Press Releases - F3 Europe Series S03

F3 Europe Series S03

After a memorable season, the Europe Series of Formula 3 are finally over. The winner was undecided until the very last lap of the last race and deserves all the credit for it's final position. Congratulations Roch Rochowski Jr.!

After a 4 win streak through races number 15 to 18 and only 2 races to the end, the position seemed assured but then he went to Franco Pereira's (in 2º place only 29 points away) home - Estoril, Portugal. The first race, he totally smashed everyone, winning not only 1st place but also podium, fastest lap and most laps in the lead never leaving 1st place. This created an opening to the spot everyone want.

One race to the end and the dice were still rolling. Rochowski only had to ensure the 8th place and he would be the champion but just on lap 39 Pereira's has seen his hope's rise up for Rochowski had crashed violently after a driver's mistake abandoning the race. Now it was all in Pereira's hands - would he manage the victory at home he needed so much or had faith been planning something different for him?

Well what happened was that the race was not only between these two driver's and coming out of nowhere Vinnijs Kuks surprised everyone and himself by being able to hold on tight to 1st place with the massive pressure Pereira's been applying for 10 straight laps always less than a second of his tail.

Pereira still managed the fastest lap with 01:24.541 right on the first lap, followed by Rochowski with 01:24.930 on the same lap but that wasn't enough: "I was very anxious about this race because of the small gap between me and Rochowski and got more excited when I saw his car speeding out before the Parabolica Ayrton Senna corner because that was the only chance I had to come first place on the championship! Probably because of my excitement I became too impatient and I simply wasn't able to overtake Kuks. I had the golden cup on the tips of my fingers and I let it slip off"

All in all, this was a very tight season with some really good results. A champion had to be chosen and Rochowski has proven more than capable of that title.