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Race Report

Formula 1 Rolex Gran Premio dell’ Emilia Romagna 2024
FIA F3 CHAMPIONSHIP

Circuit: Imola (I), Length 4.909, 17th – 19th May 2024, Rounds 5 + 6
www.autodromoimola.it

JENZER MOTORSPORT 2024:
Charlie Wurz (A), Max Esterson (USA), Matias Zagazeta (PER)

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© Dutch Photo Agency

Missed chance in Imola

The FIA F3 Championship competed in its third event in the F1 program at the Gran Premio dell’ Emilia Romagna on the demanding race track in Imola (I). After the two overseas racing events in Bahrain and Melbourne, everyone was eagerly waiting to continue the racing season in Europe.

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© Dutch Photo Agency

Race One Qualifying

Friday, 17/05/24, 15.05 – 14.35, Weather: Sunny, 21°C

The weekend program began on Friday morning with free practice. It was important to learn as much as possible before going straight into qualifying after just this one session. Since the session was interrupted twice with the red flag, it wasn't easy to find a good rhythm. In the end, Charlie was 6th, Matias 9th and Max 12th. With these great positions the team as well as our three drivers were looking confidently forward to qualifying.

Just a few hours later, the qualifying began in beautiful sunshine and warm temperatures. With 20 minutes remaining there was a red flag stoppage. At this point, Charlie was 13th, Max 17th and Matias 25th. Equipped with new tires, we entered the last, hard-fought 10 minutes of the session. Our drivers didn't seem to find an optimal lap and were unable to further improve their lap times and thus their positions. Charlie and Max even recorded some off track moments during their fastest laps. In the end, Matias was 17th, Charlie 19th and Max 24th. After the session, several drivers were handed some time penalties, and our drivers moved up in the order as follows: Matias 15, Charlie 18 and Max 21. Unfortunately, they did not repeat the great performance from free practice.

This season, two FIA F3 races will be held per race weekend. The starting grid for race 1 (sprint race, 40 minutes) is based on the reversed 12 first positions of the qualifying session. Race 2 on Sunday (feature race, 45 minutes) takes place according to the exact result in qualifying. These constellations promise exciting races!

Race One Grid
1st Kacper Sztuka (POL) MP Motorsport  
2nd Noel Leon (MEX) Van Amersfoort  
3rd Tim Tramnitz (D) MP Motorsport  
15th Matias Zagazeta (PER) Jenzer Motorsport  
18th Charlie Wurz (A) Jenzer Motorsport  
21st Max Esterson (USA) Jenzer Motorsport  

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© Dutch Photo Agency

 

FIA F3 Championship

Race One (Sprint-Race, 40 Minutes)

Saturday, 18/05/24, 10.05, Weather: Cloudy, 18°C

The first race of the weekend started in bright sunshine. The first lap wasn't over yet when the safety car had to move out because a vehicle was stuck in the graveltrap. At the time, Matias was 16th, Charlie 19th. Max had fallen back to 27th place. A next short safety car phase followed directly after the restart. Now it was Matias who lost a few places. Charlie collided with Voisin and Voisin subsequently spun off the track. The safety car had to be deployed until the track was cleared. Charlie was now 16th, Matias 20th and Max 23rd. Everyone tried to gain an advantage and thus gain positions at the restarts, but it wasn't easy. Soon the safety car had to take over the field again for the fourth time. There wasn't much time left until the end of the race and more incidents were happening in the midfield. On the last lap there was a virtual safety car phase and then a sprint to the finish line. Charlie saw the checkered flag in 17th place, but was immediately given a 10 second time penalty for causing the collision with Voisin. This meant he fell back to 23rd place.
Other drivers received penalties, and this meant that Matias and Max moved up. In the end result, Matias was placed 17th, and Max was right behind him in 18th place.

