Formula 3 Euro: Volkswagen driver Brendon Hartley scores his first victory

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Formula 3 Euro: Volkswagen driver Brendon Hartley scores his first victory

Second race, second Volkswagen victory: After Mika Mäki won Saturday’s race of the Formula 3 Euro Series at Brands Hatch, Brendon Hartley, another driver “powered by Volkswagen”, won the second round on Sunday.

For the New Zealander and his team, Carlin Motorsport, this marked the first victory in the Formula 3 Euro Series after the squad had won the title in the British Championship between 2001 and 2008 four times. The Finn Mika Mäki from Team Signature took sixth place, thus finishing in the points for the second time this weekend. His team-mate Jean Karl Vernay scored no points at Brands Hatch but continues ranking fourth in the standings.

Hartley took advantage of his pole position and, thanks to a good start, immediately took the lead of the second race. Even two safety car periods about halfway through the race did not cause the 19-year-old to lose his concentration. With a commanding performance the Red Bull Junior ultimately clinched his first victory in the Formula 3 Euro Series. Saturday’s winner Mika Mäki started to the race from grid position eight. The Finn from Volkswagen’s partner team Signature made up two positions as early as in the starting phase and in the end secured the final championship point with a sixth-place finish. After 14 of 20 races of the season, the 21-year-old ranks in seventh place overall with 33 points, just two points behind his Signature team-mate Jean Karl Vernay, who occupies fourth place in the standings. Vernay did not score any points at Brands Hatch. Thanks to a strong fighting performance after having started from 13th place on the grid, the Frenchman still finished the race on Sunday in eighth place. Jake Rosenzweig (USA) was struck by misfortune on Sunday. The second Carlin driver was already running in a promising seventh place but was spun by a rival and only came 16th after the 52-lap race.

Kris Nissen, Volkswagen Motorsport Director:
“That was a fantastic weekend for Volkswagen. For the first time, our drivers and teams won both Formula 3 Euro Series races on a weekend. The Volkswagen teams worked hard for this exploit and truly deserve it. I’d like to particularly congratulate Carlin Motorsport on the team’s very first victory in the Formula 3 Euro Series.”

#3 – Mika Mäki (FIN) – Volkswagen Dallara F308 – Team Signature
Qualifying: 2nd place– race 1: 1st place– race 2: 6th place
“It’s been a great weekend for me. With a score of eleven points, this has been my most successful one ever in the Formula 3 Euro Series. My victory on Saturday was really super but I’m also very happy about still having scored a point in the second race. There are six more races to go, and I’m very confident that things will continue like this.”

#15 – Brendon Hartley (NZ) – Volkswagen Dallara F308 – Team Carlin Motorsport
Qualifying: 8th place – race 1: 8th place – race 2: 1st place
“Having won my first race in the Formula 3 Euro Series is fantastic. I’m very happy, particularly for Volkswagen and Carlin Motorsport as well who worked very hard. I was in control of the race straight from the start and did not take any unnecessary risks. Unfortunately, I suffered a puncture in the race on Saturday but still managed scoring a point. The season so far has not been easy, but now we’re back on the track of success.”

#4 – Jean Karl Vernay (F) – Volkswagen Dallara F308 – Team Signature
Qualifying: 17th place – race 1: 13th place – race 2: 8th place
“Of course I’m not happy with the weekend. In free practice my car was running well but then I didn’t manage any fast laps in qualifying. Because overtaking is nearly impossible on this narrow circuit I didn’t have a lot more chances afterwards in the race although my car was really good – which was evident by my lap times too. That’s why I’m optimistic for the remaining races of the year. In any event, we’ve got the potential for continuing to fight for a place at the top of the standings.”

- Volkswagen Motorsport

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