Joel Eriksson (Motopark) scored a lights-to-flag victory at the 4.318 kilometres long Red Bull Ring, his fifth win in the 2017 FIA Formula 3 European Championship season.

Behind the Swedish BMW junior driver, whose most recent victory to date came in Hungary in mid-June, Brit Lando Norris (Carlin) finished second. Russian driver Nikita Mazepin (Hitech Grand Prix) secured third place. Maximilian Günther (Prema Powerteam), who is the only remaining rival of McLaren-backed Norris in the battle for the title after this race, was classified seventh and is now 82 points down on championship leader Norris.

Joel Eriksson started from pole position and immediately took the lead. Lando Norris slotted in behind him, followed by Nikita Mazepin and Callum Ilott (Prema Powerteam).

The Brit put Mazepin under pressure, particularly in the opening stages of the race, but was unable to find a way past the Force India protégé. Thus, Mazepin secured his second podium finish in this year’s FIA Formula 3 European Championship season. Only race winner Joel Eriksson and second-placed Lando Norris finished ahead of him.

In the race that didn’t have too much action, the positions behind Ilott were also taken quite early. Jehan Daruvala (Carlin), who, like Mazepin, is supported by the Force India Formula 1 team, finished as the second-best rookie in fifth place, followed by Ralf Aron (Hitech Grand Prix) and Jake Hughes (Hitech Grand Prix). Due to causing Habsburg to go off track in the last lap, Hughes was penalised with a ten second time penalty after the race, thus only classified in 13th position.

Ferdinand Habsburg (Carlin), the only Austrian in the field, was in eighth place until the final lap, but lost his position to Maximilian Günther. Joey Mawson (Van Amersfoort Racing) also overtook the 20-year-old, so that Habsburg eventually crossed the line in tenth place. Due to the penalty imposed on Jake Hughes those three drivers were promoted by one position each. The one point awarded for finishing in tenth place was inherited by Mick Schumacher (Prema Powerteam).

Joel Eriksson (Motopark): “My start was perfect. On the opening lap, I had to defend my lead, but it was a relatively calm race after that. I tried to save my tyres, but I was still able to keep a good speed. The only minor issue I had during the race is that I lost my right rear-view mirror. Otherwise, it was a smooth affair.”

Lando Norris (Carlin): “On the opening lap, I tried to overtake Joel, but he had the better position and did a good job in defending his lead. After that, I didn’t have a possibility to attack him, especially as it was also difficult to follow him closely. As there wasn’t much I could do, I am also happy with second place.”

Nikita Mazepin (Hitech Grand Prix): “I am happy to be on the podium for the second time this year. Since the middle of the season, we have solved the problems we were having at the beginning of the year. Recently, however, I had a lot of bad luck and was punted off in good positions more than once. I am all the happier that my string of bad luck is now over. At the start of the race, I tried to attack Lando, but then I had to defend my position from Callum. After that, it was relatively quiet until the end.”

Callum Ilott (Prema Powerteam) started the ninth weekend of the FIA Formula 3 European Championship at the 4.318 kilometres long Red Bull Ring with a victory. Behind the Brit, Joel Eriksson (Motopark) and Maximilian Günther (Prema Powerteam) took the chequered flag in second and third place.

Points’ leader Lando Norris (Carlin) finished fourth in the 25th race of the 2017 FIA Formula 3 European Championship season. Thus, his margin over Maximilian Günther, second in the drivers’ standings, was reduced by three points to 70 points.

Ilott benefited from his pole position and took the lead on the first metres. Behind him, Joel Eriksson overtook Maximilian Günther for second place while Lando Norris returned from the opening lap in fifth behind Tadasuke Makino (Hitech Grand Prix).

"For me, it has been a good weekend at one of my favourite tracks so far." Commented Illot "Qualifying was a close affair, but I managed to come out on top. My start into the race wasn’t particularly good, Joel’s getaway was considerably better."

"However, I was able to decide the battle with him on the opening lap in my favour. After that, I controlled the race and I am now happy with this win." He added

Behind David Beckmann (Motopark), Nikita Mazepin (Hitech Grand Prix) was in seventh place at the circuit in Styria until he retired due to a collision with Harrison Newey (Van Amersfoort Racing) on lap four.

The Brit had to visit the pits for a brief stop, allowing Mick Schumacher (Prema Powerteam) to move up into seventh place in the opening stages of the race.

Four laps later, Ferdinand Habsburg (Carlin), the only Austrian in the field, overtook the two Germans Beckmann and Schumacher and progressed from eighth to sixth place.

The great-grandson of the last Austrian emperor also brought this position home.

Further ahead, Lando Norris fiercely attacked Tadasuke Makino during the final two laps, after which the McLaren protégé overtook the Honda-backed Japanese.

However, the Brit was unable to mount a challenge on the trio in front, so that Callum Ilott eventually crossed the finish line as the winner ahead of Joel Eriksson and Maximilian Günther.

Norris secured fourth place from Makino, Habsburg, Schumacher, Beckmann, Guanyu Zhou (Prema Powerteam) and Pedro Piquet (Van Amersfoort Racing).

Swedish driver Joel Eriksson (Motopark) had to wait for a while before he was fastest in qualifying for the fourth time this year.

