The first of eight racing weekends of the 2014 ATS Formula 3 Cup in the support programme of the ADAC GT Masters is over. The young talents contesting Germany’s fastest single-seater series battled for points in perfect weather on the 3.696-km track at etropolis Motorsportarena Oschersleben. Markus Pommer was the most successful. Having scored a start-finish victory in the first race, the driver from Neckarsulm, who contests for Team Lotus, also finished today’s race first, leaving Nabil Jeffri from Motopark and Indy Dontje from Lotus behind him.
Nabil Jeffri from Kuala Lumpur (Motopark) took the pole position for today. However, after a good start he was defeated by Markus Pommer (Lotus). The driver from Neckarsulm overtook the 21-year old Malaysian on the inside in the first chicane. Dutchman Indy Dontje (Lotus) finished third. Briton Sam MacLeod (Van Amersfoort Racing), who drove across the finish line in third place in the previous races, did not manage to gain places this time.
Malaysian Weiron Tan (Van Amersfoort Racing) in fifth place had to defend his position against Dane Nicolai Sylvest (JBR Motorsport & Engineering). Columbian Andrés Méndez (Lotus), Nikita Zlobin from Moscow and his compatriot Sergey Trofimov (both SMP Racing by ADM Motorsport / all in Dallara F311 Volkswagen) and Maximilian Hackl from Ruderting (Amkon Motorsport / Dallara F311 OPC) followed.
It was a tight fight at the top. Markus Pommer drove across the finish line a mere five tenths of a second before Nabil Jeffri. Indy Dontje finished third.
Markus Pommer: “It was a really fast start and Nabil was not too bad, he blocked a little. But I knew that it was possible to overtake on the inside of the second turn with another driver in front. And that’s what I did. Then I drove two fast laps. However, after the first half of the race Nabil was a little faster just like throughout the whole weekend. Anyway, I knew you cannot overtake here, if you do not make a mistake. So, just did my thing.”
Nabil Jeffri: “I think my start was quite good. I pulled away but then I went a bit wide and that was the race for me. If I had kept the position, I had kept pushing, Markus was in my rear and I had a better pace than him for sure. But that is o.k., this is the first race weekend of the season. There is still a long way to go. I want to win the championship.”
Indy Dontje: “It is good to be on the podium and to be the best rookie. I was happy about that. I could follow the pace of the guys in the front. Maybe not the fastest lap time, but I will work on that. I am still a rookie. And hopefully we can attack later in the year and fight for more positions.”
2014 Rookie ranking
Indy Dontje took a clear lead in the 2014 Rookie ranking, having scored 60 points. Sam Macleod follows in the second place with 44 points. Nicolai Sylvest scored 30 points and is third in the ranking.
ATS Formula 3 Cup team ranking
The Oschersleben-based talent factory Lotus is going for victory again in 2014, leading the team ranking with 58 points, followed by the Dutch team Van Amersfoort Racing with 39 points. Team Motopark is only one point behind in third place.
Points scored in the first three 2014 ATS Formula 3 Cup races:
1. Markus Pommer / GER 58
2. Nabil Jeffri / MYS 42
3. Indy Dontje / NDL 41
4. Sam MacLeod / GBR 33
5. Nicolai Sylvest / DNK 20
6. Weiron Tan / MYS 15
7. Andrés Méndez / COL 14
8. Sergey Trofimov / RUS 12
9. Nikita Zlobin / RUS 8
10. Maximilian Hackl / DEU 6
Off the track
The first racing weekend of the season felt like a big reunion in the paddock. Several former ATS Formula 3 Cup contestants visited their teams and lent active support in the preparations for the race. Among them was Jimmy Eriksson, the 2012 ATS Formula 3 Cup champion, and his successor of 2013, Marvin Kirchhöfer. “It was great to be back. Unfortunately in a different role than before. But it was a lot of fun watching the races as a spectator,” says the driver from Leipzig, who contests the 2014 GP3 season for Art Grand Prix. “I saw exciting battles and will definitely be back for several F3 races.” Jordi Weckx visited his team, Van Amersfoort Racing, just like his 2013 team-mate Gustavo Menezes, who is currently contesting the FIA Formula 3 European Championship for the Dutch team. “We did a great job and we want the team to succeed again this year,” says the Californian. “I am excited about supporting them again, including all the stuff on the outside. Often you do not see things when you are in the car.” The Californian will start his season at Hockenheim next weekend.
The ATS Formula 3 Cup on TV
The “ran Racing” magazine programme on Kabel 1 will include two minutes of highlights. The programme is broadcast on Monday mornings from 02.15 to 02.30 a.m., with a repeat on Wednesdays from 02.15 to 02.29 a.m. The Sport1 Magazine also shows four minutes of highlights. The programme will be shown on Saturday, May 3th from 4.30 to 5.30 p.m. in conjunction with the ADAC GT Masters-Magazin.