Guimarães begins season in the points at Silverstone

Double R Racing’s Felipe Guimarães got his debut season in the high-profile FIA Formula 3 European Championship off to a successful start at Silverstone Grand Prix Circuit over the weekend, 19th/20th April, after claiming a richly deserved top 10 finish in the opening round of the 2014 campaign.

Putting together a series of superb performances at the Northamptonshire track, the 22-year-old from Brazil added an 11th place finish in round two but was unable to make it three finishes from three after an unfortunate opening lap retirement in the final encounter.

Beginning round one from 13th on the grid, after lapping just 0.4 seconds shy of the top six in qualifying, Guimarães made an excellent start to his first FIA Formula 3 race to rapidly climb into ninth position into the first sequence of turns.

Initially pressuring Felix Serralles for eighth, the Double R man also managed to edge away from the pursuing Felix Rosenqvist prior to the Safety Car appearing on lap four. At the re-start, on lap seven, Guimarães remained close behind the group ahead but as he looked to find a way past Ed Jones the Brazilian also had to keep his eyes trained on his mirrors with Rosenqvist pressuring

On lap 10, the Swede made his attack through Farm and into Village and so Guimarães was nudged back to 10th place where he remained to the chequered flag on lap 18. Producing very competitive lap times all the way to the finish, his best of the race – 1m53.186 seconds – was just 0.3 seconds outside top six pace.

Lining-up in 17th position for round two on Saturday afternoon, Guimarães again made a stunning launch at the wheel of his Dallara-Mercedes and sliced his way into 14th position through the first sector before passing Gustavo Menezes for 13th on lap two.

Moving into the top 12 on lap three, at the expense of Rosenqvist, Guimarães then pressured Lucas Auer before making the breakthrough on lap six. Tantalisingly close to finishing in the points for the second race in succession, the 2013 Formula 3 Sudamericana Champion had to settle for 11th in the end just 0.5 seconds outside the top 10.

Sunday morning’s third round provided the toughest test with an 11th row start in 21st position – a result of fuel pump failure in second qualifying. Unfortunately for the Brazilian, he wasn’t able to replicate his brace of stellar performances from the opening two races following a lap one excursion.

“It’s been a really strong and competitive start to the year for us in the European championship, Felipe has done a great job this weekend”, said Double R team principal Anthony ‘Boyo’ Hieatt, “It’s a shame he went out on the opening lap in the last race, but his performances in Saturday’s two races were superb. This weekend’s pace and results definitely bode well for the rest of the season.”

Rounds four, five and six of the FIA Formula 3 European Championship season will be contested at Hockenheim in Germany on 3rd/4th May. On the same weekend, with action also taking place on Bank Holiday Monday, 5th May, Double R Racing’s Cooper Tires British F3 International Series squad will begin its 2014 campaign at Rockingham in Northamptonshire.

Double R Racing