A superior start gave Robert Shwartzman the advantage at the front of the field in the final race of the weekend at the Red Bull Ring, and it was enough for the Russian to clinch his maiden FIA European Formula 3 Championship victory.
However, Mick Schumacher’s runners-up spot saw the German extend his advantage at the top of the championship standings still further as Daniel Ticktum was unable to better fourth.
Schumacher started from pole position but found himself immediately under pressure from his Prema Theodore Racing team-mate Shwartzman, who put his car to the inside heading into turn one, with the SMP Racing-backed Russian coming out of the corner in the lead.
Shwartzman was able the withstand the pressure from Schumacher to secure the win, with the one-two finish ensuring Prema Theodore Racing secured the Teams’ championship with one round and three races of the season to come at the Hockenheimring next month.
Schumacher’s second place also ensured he heads to Germany with a forty-nine-point lead over Ticktum thanks to the Briton failing to find a way passed his Motopark team-mate Jonathan Aberdein for the final spot on the podium.
Ticktum had been aggressive in the opening stages of the race to climb from seventh on the grid to run fifth on the opening lap, before he passed Marcus Armstrong for fourth on lap two. However, the Red Bull-backed Briton was unable to make a pass on Aberdein, and ultimately was forced to settle for fourth.
Those extra three points might be significant come the end of the season, but with the form Schumacher is in at present, it is hard to see anyone other than the German claiming the title next month.
Armstrong kept fifth at the chequered flag for Prema Theodore Racing ahead of Carlin duo Ferdinand Habsburg and Jehan Daruvala, who, along with Motopark’s Jüri Vips, found a way ahead of Ralf Aron in the closing laps. Aron was already under investigation from the stewards for bumping into Vips on the opening lap and pushing his fellow Estonian off-track at turn four.
Alex Palou ended the weekend with the final point for Hitech Bullfrog GP after coming out on top of a battle with Motopark’s Fabio Scherer, while Sacha Fenestraz fell out of the points after a late race retirement.
Red Bull Ring Race 3 Result
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