Qualifying
Qualifying proved to be a real challenge in the intense heat with 31°C in the air and 61°C on the track. After promising free practice sessions (P2), Taito could not repeat his performance in the afternoon : he spun on his final lap while ahead of his best personal time. He finished 7th, just ahead of Kanato who did his best qualifying of the season. Maciej took 14th place, unable to defend his chances in the final minutes.
Sprint Race
In the Sprint race, the anti-stall system costs Taito’s chances of a podium finish by triggering unexpectedly at the start. With few overtaking opportunities, Taito ultimately took 7th place.
Kanato drove a great race, but a disqualification due to technical issue (under minimum weight) stripped him of his 6th-place finish.
Meanwhile, Maciej was stuck in a DRS train, which left him with no opportunities to climb up into the points.
Feature Race
The opening lap had heavy consequences for the ART Grand Prix drivers. Maciej was forced off track by a competitor and had to retire. After climbing up to 4th at one point, a scuffle caused Taito to drop two positions on the final lap, but the Japanese driver concludes the weekend with 12 championship points. Kanato spent most of his race in 10th place, which is where he crossed the finish line.
Taito Kato
“I felt very confident coming to Spielberg after we topped the timesheets during the tests in Austria. We had a very strong pace, and we must keep up the good work, making sure we leave no stone unturned in our search for pole position and podiums, because the potential is definitely there.”
Sébastien PHILIPPE
“I felt very confident coming to Spielberg after we topped the timesheets during the tests in Austria. We had a very strong pace, and we must keep up the good work, making sure we leave no stone unturned in our search for pole position and podiums, because the potential is definitely there.”
