fun and I could hardly have hoped for more than a hat-trick of wins. All in all, my two years in the FIA Formula 3 European Championship have been very nice, I really have enjoyed them. They passed really quickly. The FIA Formula 3 European Championship is a great championship with very good drivers and teams.
Joel Eriksson (Motopark): My start was good, but Lance made an even better one. On the opening lap, I was still able to keep my lead, but on lap two, Lance went past. He was simply faster than I. After that, I safely brought my second place home. All in all, I am happy with this weekend.
Jake Hughes (Carlin): This was my first weekend in the FIA Formula 3 European Championship. In qualifying, things were already going really well with third, second and another second place. In this race, I made a mistake in the opening stages, so that I dropped back to fifth. Then, I first managed to overtake Sergio Sette Camara and later also Nick Cassidy. My car ran perfectly and my team Carlin has done a really great job. On Friday, I made my FIA Formula 3 European Championship debut with only four days of testing in a Formula 3 car under my belt and I was able to go the speed straight away. I think that says all about the performance that Carlin has shown on its return in the FIA Formula 3 European Championship.