Alex Lynn excelled to take third place in the final round of the FIA European Formula 3 Championship and F3 Euro Series at Hockenheim.
Lynn travelled to Germany with the Fortec Motorsport team to contest the event after the finish of their main programme in the British F3 International Series, and the young English driver was on the pace throughout the weekend.
He put his Mercedes-powered Dallara fourth fastest in qualifying, putting himself on the second row of the grid for the final of the three races. His second-fastest time, which set the grid for race one, put him eighth at the start for the opening event of the weekend. It was an impressive performance by Fortec and Lynn, running for just the third time on the Hankook tyres that have been used all season by the Euro Series.
We did a good job in qualifying, said 19-year-old Alex. But it could have been even better. With two laps to go I set my fastest times yet in the first two sectors of the lap, but I had a little moment in the final sector. Otherwise I could have even gone second fastest, but I just need to put that one down to experience.
Lynns fourth-row start left him in the pack and, when Emil Bernstorff and Carlos Sainz Jr collided in front of him on lap 10, he could not avoid the Spaniard. I collected him and that put me out. It bent the rear wishbone, so I couldnt continue. That was a bit of a nightmare because the results of race one decided the grid for race two.
We changed the car quite a lot and we were quick. I had a few good battles but once I caught Bernstorff everyone was in a big group getting a tow from each other. That made it difficult to pass him because he was getting a tow from the car in front. Alex finished 12th, a good recovery from his 18th start on the grid.
The third race was the highlight. Lynn was running in fourth place but moved into a challenging position on Daniel Juncadella, who needed a solid finish to clinch the FIA European and Euro Series titles.
The team changed the car quite a bit overnight and now it was really good, said Alex, who is a member of the FIA Institute Young Driver Excellence Academy, the MSAs Team UK and the British Racing Drivers Clubs SuperStars programme.
I had two good goes at Daniel. The first time into the hairpin he defended really hard, and although I tried to get a switchback on exit he defended again. Within two laps I was back on him and I knew he wouldnt make too much of an issue of it, because I wasnt registered for European points and he really needed them.
I just really went for it in the hairpin and to be fair I knew hed get out of the way. After that I was catching Felix Rosenqvist and Pascal Wehrlein up front by a tenth or so a lap, but there was no way Id get them by the end of the race. Still, it was nice to know the pace was there.
This weekend was a big test for me and Fortec, going up against the Europeans. It was greatwe showed good pace in qualifying and as a team we learned a lot with adapting the car to the rubber laid down by the cars in the main DTM race.
Attentions now turn to the all-important Macau Formula 3 Grand Prix on the legendary Chinese street circuit, which Lynn will contest on November 17-18 and for which a glittering cast of driversnot just from F3 but from more senior categorieshas been assembled.
