Joel Eriksson claims podium, fastest lap on Formula 3 debut
Joel Eriksson enjoyed a highly promising FIA F3 European Championship debut this weekend, finishing on the podium as the season kicked off at Circuit Paul Ricard in France.
Eriksson came home an impressive third in the concluding race of the meeting on Sunday, progressing from seventh on the grid and setting the fastest lap of the race in the process.
The Swede, making his F3 debut this season at just 17 years of age, leaves the curtain-raiser sitting fifth in the overall championship standings, and has taken an early lead in the rookie classification – where he heads Chinese Ferrari junior Guan Yu Zhou by 13 points.
“A very strong first weekend,” says Joel Eriksson. “Being on the podium at such an early stage of the season is highly promising for the rest of the year. We’ve had the pace to run very near the front this weekend, which I think says a lot about the job we’ve done over the winter. I’ve been confident around here, but I know how competitive the series is and I’m already thinking about the next race. Big thanks to the team for giving me a great car!”
Eriksson was on course for a strong result already in first qualifying on Friday, but was eventually held back by poor timing on a drying track and was forced to make do with ninth on the grid for the season-opening Race 1 – which he went on to finish in sixth place.
Race 2 provided plenty of drama, with Eriksson playing a leading role. From fifth on the grid, he was among the leading pack heading into Turn 1, only for chaos to strike in a multi-car pile-up.
Eriksson’s Motopark Dallara was launched spectacularly into the air, nearly somersaulting, before coming to a harsh landing – incredibly enough with the car sustaining only minor damage.
Eriksson was able to continue, albeit down in 17th place, but swiftly began an eye-catching recovery that featured a series of bold overtaking moves and eventually netted him two championship points for ninth place.
“The second race was very special,” Eriksson continues. “All of a sudden, I was flipped at Turn 1, and there was nothing I could do about it. I wasn’t sure the car could take that, but thankfully it did. I was really pleased with that race, and it was great fun driving.”
Eriksson’s main achievement of the weekend, however, came in Sunday’s Race 3, where he overtook Race 1 winner and Williams F1 development driver Lance Stroll, reigning Italian F4 champion Ralf Aron and Denmark’s Mikkel Jensen on his way to the podium.
Eriksson set the fastest lap of the race while chasing down the leading Prema Powerteam duo of Maximilian GĂĽnther and Nick Cassidy, who came home just a second clear of the flying Swede.
Team Motopark principal Timo Rumpfkeil was pleased with Eriksson’s performance on his F3 debut. “Joel has done an incredible job this weekend,” says Rumpfkeil. “This championship is extremely tough and he has already proven to be on the pace. He was unlucky with the timing in first qualifying – without that he would have been set for a top result – and the fightback in Race 2 was impressive. He was the fastest guy out there in the final race today, and we will see a lot more of him this season.”
The second round of the 2016 FIA F3 European Championship takes place at the Hungaroring in the vicinity of Budapest on April 22-24. The Hungarian Formula 1 Grand Prix venue marks another new acquaintance for Joel Eriksson, although – like at Paul Ricard – one day of official pre-event testing (on April 20) will help aid acclimatisation.
STANDINGS – OVERALL (top five)
After 3 of 30 races
1st, Nick Cassidy (NZL), 54 points
2nd, Lance Stroll (CAN), 35 points
3rd, Maximilian GĂĽnther (GER), 35 points
4th, Callum Ilott (GBR), 26 points
5th, Joel Eriksson (SWE), 25 points
STANDINGS – ROOKIES (top five)
After 3 of 30 races
1st, Joel Eriksson (SWE), 58 points
2nd, Guan Yu Zhou (CHN), 45 points
3rd, Anthoine Hubert (FRA), 42 points
4th, Ben Barnicoat (GBR), 33 points
5th, Ralf Aron (EST), 30 points
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