Formula 3: Sandro Zeller reaches for the title
FOUR WINS IN THE DREXLER CUP In Imola and Brno, Sandro Zeller celebrated four more Formula 3 victories in the Drexler Formula Cup. Drivers from other racing series only have a chance against him because of the technology. After the short summer break, races 5 to 8 of the Drexler-Automotive Formula Cup were held first in Imola and one week later in Brno for [...]
After the short summer break, races 5 to 8 of the Drexler-Automotive Formula Cup for various race car classes were on the agenda, first in Imola and one week later in Brno.
As before in Mugello, the championship for private drivers organized by Austrian Franz Wöss was a guest at the TOPJET F2000 Trophy in Imola. In the Czech Republic, the Drexler Cup formed a joint but much smaller field with drivers from the Eastern European FIA zone.
Faster and yet not first
In the impressive field of 23 formula cars at the Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari, only Bernardo Pellegrini was able to hold a candle to Sandro Zeller in the proven Dallara F312-Mercedes. With a somewhat more powerful engine in the rear of his Dallara F313 (air restrictor with 28 instead of 26 millimeters), the Italian took both race wins. However, only after the Zurich driver had taken the lead at the beginning.
Sandro Zeller: "In the first race run I pushed to try and create a gap. In the process, I hit a curb slightly and slid through the gravel. That's how he got by. At the finish of the second race I was actually in front, but I subsequently received a time penalty of ten seconds, after which I at least remained second ahead of Thomas Aregger."
The reason: In Italy, work on the car on the grid is supposedly only allowed until five minutes before the formation lap, which nobody at Jo Zeller Racing knew. However, Zeller collected the full 25 points in the two Drexler scores.
A Luxembourger blows up Swiss duo
Third place overall and second place in the Drexler standings in the first Imola race went to Brice Morabito from Luxembourg in a Dallara F312 ahead of Thomas Aregger in a Dallara F309 entered by Wöss. In the second race, which started on a damp track behind the safety car but allowed for treadless tires, Aregger was just half a second short of second instead of third overall after Zeller's time penalty.
The Swiss duo outstripped all other opponents in the Drexler Cup by miles, as Morabito was already eliminated at the start. On the Brno Circuit, the Luxembourger was absent.
Stopover at home
Jo Zeller Racing did not travel directly to the Czech Republic from Emilia Romagna, but went home to Oetwil am See between the two race weekends to load up a Dallara F306 for Urs Rüttimann and a Tatuus Formula Renault for Stephan Glaser. Back on the 5.4-kilometer Masarykring in Brno, the defending champion faced the Czech Vaclav Safar as his strongest opponent.
No gift for the hosts
In the first race, however, Zeller made short work of it, winning from pole position with an 18.8-second lead over Safar and 24.4 over Aregger. After his best time in the wet qualifying session, in which last year's and soon-to-be champion had fumbled with his tire choice, the local hero smelled his chance.
Safar, however, failed to get off to a good start, while Zeller, in the rain from the second row, also passed Aregger to take the lead. For the next 25 minutes he did not relinquish it and won again clearly ahead of Safar and Aregger.
Only Swiss on the podium
At his second start of the season, Urs Rüttimann finished both races in fourth place with a respectable margin. He also overtook the remaining two Formula 3 competitors from the Drexler Cup. This resulted in two all-Swiss podiums.
Sandro Zeller's next title, which theoretically only compatriot Aregger can still dispute, is therefore up for grabs. When and where the decision will be made is uncertain. It is unclear whether the race will be held in Budapest on October 24/25 due to the quarantine regulations in Hungary. The final is then scheduled to take place in Monza on November 7/8.
