ATS Formel 3 Cup – Markus Pommer wins ahead of MacLeod and Tan
It was the weekend of Weiron Tan. The Malaysian who contests for Team Van Amersfoort Racing has cracked it. Three podium finishes in three races. Tan claimed third once again in today’s third race in the rain. Ahead of him, his team-mate Sam MacLeod took second after a furious pursuit. The Briton was only defeated by the current ATS Formula 3 Cup champion, Markus Pommer from Neckarsulm. The racing weekend in the support programme of the ADAC GT Masters at the 3.645-km Sachsenring was the penultimate event of a total of eight in the 2014 season.
Briton Sam MacLeod (Van Amersfoort Racing / Dallara F311 Volkswagen) in pole position was overtaken by almost everybody because he did not push forward fast enough at the start. That gave Markus Pommer from Neckarsulm (Lotus / Dallara F311 Volkswagen) the opportunity to break away. Malaysian Weiron Tan (Van Amersfoort Racing / Dallara F311 Volkswagen) followed suit. Dutchman Indy Dontje (Lotus / Dallara F311 Volkswagen), Nikita Zlobin from Moscow (SMP Racing by ADM Motorsport / Dallara F311 Volkswagen) and his team-mate from Brazil, Pipo Derani (ADM Motorsport / Dallara F311 Volkswagen) followed. Behind them, MacLeod drove with the knife between the teeth and started a furious pursuit.
At the top, Tan managed to close the gap to Pommer for a short while. It seems that he has cracked it now. Dontje did not manage to defend his third place and was defeated by MacLeod. He also benefited from Tan running wide and off the track. The driver from Kuala Lumpur finished third, MacLeod second and Markus Pommer, who already claimed the 2014 ATS Formula 3 Cup championship title yesterday, took first place.
The race drivers will contest the finale of the ATS Formula 3 Cup season in the support programme of the ADAC GT Masters at Hockenheimring next week.
Markus Pommer: “We reduced the air a little in the tyres before the start because the track was pretty dry compared to race 1. Therefore I was quite slow at first and managed to build a gap afterwards. Sam was suddenly behind me, I hadn’t seen him at all. So I had to put in everything in the last few laps.”
Sam MacLeod: “Following a really bad start we had a fantastic pace. I closed the gap to Markus and Weiron quickly. The tyres started to deteriorate in the last five laps. It’s a shame. But all in all, it was a strong race after a mistake at the start.”
Weiron Tan: “This race could have gone better, but Markus did a great job. He defended his pace. At first my visor started to fog up, that was challenging. Then I made a mistake in turn four. But in the end, we secured a podium finish for the team.”
ATS Formula 3 Cup rookie ranking
Indy Dontje loses one place in the overall ranking but is well on course to win the coveted crown of the 2014 rookie champion. Having scored 299 points, Sam MacLeod follows in second place, Dane Nicolai Sylvest (252 points) is third.
2014 ATS Formula 3 Cup team ranking
Lotus has won the team ranking of the ATS Formula 3 Cup with a total of 383 points scored so far. Van Amersfoort Racing takes back the second place (261 points) after a very successful weekend, leaving Motopark in third (256 points).
Points scored in the 2014 ATS Formula 3 Cup season so far (top ten):
1. Markus Pommer / GER 394
2. Nabil Jeffri / MYS 256
3. Sam MacLeod / GBR 222
4. Indy Dontje / NDL 219
5. Nicolai Sylvest / DNK 165
6. Weiron Tan / MYS 132
7. Nikita Zlobin / RUS 101
8. Andrés Méndez / COL 94
9. Maximilian Hackl / DEU 53
10. Santino Ferrucci / USA 33
Off the track
The hot topic this weekend was definitely the championship. Markus Pommer has claimed the title of the 2014 season of the German Formula 3 at the penultimate racing weekend. He follows Marvin Kirchhöfer from Leipzig, who won the championship in 2013, and Jimmy Eriksson from Sweden. The driver scored the title in 2012. Both are successfully contesting the GP3 this season and paid a visit to their former team. Three champions at once at Team Lotus. All of them won the title with the Oschersleben-based talent factory. Markus Pommer enjoys respect in the paddock. His rival, Nabil Jeffri from Team Motopark, is happy for him: “I would like to thank him. Markus is a really good team-mate and he provided me with a lot of data for comparison. He has a lot of experience, I did not expect that. But I learned so much from him and would like to thank him for that.” The Malaysian will be able to clinch the runner-up title at the next racing weekend.
The ATS Formula 3 Cup on TV
“ran Racing” on Kabel 1 will include two minutes of highlights. The magazine programme is broadcast on Monday mornings from 1.40 a.m. and is available in the media library. The ADAC GT Masters magazine features four minutes of highlights. It is broadcast on Friday, September 26th at 4 p.m. on Sport1 and on Saturday, September 27th at 4 p.m. on Sport1+. The report will also be available on the ATS Formula 3 Cup YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/f3cup.
