Formula 3: Zeller crowns himself champion
PREVIOUS DECISION IN THE DREXLER CUP With a victory and third place in the Czech Republic, Sandro Zeller decided the Drexler-Automotive Formula Cup in his favor early on. His fourth Formula 3 title in a row. The two races at the Masaryk Racing Days in Brno (CZ) counted as the sixth round of the Drexler-Automotive Formula Cup, in addition to the Topjet Italian Formula Trophy and the [...]
The two races within the Masaryk Racing Days in Brno (CZ) counted as the sixth round of the Drexler-Automotive Formula Cup, in addition to the Topjet Italian Formula Trophy and the FIA Zone Championship. This resulted in a respectable field of 31 Formula 3, Renault, Master and 4 race cars.
Home victory in the rain
Tom Beckhäuser came up trumps first in the rainy first round. After the flying start behind the safety car, the Czech, who had already been fastest in practice, took the lead in his Dallara F308-Opel. He maintained this lead until the race was stopped on the sixth lap due to the adverse conditions and various stranded vehicles.
Rain specialist Kurt Böhlen had worked his way up from 6th on the grid to second position in the Dallara F309-VW of Franz Wöss Racing before the safety car period and was thus rewarded with a podium. Sandro Zeller finished third, followed by Antoine Bottiroli (both Dallara F312-Mercedes), Marcel Tobler (Dallara F306-Mercedes) and Italian Andrea Cola (Dallara F312-Mercedes).
Successful catching up by Zeller
In the again wet second qualifying session on Sunday morning, Beckhäuser again captured pole position. His teammate Kurt Böhlen lined up alongside him. Sandro Zeller failed to get a clear lap in traffic and therefore had to settle for 8th place on the grid.
At lunchtime, the 5.4-kilometer track dried out more and more. The start of the second race over 13 laps was won by Beckhäuser against Böhlen, who then lost a few places and put Tobler in the chasing position. Zeller got off to a dream start and made up enormous ground in the first two laps.
First Cola and Bottiroli, then Tobler had to take their turn. As the distance increased, Zeller came closer to the leader Beckhäuser and overtook him in the final third of the race. Meanwhile Marcel Tobler beat Bottiroli and Cola. Thus, the Thurgau native came in third for the third time this year.
Fourth title in a row
After nine victories in twelve races, Sandro Zeller can no longer be ousted from the top of the standings at the final round on the Hungaroring. Cola and Bottiroli from Geneva are still battling it out for second place and the Italian Trophy title.
For Sandro Zeller, it is already the fourth title win in a row, and this with three different chassis. He also won the 2019 Swiss Formula 3 Cup sponsored by Horag Hotz Racing. Bottiroli will probably be runner-up here ahead of Böhlen.
Zeller customer Münger also about to win the title
In the Trophy classification for Formula 3 cars born between 1996 and 2007, German Manfred Lang managed to win the first race ahead of Urs Rüttimann. The Swiss turned the tables in the second race and managed to beat Lang and Florian Münger, who was eliminated in the first heat.
In the championship, Münger is still ahead of Urs Rüttimann and Luca Iannacone with last year's champion car from Zeller. But since Rüttimann will no longer be driving in Hungary, only the Italian can still pose a threat to Münger.
Information: Rolf Schindler
