Formula 3: Sandro Zeller unstoppable
START TO THE REMUS CUP The 2018 Remus Formula Cups kicked off with two races at Hockenheim, with defending champion Sandro Zeller once again playing the leading role. In the second race, there was even an all-Swiss podium in Formula 3. After a totally rainy qualifying session on Friday the 13th, Sandro Zeller also played a leading role the other day at the wheel of his self-prepared Dallara F306-VW [...]
After a totally rainy qualifying on Friday, the 13th, Sandro Zeller played out his routine at the wheel of his self-prepared Dallara F306-VW the other day, even in good conditions. After a good start Kurt Böhlen with the Dallara F309-VW of organizer Franz Wöss seemed to be able to keep up with the man from Zurich - but that was not the case...
There was an unexpected race stoppage midway through the race because an Italian ignored the black flag for several laps. After the restart behind the safety car, Zeller immediately regained an advantage and won the opening race of the "Prize of the City of Suttgart" in Hockenheim with a lead of almost 17 seconds over last year's main opponent Philipp Regensperger (D).
Marcel Tobler (Dallara 308-Mercedes) climbed onto the podium in third place, edging out Kurt Böhlen by 1.2 seconds for fourth.
Three Swiss on the podium
In the second race, Böhlen put Zeller under pressure at the start of the 16-lap chase on the GP course, but the defending champion fended off all the Bernese's attacks. Böhlen finished second, 6.4 seconds behind, while Tobler was able to keep Regensperger at bay this time. In this way, the man from Thurgau secured a triple Swiss victory - a remarkable feat considering that 14 Formula 3 drivers from six nations were on the grid.
Zeller thus scored full points in four classifications. The son of former Formula 3 doyen Jo Zeller not only scored full points in the Remus Formula Cup overall classification, but also in the Trophy classification for older Formula 3 race cars, the Drexler automotive Formula 3 Cup and the Horag Swiss Formula Cup.
Information and photos: Rolf Schindler