In Styria in Austria, it finally happened: at the 4.318 kilometres long Red Bull Ring, he came out on top in second qualifying of the FIA Formula 3 European Championship and will be allowed to start the 26th race of the season from pole position as a result. Lando Norris (Carlin), the FIA Formula 3 European Championship points’ leader, was only three thousandths of a second slower than Eriksson and ended up second in qualifying.

Nikita Mazepin (Hitech Grand Prix), Callum Ilott (Prema Powerteam) and Jehan Daruvala (Carlin) were next up. In the ranking of the second-fastest lap times, used to determine the starting grid positions for the third race of the weekend, the order in the first five places was Eriksson from Norris, Ilott, Mazepin and Ralf Aron (Hitech Grand Prix).

Starting grid race two

In the battle for pole position for the second race of the weekend, Joel Eriksson (1m23.431s) moved up into first place just after the halfway point of qualifying, he toppled Lando Norris (1m23.434s) from the top position.

After that, none of his rivals were able to match the time of the Swede, who won the title of best rookie in the FIA Formula 3 European Championship last year. With five minutes remaining, Callum Ilott (1m23.731s) moved up into second place, but, unlike Eriksson, turned out to be unable to hold on to his position. 90 seconds before the end of the session, Lando Norris managed to improve his lap time which promoted him ahead of his compatriot again.

At the very last moment, McLaren junior driver Norris improved once more, but had to admit defeat to BMW junior Eriksson, albeit by only 0.003 seconds. As Nikita Mazepin (1m23.684s) also still moved up into the top three in the final stages, Callum Ilott eventually ended up in fourth place.

Jehan Daruvala (1m23.748s), Jake Hughes (Hitech Grand Prix, 1m23.767s), Ralf Aron (1m23.770s), Ferdinand Habsburg (Carlin, 1m23.780s), Maximilian Günther (Prema Powerteam, 1m23.826s) and Guanyu Zhou (Prema Powerteam, 1m23.829s) rounded out the top ten.

Starting grid race three

Eriksson (1m23.545s) also came out on top in the ranking of the second-fastest lap times. Therefore, he will also be starting from the best grid position for the 27th race of the FIA Formula 3 European Championship season.

Lando Norris (1m23.650s) will be starting from second place on the grid, followed by Callum Ilott (1m23.756s), Nikita Mazepin (1m23.781s), Ralf Aron (1m23.841s), Maximilian Günther (1m23.878s), Ferdinand Habsburg (1m23.889s), Tadasuke Makino (Hitech Grand Prix, 1m23.916s), Jehan Daruvala (1m23.918s) and Jake Hughes (1m23.931s).

"The qualifying was great, my fastest lap was perfect. I was really at the limit, I don’t think I could have gone any faster." Said Eriksson

"My car was really good, too. In the race this morning, we were still having some problems, but we were able to solve them before qualifying."

"With a good start into tomorrow’s two races, my chances should be good. I will be doing my utmost to win both races tomorrow." He concluded

British driver Callum Ilott (Prema Powerteam, 1m23.301s) claimed pole position for the 25th race of the 2017 FIA Formula 3 European Championship season at the 4.318 kilometres long Red Bull Ring.

Maximilian Günther (Prema Powerteam, 1m23.317s) will be starting from second place ahead of Joel Eriksson (Motopark, 1m23.496s) and points’ leader Lando Norris (Carlin, 1m23.548s). Thus, all four drivers who are still in the title race are on one of the first two rows of the grid.

Rookie driver Lando Norris could already seal the FIA Formula 3 European Championship title this weekend and he wanted to get himself into the perfect position to do so during first qualifying.

Towards the halfway point, the McLaren junior driver topped the time sheets, only for his compatriot Callum Ilott to take over first place soon after that.

"Pre-season testing was good here for us, so obviously I had a good baseline coming into this weekend." Said Illot

"I was already quickest in free practice. Going into this session it took me a little while to get into the qualifying. Just two laps towards the end I put it together; just enough to beat Maximilian."|

"It is quite close between the four championship contenders. It should be interesting for the race. Overall it was a really good session." He added

Maximilian Günther, currently second in the drivers’ standings, and Joel Eriksson, who ranks in third place in the championship, moved ahead of the Brit.

In the closing stages, other drivers managed to improve their personal best times, so that Lando Norris dropped back more and more. However, the title favourite struck back and moved up into third place with three minutes remaining. While Eriksson increased his speed once more soon after that, Norris eventually had to make do with fourth place.

In fifth place, Tadasuke Makino (Hitech Grand Prix, 1m23.574s) confirmed his strong performance. Next up was Nikita Mazepin (Hitech Grand Prix, 1m23.585s) while David Beckmann (Motopark, 1m23.588s), Joey Mawson (Van Amersfoort Racing, 1m23.624s), Harrison Newey (Van Amersfoort Racing, 1m23.651s) and Ferdinand Habsburg (Carlin, 1m23.694s) rounded out the top ten.

However, both Mawson and Habsburg came to Spielberg with a penalty. At the Nürburgring a fortnight ago, both incurred a three places’ grid penalty for causing a collision, so that their grid positions for tomorrow’s first race will be changed accordingly.

How close things are in the FIA Formula 3 European Championship became clear by the gap between pace setter Callum Ilott and Devlin DeFrancesco (Carlin, 1m24.189s), who is competing in the FIA Formula 3 European Championship for the first time. The novice, who ended up 18th, was only 0.888 seconds slower than the stalwart.