The FIA Formula 3 Championship returns for Round 6 at The Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps this weekend after a four-week summer break.
With back-to-back rounds, in Belgium and Italy, those at the front have a chance to solidify their title charge ahead of the final weekend in Russia. While, it also hands those further down the order an opportunity to gain plenty of ground in a short space of time.
The battle between Robert Shwartzman and Jüri Vips has hit full throttle and only 12 points now separate the duo – Jehan Daruvala is only a further eight behind.
PREMA Racing have been the dominant force and at one point held all of the top three places in the standings, but Vips’ progress since Le Castellet has been near perfect and he has done a superb job to chase and nearly catch his Russian rival.
With the potential for a new leader at the top of the Championship, Spa-Francorchamps could prove to be a season defining round.
Just six points behind the top three in the Drivers’ standings, Marcus Armstrong is still very much in with a shout of the title following his Race 2 victory in Budapest.
Having finally achieved his maiden F3 win, the Kiwi will be looking to force his way into contention in the final three rounds, which makes success in Spa is a necessity. The Ferrari junior has spent the most time of any driver in the top three and has now added a cutting edge to his displays, which could prove to be a lethal combination.
However, if he fails to score well in Round 6, then his chances of taking the crown begin to look pretty distant.
The longest and one of the most loved tracks on the Formula 3 calendar, Spa offers extensive straights, high-speed corners and plenty of opportunity to overtake. Corners like Eau Rouge and Raidillon are iconic and amongst the most famous in the world.
As well as the intensity and speed of many of the corners, there are also plenty of places to overtake, of which the Kemmel straight is perhaps the most obvious, which goes into the Les Combes chicane. Another area to watch for is Blanchimont – a dauntingly quick left-hander – leading towards another chicane at the end of the lap.
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