Callum Ilott wins FIA Formula 3 European Championship Race3 in Monza

Callum Ilott of Prema Powerteam won the sixth race of the FIA Formula 3 European Championship season at the 5.793 kilometres long Formula 1 track in the royal park of Monza in Italy. It was the third  race at the Monza track, the first taking place on April 29, 2017 and races 2 and 3 taking place on April 30, 2017.

 The Brit finished ahead of his compatriot Lando Norris (Carlin), who was the best-placed rookie in the field. Coming in third was German Maximilian Günther (Prema Powerteam). But in the overall drivers’ standing in the FIA Formula 3 European Championship it is Swede Joel Eriksson (Motopark) who remains in the lead. Following his fourth-place finish, his margin over Lando Norris as his closest rival has now been reduced to only one point.

In race 2 earlier in the day, Joel Eriksson (Motopark) scored a victory from the two rookie drivers Lando Norris and Mick Schumacher (Prema Powerteam). Incidentally, German Mick Schumacher, the son of Formula 1 record world champion Michael Schumacher, scored his maiden overall podium finish in the FIA Formula 3 European Championship.

In race 1 the previous day which was also the fourth race of the FIA Formula 3 European Championship season, British driver Lando Norris of Carlin team defeated teammate Jehan Daruvala from India, who had started from pole position. At the 5.793 kilometres long Monza Grand Prix circuit, Austrian Ferdinand Habsburg (Carlin) finished third. While 17-year-old Norris already scored his second win of the season, 18-year-old Daruvala and 19-year-old Habsburg both scored their maiden FIA Formula 3 European Championship podium finishes in Race3.

Coming to the final race (Race3) at Monza on the second day, Joel Eriksson had to make do with fourth place. Ferdinand Habsburg (Carlin), Mick Schumacher (Prema Powerteam) and Pedro Piquet (Van Amersfoort Racing) secured fifth, sixth and seventh place in that order, all of them having managed to overtake Ralf Aron (Hitech Grand Prix). The Estonian eventually finished eighth ahead of Jehan Daruvala (Carlin) and Guanyu Zhou, who dropped back to tenth.

While in Race 1 the previous day Jehan managed a podium, coming in 2^nd, in Race 2 he slipped to 8^th and then to 9^th position in Race 3 at Monza.

 “In the first two races, we were still having some problems. In the third race, however, things were going better after we had made some changes on the brakes. Especially in the early stages, my wheels were regularly locking up under braking. Later on, I managed to pull a slight gap ahead of my rivals. Compared to Lando, I was faster in the second sector, so that I was able to keep my margin at a consistent level for a long time,” said Callum Ilott (Prema Powerteam after the race.