Results Race One
1st Oliver Goethe (D) Campos 34:19.754  
2nd Tim Tramnitz (D) MP Motorsport Gap 2.157
3rd Noel Leon (MEX) Van Amersfoort Gap 5.340
17th Matias Zagazeta (PER) Jenzer Motorsport    
18th Max Esterson (USA) Jenzer Motorsport    
23rd Charlie Wurz (A) Jenzer Motorsport    
Fastest lap: Oliver Goethe (D) in 1:33.596

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© Dutch Photo Agency

Race Two Grid
1st Santiago Ramos (MEX) Trident 1:31.767
2nd Leonardo Fornaroli (I) Trident 1:31.820
3rd Sami Meguetounif (F) Trident 1:32.019
16th Matias Zagazeta (PER) Jenzer Motorsport 1:32.838
18th Charlie Wurz (A) Jenzer Motorsport 1:32.951
22nd Max Esterson (USA) Jenzer Motorsport 1:33.085

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© Dutch Photo Agency

FIA F3 Championship

Race Two (Feature Race, 45 Minutes)

Sunday, 19/05/24, 08.30, Weather: Sunny, 18°C

Early on Sunday morning the large field set off for the main race. The start was good, and there were no major events during the entire race this time, and the safety car didn't have to be deployed once. Now it became apparent what had not been visible in the sprint race: the tyres began to wear out at a certain point. Matias held his postition during long laps. He managed to change positions a few times in the second half of the race and reached the finish line in a consistent 17th place. Charlie moved up quickly at first, then lost a few places again, then moved up from 20th to 17th. After that, he experienced significant tyre degradation. Matias and Max both got past him. There was now a lot of movement going on throughout the field. Charlie came across the finish line in 24th place. Max drove consistently throughout the race, sometimes winning a place, then again having to admit defeat to a competitor. He took the checkered flag in 21st place.

Results Race Two
1st Sami Meguetounif (F) Trident 35:12.897  
2nd Oliver Goethe (D) Campos Gap 2.791
3rd Leonardo Fornaroli (I) Trident Gap 3.368
17th Matias Zagazeta (PER) Jenzer Motorsport    
21st Max Esterson (USA) Jenzer Motorsport    
24th Charlie Wurz (A) Jenzer Motorsport    
Fastest lap: Oliver Goethe (D) in 1:33.817

The next event on the FIA F3 calendar is scheduled to be held in prestigeous Monaco, just one week after the event in Imola, on the weekend of May 26th.

Championship standings after 6 out of 18 races:

1st Leonardo Fornaroli (I), 52 points; 2nd Luke Browning (GB), 49 points; 3rd Dino Beganovic (S), 45 points; 4th Gabriele Mini (I), 45 points; 5th Oliver Goethe (D), 41 points; 6th Sami Meguetounif (F), 38 points; 15th Charlie Wurz (A), 10 points; 21st Max Esterson (USA), 5 points


Charlie Wurz (A)

© Dutch Photo Agency


Max Esteron (USA)

© Dutch Photo Agency


Matias Zagazeta (PER)

© Dutch Photo Agency


2024 FIA F3 Meisterschaft

29 Feb 01/02 March 2024 Formula 1 Bahrain Grand Prix Sakhir (BHR)
22/23/24 March 2024 Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix Melbourne (AUS)
17/18/19 May 2024 Formula 1 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix Imola (I)
23/24/25/26 May 2024 Formula 1 Monaco Grand Prix Monte Carlo (MC)
21/22/23 June 2024 Formula 1 Spanish Grand Prix Barcelona (E)
28/29/30 June 2024 Formula 1 Austrian Grand Prix RedBull Ring (A)
05/06/07 July 2024 Formula 1 British Grand Prix Silverstone (GB)
19/20/21 July 2024 Formula 1 Hungarian Grand Prix Hungaroring (HU)
26/27/28 July 2024 Formula 1 Belgian Grand Prix Spa-Francorchamps (B)
30/31 Aug 01Sept 2024 Formula 1 Italian Grand Prix Monza (I)

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