Bernstorff wins qualifying
After being postponed due to mixed weather conditions on Friday, the qualifying session for the ATS Formula 3 Cup took place on Saturday morning.
The 21 young race drivers from eleven countries competed at the 4.638-km Grand Prix track for the fastest lap times in dry weather and cool temperatures.
This marks the fifth time that the ATS Formula 3 Cup is part of the support programme of the ADAC Zurich 24-Hour Race at the Nürburgring. British driver Emil Bernstorff will start from the pole position this evening. Freddy Killensberger from Wortelstetten secured the fastest time in the Trophy ranking.
Marvin Kirchhöfer did not manage to score the hat trick, securing the pole position at three consecutive racing weekends. The driver from Leipzig will have to make do with the fourth position in the starting grid. Taking turns in setting the fastest lap times, British driver Emil Bernstoff and Russian Artem Markelov (all Lotus / Dallara F311 Volkswagen Power Engine) battled for the first place. In the end, Bernstorff secured the pole position in 1:35.415 minutes, with Markelov closely following in 1:35.941 minutes. Austrian Thomas Jäger (Performance Racing / Dallara F311 Volkswagen Power Engine) finished third in 1:36.163 minutes.
Narrow grid in the ATS Formula 3 Cup
Once again, the quality of the Trophy grid was impressive. Many of the drivers battled for the fastest lap. However, Freddy Killensberger from Wortelstetten (GU-Racing / Dallara F311 OPC-Challenge) succeeded in the end, setting a lap time of 1:39.827 minutes. Hubertus-Carlos Vier from Inching (ADAC Team Nordbayern / Dallara F307 Mercedes) secured the second place, in 1:39.904 minutes, followed by Swiss Thomas Amweg (Jo Zeller Racing / Dallara F307 Mercedes) in 1:40.335 minutes; a very successful ATS Formula 3 Cup debut indeed for the 29-year from Ammerswil.
Race one will take place tonight at 7.20 p.m. Race two was cancelled due to the postponed qualifying session. Race three will start at the usual time on Sunday, at 1.45 p.m.
Emil Bernstorff: “I did not actually know what time I had, I was pushing anyway. I think in the end I was half a second quicker than Artem when I had my tyres on
temperature. Then I could do my laps. It is very nice for me.”
Artem Markelov: “I am second again and I am really happy, because this is consistency for me. That's good for my team and good for the first race. I will take a good start!”
Thomas Jäger: “I had one clear run and that is where I made a mistake. I think we probably could have been involved in the battle for the pole position if I had had a good stint.”
Freddy Killensberger: “Initially, I was trying to make myself familiar with the track. I had only completed five laps during tests. I knew the route from the Playstation. It worked out better with every lap. Good job!”
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The 21 young race drivers from eleven countries competed at the 4.638-km Grand Prix track for the fastest lap times in dry weather and cool temperatures.
This marks the fifth time that the ATS Formula 3 Cup is part of the support programme of the ADAC Zurich 24-Hour Race at the Nürburgring. British driver Emil Bernstorff will start from the pole position this evening. Freddy Killensberger from Wortelstetten secured the fastest time in the Trophy ranking.
Marvin Kirchhöfer did not manage to score the hat trick, securing the pole position at three consecutive racing weekends. The driver from Leipzig will have to make do with the fourth position in the starting grid. Taking turns in setting the fastest lap times, British driver Emil Bernstoff and Russian Artem Markelov (all Lotus / Dallara F311 Volkswagen Power Engine) battled for the first place. In the end, Bernstorff secured the pole position in 1:35.415 minutes, with Markelov closely following in 1:35.941 minutes. Austrian Thomas Jäger (Performance Racing / Dallara F311 Volkswagen Power Engine) finished third in 1:36.163 minutes.
Narrow grid in the ATS Formula 3 Cup
Once again, the quality of the Trophy grid was impressive. Many of the drivers battled for the fastest lap. However, Freddy Killensberger from Wortelstetten (GU-Racing / Dallara F311 OPC-Challenge) succeeded in the end, setting a lap time of 1:39.827 minutes. Hubertus-Carlos Vier from Inching (ADAC Team Nordbayern / Dallara F307 Mercedes) secured the second place, in 1:39.904 minutes, followed by Swiss Thomas Amweg (Jo Zeller Racing / Dallara F307 Mercedes) in 1:40.335 minutes; a very successful ATS Formula 3 Cup debut indeed for the 29-year from Ammerswil.
Race one will take place tonight at 7.20 p.m. Race two was cancelled due to the postponed qualifying session. Race three will start at the usual time on Sunday, at 1.45 p.m.
Emil Bernstorff: “I did not actually know what time I had, I was pushing anyway. I think in the end I was half a second quicker than Artem when I had my tyres on
temperature. Then I could do my laps. It is very nice for me.”
Artem Markelov: “I am second again and I am really happy, because this is consistency for me. That's good for my team and good for the first race. I will take a good start!”
Thomas Jäger: “I had one clear run and that is where I made a mistake. I think we probably could have been involved in the battle for the pole position if I had had a good stint.”
Freddy Killensberger: “Initially, I was trying to make myself familiar with the track. I had only completed five laps during tests. I knew the route from the Playstation. It worked out better with every lap. Good job!”
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