Maximum concentration ahead of the final rush
After the summer break, the FIA Formula 3 Championship returns for the final phase of the season. Next weekend, the Monza circuit will host the eighth round of the championship, with Trident Motorsport ready to return to action in front of its home crowd, buoyed by a prestigious result achieved in its final outing at the Hungaroring.
The Budapest weekend brought the Milanese team, based in Ossona, a victory and, more importantly, the lead in the overall Drivers' standings. Freddie Slater, after securing his third consecutive pole position, dominated the Feature Race on the Hungarian circuit to claim his first FIA Formula 3 Championship win. This result allowed the 17-year-old Briton to take the lead in the standings, eight points ahead of his closest rival.
The Audi Junior Driver arrives in Monza as the championship leader, but with the knowledge that the final part of the season will be characterized by increasing pressure. The victory at the Hungaroring confirmed the competitiveness Slater has shown in recent races, culminating in a series of results that have brought him to the top of the class. At the Monza track, it will be crucial to restart with the same determination, seeking to exploit every opportunity to defend and consolidate his position in the standings.
Noah Strømsted also arrives in Monza aiming to relaunch his season. After a difficult qualifying at the Hungaroring, the eighteen-year-old Dane showed excellent pace in the Feature Race, moving up ten places from twenty-third to thirteenth. This is a positive sign ahead of an event where it will be crucial to realize the car's potential right from qualifying.
The Hungarian weekend also offered encouraging signs for Matteo De Palo. The eighteen-year-old Roman was penalized by his difficult starting position, but in Sunday's longest race, he displayed a particularly competitive pace, so much so that he set the fastest lap of the race in the closing stages. This feedback represents an important basis for greater confidence in his return to the track after the summer break.
Monza will present a completely different challenge than the Hungaroring. The Temple of Speed, characterized by long straights and heavy braking, requires a particularly high level of aerodynamic efficiency and a specific car configuration. The ability to exploit slipstreams can facilitate overtaking, but it can also create very compact groups and make the fight for positions extremely close. For this reason, qualifying will once again be of fundamental importance, as will the ability to correctly manage each phase of the two races.
Giacomo Ricci, Trident Motorsport Team Manager: “We arrive in Monza after a weekend in Hungary that gave us Freddie Slater's first win and the championship lead. This is an important result, rewarding the work done by the entire team, but we know full well that the most difficult part of the season begins now. Monza is a very unique circuit, where qualifying and slipstream management can make a huge difference. We return to the track after the break with maximum motivation, and we want to continue to be protagonists in front of our home fans. A decisive event awaits us, and we will need to approach every session with maximum concentration.”
The engines of the FIA Formula 3 Championship cars will start on Friday at 8:35 a.m. with the 45-minute free practice session. Qualifying will then take place that same day, divided into two groups, starting at 2:00 p.m. The Sprint Race will take place on Saturday at 9:30 a.m. The Feature Race, which will conclude the weekend in Monza, will start on Sunday at 8:15 a.m. All sessions will be broadcast live in full on Sky Sport F1.