Motorsports Mondial
Swede Sixteen
Photo: F3 Euro Series
Masters of Formula 3 at Zandvoort. Drivers from various F3 championships compete annually in this event, much like the celebrated end of season Macau race. The track between the sand dunes saw success for Swede Rosenqvist on Sunday.
Felix Rosenqvist has become the first Swedish driver to take victory in the prestigious Masters of Formula 3 at Zandvoort. German Marco Wittmann was second and podium was completed by Kevin Magnussen of Denmark.
Sunday’s event at the Dutch seaside track saw Spaniard Roberto Merhi take pole position for Prema Power Team. His compatriot and teammate Daniel Juncadella shared the front with him, but the two tangled at the start after Merhi pulled a Schuey-on-Rubinho ala Hungaroring on Juncadella. Merhi was able to continue but Juncadella’s day was done before the first turn.
Rosenqvist raced through the rubble to grab the lead which he would never surrender.
Photo: F3 Euro Series
Pole sitter and F3 Euro Series championship leader Roberto Merhi with fellow Spaniard and Rally ‘machismo’ Carlos Sainz.
Marco Witmann, driving for the French Signature team and once under the wings of Willi Weber, was second but could not find the speed to challenge Rosenqvist.
Third placed man Kevin Magnussen was happy to be on the podium in his first appearance in the Masters for Formula 3 with UK-based Carlin team.
Local driver Nigel Melker, also racing in GP3 this season, delighted the over 45,000 Dutch fans by finishing fourth.
Merhi was able to continue after his collision with Juncadella and finished the race in ninth position, but was then disqualified for his aggressive start. All was not lost as Wittmann’s second place enabled the Spanish driver to claim the first FIA F3 Trophy.
Photo: F3 Euro Series
Zandvoort. Fort on the sand. The former Grand Prix venue saw the first win for Swede Jo Bonnier and BRM in 1959; Graham Hill also scored his first win here in 1962, also in a BRM; James Hunt held off Niki Lauda in 1975 for his maiden win; and victory in 1978 by Mario Andretti was the last F1 win by an American driver.
19-year old Rosenqvist, who races for Berlin-based Mücke Motorsport, said after winning the biggest race of his career, “Winning the Masters is great. Of course, I beneifited from Roberto Merhi and Daniel Juncadella crashing, but I would rather have beaten them on the track. After the start, I was able to pull a gap on the drivers behind me and control the race.”
Christian Klien was the last Mücke driver to win the Masters of F3 back in 2003.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DD3CMyzCRfM
— Nasir Hameed
Greetings and Masterly regards.