The third round of the Formula 3 championship takes place this weekend in Austria. After a win at the previous event in Paul Ricard, Arthur Leclerc is ready for this next challenge.
“We have shown we are not here to make up the numbers,” said Arthur Leclerc after taking his first Formula 3 win a fortnight ago in Paul Ricard. “Now we’re getting ready for Spielberg where I hope to be fighting for the wins again.” That win was built on a great climb up the order in Race-1 from 30th to 12th place before leading from lights to flag in the second.
First points in style. The win in France, in only his second Formula 3 event, means Leclerc broke the ice by scoring his first points, after an unlucky debut weekend at the Barcelona-Catalunya circuit. There is still a long way to go, but the Monegasque is making steady progress which is cause for optimism for the rest of the season, starting with this round in Spielberg.
Concentrating on qualifying. “It was clear from the Paul Ricard weekend that Arthur is making progress,” explained Head of the FDA, Marco Matassa. “His race pace was very good, as was his overtaking ability, particularly noticeable in Race 1, which played an important part in his climb up the order. Since then, we have worked on improving his qualifying performance, something that’s not simple for youngsters new to Formula 3. But Arthur is very focused on this aspect and we hope to see encouraging signs this weekend.”
Programme. The first free practice session starts on Friday at 9.30 CET, followed by qualifying at 13.50. Saturday features two races, one at 10.35 and the other at 17.30. The Austrian round ends with a final race on Sunday at 10.15.