Norris Wins for Carlin at Silverstone

Lando Norris claimed a fantastic maiden victory in the FIA Formula 3 European Championship today, leading from lights to flag despite changeable conditions and several safety car periods.  Team mate Jake Dennis made up several places to make it a Carlin 1-2, after carving his way through the field.  Jehan Daruvala endured the tricky conditions to claim 10th at the flag, while Ferdinand Habsburg crossed the line in 12th place.

A light rain shower just before the race got underway meant the race started behind the safety car, although the entire field started on slick Hankook tyres.  When the racing action did finally get underway, Norris made a good start, while Dennis quickly started to make his way through the field from eighth on the grid.  With Norris leading, Dennis was already up to third, which became second when Callum Ilott spun off into the gravel. Daruvala meanwhile was running in ninth place while Habsburg was 14th.

When the racing recommenced, both Norris and Dennis made a strong restart to pull away from the field.  The racing was short lived though, contact sent Ralf Aron into the barriers, which brought out yet another safety car.  Norris and Dennis were still running first and second, Daruvala meanwhile was 10th with Habsburg not far behind in 12th place after a stunning move past David Beckmann.

Habsburg closed in on Tadasuke Makino in the final few laps, but couldn’t find a way past.  Daruvala meanwhile went on to take the final points paying position in 10th, with Norris taking his maiden victory in the series as Dennis made it a Carlin 1-2.

Norris, who also set the fastest lap of the race, commented, “It wasn’t an easy race.  With the track being wet in the first three laps it made it a bit tough.  As Callum [Ilott] showed, it was pretty slippery.  I took quite a few risks trying to break away and make a gap in the first few laps, but obviously my first priority was staying on the track.  I’d pull a gap and then there would be a safety car.  I’d pull another gap and there would be another safety car, so it wasn’t the most enjoyable of races.  Hopefully tomorrow we’ll see some good racing.”

Asked whether he expected to win the first race of the season, the McLaren Young Driver said, “It’s what I hoped for.  I knew it was going to be tough; Prema are very fast, it was going to be tough to come in and win, but after our quali pace, I think it was quite positive, so I think after that we thought it might be possible.  But tomorrow is another day.”

Team mate Dennis said of his second placed finish, “I wasn’t really expecting that result after starting eighth.  Then when the rain started to come down it was a good sign for me, but when they said it was a safety car start I was a bit disappointed, but I obviously had a really good first lap and managed to find the grip, and somehow ended up second pretty quickly.  My aim then was to bring it home for the team and take a podium. I struggled a little at the end, which we need to have a look at, but I was just happy really, it was a relief after struggling a bit in qualifying.”

The second race of the weekend will take place at 11.00 local time tomorrow with race three concluding the weekend’s action at 09.00 on Sunday morning.