FELIX ROSENQVIST WINS – TITLE RACE REMAINS OPEN.
After the first race of the final weekend at the 4.574 kilometres long Hockenheimring Baden-Württemberg, the title race remains open. With his second place, the best-placed rookie Pascal Wehrlein (Mücke Motorsport) came within 17 points of championship leader Daniel Juncadella (Prema Powerteam) while Raffaele Marciello (Prema Powerteam) recuded his gap to Juncadella, who dropped back with a technical problem, to 21.5 points with a third-place finish. Swede Felix Rosenqvist (Mücke Motorsport) scored a lights-to-flag victory.
Starting from pole position, Felix Rosenqvist took the lead and drove an undisputed victory home. As a reward, he was presented with the trophy by Gerhard Berger, the president of the FIA single seater commission. For a long time, Daniel Juncadella was in second place behind the Mücke driver, which would have been enough for the Spaniard to wrap up the title. However, on lap 22, he suddenly slowed down due to a technical problem and retired two laps later, already having dropped out of the top ten. Juncadella’s margin in the points’ standings over runner-up Pascal Wehrlein is now 17 points, with 35 points still at stake.
Felix Rosenqvist (Mücke Motorsport): “Initially, it wasn’t easy as my tyres needed time to get to the right temperatures. After that, I was able to control the race. Having also set the fastest lap time is good for my ego. Since Valencia, things have been going really well and finally, I am able to show what I am up to.”
Pascal Wehrlein (Mücke Motorsport): “In the opening stages, I wanted to attack Daniel Juncadella, but I had to be careful not to lose a position to Raffaele Marciello. Then, I was in a safe third place, until Daniel slowed down. In the final two races, I also want to finish on the podium and provide a good show for my friends and sponsors who are here to support me.”
Raffaele Marciello (Prema Powerteam): “My start was good and I was fourth for a long time. After Daniel Juncadella’s retirement, I even ended up third. Here, I am not as fast as on other tracks and therefore, my goal was to score as many points as possible.