Photo: F3 Euro Series
Fourth place in final race at Hockenheim enough to secure Spaniard the Euro Series and FIA European titles despite mechanically-induced retirements in the weekend’s first two races…
Daniel Juncadella has won the 2012 Formula 3 Euro Series and the FIA European Formula 3 Championship after the final race of the campaign at Hockenheim. Mechanical issues forced the third-year driver to retire from the opening two races of the weekend, but his points margin over rivals Pascal Wehrlein and Raffaele Marciello was big enough that a fourth place finish in the third and final race was enough to get him the title.
After winning last year’s Macau Grand Prix, Juncadella was the pre-season favourite after deciding to stay in F3. The 21-year-old Spaniard experienced an up-and-down season though, with race wins interspersed by poor results, collisions and some suspect driving that got him in trouble with the stewards at the Norisring and the Nurburgring. In the end his level of experience over Euro Series newcomers Wehrlein and Marciello meant he came out on top.
GP2 or Formula Renault 3.5 are the obvious next steps for Juncadella, although his Mercedes-Benz links could lead to a seat in the DTM. His primary backer is Astana of Kazakhstan.
Having won the Masters of F3 at Zandvoort earlier in the year and now the two European titles, Juncadella will aim to defend his Macau crown and achieve a quadruple title for 2012.