Twelve young drivers from ten countries contested the reversed-grid race at Nürburgring in cool temperatures and dry conditions today. Dane Nicolai Sylvest, who contests for JBR Motorsport & Engineering, put in a fantastic performance and held off his competitors, scoring his first win in an ATS Formula 3 Cup race. Malaysian Nabil Jeffri from Team Motopark took the chequered flag in second place. Briton Sam MacLeod from Van Amersfoort Racing drove across the finish line third. The spectators witnessed a thrilling race in the support programme of the ADAC GT Masters.
The two drivers in the first row, pole-sitter Nikita Zlobin from Moskau (SMP Racing by ADM Motorsport / Dallara F311 Volkswagen) and Columbian Andrés Méndez (Lotus / Dallara F311 Volkswagen) were not fast enough at the start. Consequently, Swiss Thomas Amweg (Jo Zeller Racing / Dallara F311 Mercedes) took over the lead. He had already put in an impressive performance in the first race. However, dogged by bad luck, he had to serve drive-though penalties. As a result, Dane Nicolai Sylvest (JBR Motorsport & Engineering / Dallara F311 Volkswagen) had the opportunity to take a podium finish. The driver ahead of him, Weiron Tan from Malaysia (Van Amersfoort Racing / Dallara F311 Volkswagen) also had to serve a drive-though penalty for his jump start. Then, Zlobin ran wide.
As a result, the grid order changed completely. Sylvest at the top was put under tremendous pressure by Nabil Jeffri from Malaysia (Motopark / Dallara F311 Volkswagen). Hungry for victory, Jeffri attacked. However, the 16-year old from Jaegerspris, Denmark held off the challenge and claimed a fantastic first win in an ATS Formula 3 Cup race. Jeffri finished second. Briton Sam MacLeod (Van Amersfoort Racing / Dallara F311 Volkswagen) followed in third place.
The twelve drivers will contest the final race of the weekend at 3.15 this afternoon, with championship leader, Markus Pommer from Neckarsulm (Lotus / Dallara F311 Volkswagen), in pole position again.
Nicolai Sylvest: “I’d never have thought that I’d make it. I used my chance when Zlobin made a mistake. I realised that I could take the first place and gave everything. It feels great.”
Nabil Jeffri: “I am really happy about my second place, although I pushed hard until the end. Nicolai had the same pace and I could not do much. A second place means points in the championship though.”
Sam MacLeod: “I moved up to third place pretty quickly but couldn’t close the gap to Nabil. Still, I am pretty happy. I pushed forward from ninth to third place after all.”