Christchurch teenager Marcus Armstrong is looking to secure runner up position in the FIA Formula 3 European Championship at the final round this weekend in Germany. Hockenheim host the final three races and with a maximum of 75-points on offer. Armstrong has a mathematical but difficult chance of winning the overall title. His team mate Mick Schumacher, son of seven-times world F1 championship Michael Schumacher, has won the last 5/6 races and already has one hand on the trophy. Armstrong is currently in third place, 69-points behind Schumacher but just 20-points behind rival Daniel Ticktum.
“My season was a rollercoaster ride,” commented Armstrong. “A virtually perfect day could be followed by a really difficult one. I had quite a lot of bad luck but also celebrated several successes with the team. I still have got theoretical chances of winning the FIA Formula 3 European Championship and I will give my very best and try everything to achieve this goal. And then we will have to wait and see to what championship position these efforts will take me.”
Schumacher travels to Hockenheim as title favourite as the 19-year old’s lead over his toughest rival, Ticktum, amounts to 40 points. While the Briton has got 20 points more on his tally than Ferrari Junior Marcus Armstrong, with 27 of the 30 races contested. And there still are 75 points to be scored in the three races of the season finale.
Other than for Schumacher and Ticktum it will be the first FIA F3 European Championship season finale for Armstrong. Nonetheless, the New Zealander knows Hockenheim as the German GP circuit also was the venue of the ADAC Formula 4 season finale. Ticktum contested the final race meeting of the 2016 FIA Formula 3 European Championship season as guest driver but due to his guest status he had to start into all the three races from the last row on the grid and his best result was a 13th place. Schumacher’s best F3 race result at Hockenheim to date was just one position better. Last year, as FIA Formula 3 European Championship regular, he finished 12th in one of the races in Baden-Württemberg.
Armstrong also still fights for the rookie-of-the-year title. In this ranking, however, Robert Shvartzman is in the most promising position. The Russian who celebrated his first win in the series at Spielberg travels to Hockenheim with a 48.5-point lead over second-placed Jüri Vips. While Armstrong follows – just like in the fight for the drivers’ title – in third position.
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