Photo: Formula Motorsport Ltd
There is just one race weekend after the summer break for FIA Formula 3, putting more onus on this month’s rounds when it comes to setting an impression for 2024.
After this weekend’s round at Spa-Francorchamps there is a gap of over a month before F3 is back in action at Monza, where the season concludes on September 3. That is almost three months before the Formula 2 season wraps up, and is one-and-a-half months earlier than the end of the Euroformula, Formula Regional European Championship and GB3 seasons.
Although the FIA F3 World Cup will take place in mid-November on the streets of Macau, many of those seats could be occupied by drivers who are joining teams ahead of 2024 campaigns with them.
Cars will be shipped there from post-season testing, which the dates for are yet to be announced, and drivers will want to already have their plans finalised by then. Which puts onus on drivers maximising their paddock time, and putting in strong performances on track, at the Hungaroring last weekend and then at Spa.
“I think these two rounds are the most crucial rounds of the championship, because there’s a very long break until the last one. And I think the talks for next year, options with teams and so on will already begin in August,” said Prema’s Paul Aron. “So I think the outcome of these two rounds can determine a lot for many drivers, [when] considering their careers.”
Trident’s Oliver Goethe agreed, saying: “These two rounds are crucial before the break. It can change a lot for the drivers on the outcome of what they’re doing next year. So I think everyone has got to use their knowledge and just do the best they can. There’s not much things to change.”