The FIA F3 International Trophy set off for a 40 minute race at the occasion of the 70th Grand Prix de Pau.
After a two year absence, the 13 entered drivers all aimed to stand out on the city circuit. Besides the stakes of this second round of the Championship, a victory at Pau is often a sign of recognition and a promising career.
On the starting grid, the young F3 drivers were all eager to be in the lead after the famous Gare turn. In pole position, German Marco Wittman of the Signature team took an excellent start which allowed him to lead the whole race. With this victory, he becomes the fourth German driver to impose himself on this circuit. He was nevertheless teased at the beginning of the race by Spaniard Roberto Mehri who did all he could to pass him.
The Signature driver finally did a runner leaving the two Prema Powerteam drivers, Roberto Mehri and Daniel Juncadella, to fight each other for the second place.
Third on the starting grid, Carlos Munoz started badly and went back to the 5th place. Belgian Laurens Vanthoor had to abandon after leaving the track in the eleventh lap and was followed shortly afterwards by Frenchman Tom Dillman because of a mechanical incident. MalaysianJazeman Jaafar of the Carlin Motorsport Team was penalised with a drive through for having overtaken dangerously. This penalty put him back to the last place.
Thanks to Marco Wittman’s win in this edition of the Grand Prix de Pau, the Signature Team distinguishes itself in Pau for the 9th time. The podium is completed by the two Spanish team-mates Roberto Mehri and Daniel Juncadella of the Team Prema Powerteam.
The Grand Prix de Pau is also the second race of the FIA F3 International Trophy. As of today, and even if the gap is getting smaller, Roberto Mehri remains leader of the Championship in front of Marco Wittman.
Marco Wittman – Signature: « What a week-end! I won, did the best time in race and the pole position. I couldn’t ask for more and it is hard to find words to explain how I feel especially in my team’s home country. It means a lot to me to have offered a historical victory to my team after our difficulties at the beginning of the season. I am very happy to have won such a prestigious race. »
