FIA European F3 Championship: Prema looking to dominate at Spa–
Track length: 6.968 kilometres–
Lap record F3ES: 2:13.738 minutes / Roberto Merhi 2011–
Distance: R1: 13 laps / R2: 8 laps / R3: 17 laps–
Winners 2011: Roberto Merhi, Kevin Magnussen, Roberto Merhi–
The Formula 3 Euro Series currently is making its summer break but the single-seaters of the series are racing, nevertheless. Following the Masters of Formula 3, held in early July at Zandvoort, the cars will be back racing this weekend in the next FIA European Formula 3 Championship event. And nearly the entire Formula 3 Euro Series field will contest the three races held at the 6.986-kilometre Belgian GP circuit of Spa-Francorchamps. Italian Raffaele Marciello (Prema Powerteam) travels to the Ardennes Rollercoaster as championship leader, with his team-mate, Masters and Macau winner Daniel Juncadella, currently holding second position in the championship.
Last year, Euro Series driver Roberto Merhi dominated the Spa-Francorchamps race weekend in impressive style. The Spaniard won both long races, thus also prevailing against the British F3 Championship drivers. But Merhi – who won the Euro Series title a short time later – wasn’t the only one who secured two podiums at Spa. William Buller (Carlin) also made it to the top three in two races. In the European Formula 3 Championship, the Briton currently is holding fourth position, behind Marciello, Juncadella and his team-mate Carlos Sainz. The wins in all the 10 European Championship rounds contested to date were secured by the two Prema Powerteam drivers Marciello and Juncadella.
Raffaele Marciello (Prema Powerteam): „Many of the races in the first part of the season were held at circuits that represented virgin soil, for me. Spa-Francorchamps, however, is a circuit I already know. Therefore, I’m looking forward to racing there. Furthermore, I have fond memories of Spa as I have won Italian Formula 3 Championship rounds, there. And it goes without saying that I would love to repeat this success, on the coming weekend.”