A first and third place close out a protagonist's weekend
The Feature Race, which closed out the fourth weekend of the FIA Formula 3 Championship on the ups and downs of the Red Bull Ring saw Trident Motorsport climb to the podium with Noah Strømsted and Freddie Slater. The 18-year-old from Copenhagen was a standout in Austria, taking his first win of the season in the third category after a fiercely contested race.
In the longer race of the Styrian weekend, the Trident Motorsport drivers proved to be extremely competitive. Already in qualifying, Noah Strømsted and Freddie Slater performed well, posting the fourth and fifth fastest times, respectively.
From the moment the lights went out, both drivers from the Milan-based team with headquarters in Ossona made up for the poor start to yesterday's Sprint Race. This time, both Strømsted and Slater gained a position before the safety car, which came out at the end of the first lap.
At the restart, Slater was ready, making a double pass that vaulted him into second place. The Audi Junior driver took advantage of another safety car, this time with a Virtual Safety Car, to take the lead.
Noah Strømsted, on the other hand, was fooled by the situation, slipping to fifth place. Having taken the blow, the 18-year-old from Copenhagen rolled up his sleeves and climbed the standings.
The Trident Motorsport driver initially rejoined the podium, then, taking advantage of Slater's tire wear, attempted to attack the lead. He achieved his goal with two laps to go, with the Dane taking his first win of the season in the FIA Formula 3 Championship.
Freddie Slater, on the other hand, slipped to third place. The seventeen-year-old Englishman fought until the very end to give Trident Motorsport a one-two finish, but fell short. The podium allows Slater to move into second place in the overall FIA Formula 3 Championship driver standings, just sixteen points off the top spot. Noah Strømsted, meanwhile, climbs to fifth place thanks to a haul of thirty-two points in a single weekend.
Matteo De Palo also had a solid Feature Race. The eighteen-year-old from Rome staged a strong comeback. Starting from twenty-second on the grid, the McLaren junior driver steadily climbed the standings until crossing the finish line in fifteenth place.
The FIA Formula 3 Championship returns next weekend. The third series will face its fifth round of the season at the historic Silverstone circuit in England.
Giacomo Ricci: “An extremely positive Feature Race. Both Noah Strømsted and Freddie Slater were great protagonists in the longer race of the Austrian weekend. Noah showed grit and a strategic vision of the race that allowed him to make the difference in the finale. Slater also stood out on the Austrian circuit, achieving a crucial podium finish for the championship. Matteo De Palo had a positive race, showing excellent pace, making up several positions in the race. The team leaves Austria with a solid score of forty-seven points, at the end of a competitive weekend. Now we must raise the bar next weekend at Silverstone.”