Antonio Giovinazzi also scores valuable points in HungaryMax Verstappen finishes fourth to narrowly miss out on the podiumBlomqvist remains second overall
Tom Blomqvist (GB) claimed his third win of the season when the Hungaroring, near the Hungarian capital Budapest, hosted the fourth race weekend of the 2014 FIA Formula 3 European Championship. The son of former World Rally Champion Stig Blomqvist held off pole-sitter Esteban Ocon of France to win the first of three races for the “Jagonya Ayam with Carlin” team in a Volkswagen-Dallara. Blomqvist also set the fastest lap of the entire weekend (1m 36.269s) on the Grand Prix circuit, which will host the Formula One World Championship in July.
A further three junior drivers “powered by Volkswagen” finished in the top ten in race one. Britain’s Jordan King was fifth, Jules Szymkowiak of the Netherlands claimed his best result of the season – sixth – and Indonesian Sean Gelæl finished tenth to round off a fine result for the Volkswagen drivers.
The two races on Sunday passed without a podium for the Volkswagen drivers. While Saturday’s runner-up Ocon dominated both races to complete wins number four and five of the season, Blomqvist came home fifth and sixth to pick up more valuable points. Both Italy’s Antonio Giovinazzi (sixth and fifth) and American Gustavo Menez (seventh and eighth) also claimed two top-ten results. The best result for a driver “powered by Volkswagen” on Sunday came courtesy of rookie Max Verstappen (NL) who finished fourth in the third race of the weekend, which was suspended after 17 of 21 scheduled laps due to the onset of rain.
After 12 of 33 races, Blomqvist remains the best-placed driver “powered by Volkswagen” in the overall rankings, lying second with 150 points. Ocon remains the man to catch (230 points). Verstappen is fifth overall with 80 points. The next round of the Formula 3 European Championship will take place at the Grand Prix circuit in Spa-Francorchamps (B) from 20 to 22 June.
Quotes, FIA Formula 3 European Championship in Budapest
Tom Blomqvist (GB), Jagonya Ayam with Carlin, Dallara-Volkswagen #31“I got off to a very good start. I think that was the key moment in race one. After that, my goal was simply to drive my own race. The team provided me with an extremely good car. As such, it was just up to me not to make any mistakes and to be consistent. I am really happy.”
Antonio Giovinazzi (I), Jagonya Ayam with Carlin, Dallara-Volkswagen #19“That was another good weekend – both for me personally and for the entire team. I am happy with our development. In race three I tried to overtake Max [Verstappen] in the first corner, but was unable to make it stick. From then on I was behind him. The pace was good, but everything changed when it started to rain. I could see that Tom [Blomqvist] was hot on my heels, but then the race was suspended and we once again picked up plenty of points.”
Overall standings after 12 of 33 races, FIA Formula 3 European Championship
1. Esteban Ocon, 232 points; 2. Tom Blomqvist, 150; 3. Lucas Auer, 137; 4. Antonio Fuoco, 103; 5. Max Verstappen, 80; 6. Antonio Giovinazzi, 79; 7. Felix Rosenqvist, 76; 8. Jordan King, 70; 9. Jake Dennis, 56; 10. Nicholas Lafiti, 49.
FIA Formula 3 European ChampionshipBudapest – race 1 results01. Tom Blomqvist (GB), Dallara-Volkswagen 21 laps in 33m 58.653s02. Esteban Ocon (F), Dallara-Mercedes + 04.897s03. Felix Rosenqvist (S), Dallara-Mercedes + 13.180s...05. Jordan King (GB), Dallara-Volkswagen + 17.592s06. Jules Szymkowiak (NL), Dallara-Volkswagen + 34.332s10. Sean Gelæl (RI), Dallara-Volkswagen + 42.765s11. Jake Dennis (GB), Dallara-Volkswagen + 43.241s17. Gustavo Menezes (USA), Dallara-Volkswagen + 55.888s23. Antonio Giovinazzi (I), Dallara-Volkswagen - 2 lapsBudapest – race 2 results01. Esteban Ocon (F), Dallara-Mercedes 21 laps in 34m 14.307s02. Antonio Fuoco (I), Dallara-Mercedes + 06.977s03. Lucas Auer (A), Dallara-Mercedes + 07.373s...05. Tom Blomqvist (GB), Dallara-Volkswagen + 09.449s06. Antonio Giovinazzi (I), Dallara-Volkswagen + 12.957s07. Gustavo Menezes (USA), Dallara-Volkswagen + 13.473s16. Max Verstappen (NL), Dallara-Volkswagen + 39.234s17. Jake Dennis (GB), Dallara-Volkswagen + 40.163s19. Jules Szymkowiak (NL), Dallara-Volkswagen + 54.978s21. Sean Gelæl (RI), Dallara-Volkswagen + 1m 01.572sBudapest – race 3 results01. Esteban Ocon (F), Dallara-Mercedes 17 laps in 28m 11.326s02. Antonio Fuoco (I), Dallara-Mercedes + 04.756s03. Lucas Auer (A), Dallara-Mercedes + 05.663s04. Max Verstappen (NL), Dallara-Volkswagen + 06.875s05. Antonio Giovinazzi (I), Dallara-Volkswagen + 08.390s06. Tom Blomqvist (GB), Dallara-Volkswagen + 08.901s...08. Gustavo Menezes (USA), Dallara-Volkswagen + 14.162s09. Jake Dennis (GB), Dallara-Volkswagen + 16.124s13. Sean Gelæl (RI), Dallara-Volkswagen + 23.961s15. Jules Szymkowiak (NL), Dallara-Volkswagen + 25.133s
