Felix Rosenqvist keeps chances for the title with furious catch up races at the F3 European Champion
It has been an emotional rollercoaster for the Team kfzteile24 Mücke Motorsport from Berlin and their contender for the title Felix Rosenqvist at the second to last season event of the Formula 3 European Championship last weekend (11th to 13th of October) in Vallelunga (Italy). The qualifying for the races 25 and 26 on the 4.085 km long track ended early for the Swede due to a damaged wheel suspension (he drove across a curb in a bad angle) and he started from the end of the field (position 27) in both runs. At the second qualifying for the 27th race he scored the 13th position when the Italian overall leader Raffaele Marciello (both Dallara Mercedes) seemed to be on course for an early championship title with his two pole positions at his home race.
But Felix Rosenqvist plowed himself through the whole field with furious catch up races and finished in the top ten on position ten, nine and six. Now the decision of the championship title winner will definitely be made at the season finale coming weekend (18th to 20th of October) on the Hockenheimring Baden-Württemberg. The Mücke pilot is 45.5 points behind Marciello, who scored two wins and one outage in Vallelunga. There are still 75 points left at the final races 28 to 30 of the Formula 3 European Championship. But one thing is for sure: Come hell or high water in Hockenheim, the 21 year old can’t be pushed off the second position in the rankings anymore and will at least be vice champion.
„The championship title is still possible for Felix, even if it will be tough. But a few racing weekends already showed that a lot can happen“, team principal Peter Mücke said. „We got the maximum out of the races in Vallelunga despite the bad starting situation – with a great performance of the car and the driving abilities of Felix, who raced at the limit. And our other drivers found their way from race to race at the premiere on the Italian race track as well.“ The US American Michael Lewis also finished in the point rankings in Vallelunga on position ten at the 27th race. Earlier he finished 16 th and 15th. The Mücke rookies Roy Nissany from Israel (position 22, 13 and 17) and Mitchell Gilbert from Australia (position 24, 14 and 12/all Dallara Mercedes) missed the top ten placings partly only scarse.
(Attached to this mail photos of Felix Rosenqvist and Roy Nissany as well as cars of the Mücke team in the pitlane: © Alexander Trienitz)
