FDA – Marciello and Maisano are off to Spa
Spa-Francorchamps, 5 August – Alongside the Ferrari Challenge Europa, today Spa-Francorchamps was the venue for qualifying for the fourth round of the Italian Formula 3 season, to determine the grid for Race 1 which takes place tomorrow at 16.20. In the field, the two Ferrari Driver Academy youngsters, Brandon Maisano and Raffaele Marciello, who therefore got to tackle the 7.004 kilometres of the Belgian track as it flows through the Ardennes forest, still one of the most testing race circuits in the world. In fact, Marciello did very well at this very circuit a week ago in the FIA Formula 3 Trophy, run as part of the seventh round of the British Formula 3 Championship, in which he finished fifth.
Marciello was very quick right from this morning’s free practice, setting an excellent lap time of 2.16.366, before setting the second best time in qualifying, dropping his time down to 2.15.752. “I am pleased,” said the youngster. “I have always loved Spa, a track that can give you some scary moments, but I immediately fell in love with its swoops and climbs and its high speed corners. Being able to drive on the same track that hosts a Formula 1 World Championship race is exciting. It is an historic track, legendary in fact, where all the biggest names in motor sport have fought it out. Tomorrow I will try my best to win, trying to repeat what I did in Misano.”
A bitter sweet result however for the other Ferrari academy student, as Brandon Maisano will start Race 1 from eighth on the grid, having made an error in today’s qualifying. But he might well benefit later from the fact the grid for Race 2 is inverted which sees him start from the front row. “I am a bit disappointed because of today’s mistake, but it’s not over yet, because Spa is a track where you can definitely overtake and where without a shadow of a doubt, the driver’s ability counts for a lot.”
Credit: Ferrari S.p.A. (www.ferrari.com)
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