Daruvala Takes Brilliant Maiden Victory at Norisring

Carlin’s Jehan Daruvala has taken his maiden victory in the FIA Formula Three European Championship in style securing the lead off the line as the lights went out during the final race of the weekend at Norisring this afternoon. The Indian racer started from second on the grid and didn’t look back as he drove superbly to deal with two full course yellow periods and the looming threat from Maximilian Gunter behind. Daruvala was joined on the podium by fellow rookie racer Lando Norris who took third position three laps from the end of the race. Ferdinand Habsburg also enjoyed a solid race to collect great points in eighth rounding off a strong weekend for the team.

As the lights went out Daruvala enjoyed an incredible start which saw him breeze past Gunter and clinch the lead of the race as his own. The Formula Three rookie continued with his good form and had soon pulled a brilliant gap over his rivals as he looked to secure his maiden victory.

Meanwhile just a few cars back Norris was once again looking for a race full of overtaking in an effort to move up the grid from his sixth place starting position – by the end of lap one the McLaren-Honda Young Driver was up to fifth position. However the race was somewhat neutralised with a full course yellow following contact for Mick Schumacher which left his car stranded on track; by this point Habsburg was running in seventh position.

A second full course yellow would be thrown on track just a few short laps later following an incident for Tadasuke Makino however this was a relatively short period before the field was able to once again get back up to full speed. At the front Daruvala was looking untroubled in his racing efforts – placing his car perfectly the Indian racer looked confident and untroubled in his efforts.

Norris however was looking feisty once again – continuing his recent form around the German circuit. Norris ran wheel to wheel, a move he has been perfecting all weekend, down in to the hairpin and was finally able to make the move stick as he lined up Jake Hughes – comfortably taking fourth position as his own. By this point Habsburg was running in eighth position; a place he would hold until the flag fell.

However there was one final move for position of interest that would come just three laps from the end of the race as Norris lined up nose to tail with Ralf Aron – pulling off another great signature move the British racer took third overall and the final step on the podium. At the very front it was an emphatic win for Sahara Force India Academy driver Daruvala taking a dominant maiden victory in the championship – ensuring a fantastic double podium to round off the weekend.

Daruvala said of victory, “I had a really good start and managed to get in to the lead of the race before the first corner. After that I felt really comfortable with the car and I just focused on myself and kept my head down to drive a controlled race. I want to say a big thanks to the team for all the effort and for giving me an amazing car to drive.