28 young drivers on the hunt for Raffaele Marciello at Silverstone

The FIA Formula 3 European Championship season kick-off, held three weeks ago at Monza, was dominated by Raffaele Marciello (Prema Powerteam) who celebrated two race wins, there. Will the 18-year old Italian be able to defend his championship lead at Silverstone’s 5.891-kilometre GP circuit? This weekend, the rounds four, five and six will be contested at the tradition-rich motor-racing venue and not only the eight Britons on the 29-car grid are determined to beat the young Italian who is supported by the Ferrari Driver Academy.

Marciello travels to Silverstone with a 6.5-point lead over currently second-placed Pascal Wehrlein (kfzteile24 Mücke Motorsport) but the German switched from the Formula 3 to DTM. His Dallara-Mercedes now will be raced by US American Michael Lewis (kfzteile24 Mücke Motorsport) who was Marciello’s team-mate at Prema Powerteam, last year.

With three races contested, Harry Tincknell (Carlin) holds third position in the championship, thus being the currently best-placed Briton and the leader of a group of eight compatriots who are contesting the 2013 Formula 3 European Championship. With Tincknell, Alex Lynn (Prema Powerteam) in fifth position, Tom Blomqvist (Eurointernational) in sixth, William Buller (ThreeBond with T-Sport) in seventh and Jordan King (Carlin) who holds 10th place, five Britons currently hold top-10 positions. Josh Hill (Fortec Motorsports), the son of former Formula 1 World Champion Damon Hill, also succeeded in scoring points, in his first F3 appearance at Monza and travels to Silverstone as 12th in the championship. And when it comes to the teams, the UK also represents a strong fraction on the grid: With Carlin, Fortec Motorsports, ThreeBond with T-Sport and Double R Racing, four teams are representing the British colours.

For the FIA Formula 3 European Championship it is the first race weekend at Silverstone. Last year, the venue of the very first Formula 1 World Championship race in the history of the sport, held back in 1950, staged a British Formula 3 Championship race weekend.

FIA Formula 3 European Championship