For its inaugural edition, the Madring circuit welcomed Formula 3 with a unique format to bring the championship to a close. Following the cancellation of the Bahrain round, an additional qualifying session and feature race were added to Saturday’s schedule. In total, three races took place on this new and highly demanding circuit, leaving no room for error.
Qualifying
A high-speed crash during Free Practice – from which he fortunately emerged unscathed – prevented Tasanopol from completing the session and gaining valuable experience on the track, particularly as none of the F2 drivers had raced there before, unlike the Formula 3 drivers. After making contact with the barrier early in the session, Kush was penalized for causing the interruption to qualifying. Both ART Grand Prix drivers were granted permission by race direction to take part in the two Madrid races.
Sprint Race
Kush collided with a rival and damaged his car on the opening lap, forcing him to retire. Tasanopol drove a smart race, avoiding the multiple traps of the Madring to climb from 21st to 15th position.
Feature Race
Kush’s strong start, which saw him gain three places in the opening lap, was ruined when a rival hit him on the third lap, forcing the Indian driver into retirement and triggering a neutralization. Starting on hard tyres, Tasanopol took advantage of the neutralization to switch to soft tyres even before the pit window opened. He made several brave overtakes and was running in sixth place when a second neutralization came at the right moment, allowing him to make his mandatory pit stop while retaining sixth position and a strong pace.
Taito KATO
« A strong performance to finish the weekend at Madring, with my first-ever pole position in F3, P2 in Feature Race and P4 in the Drivers’ Championship in my rookie season ! Very proud of what we achieved together with the team. I’ve made big steps in qualifying, racecraft and tyre management, and I’m proud of how much we’ve grown together as a team. Thank you to everyone for all the hard work ! »
Sébastien PHILIPPE
“The Madring is a physical and mental challenge because the sessions follow one another and you cannot afford to make a mistake, as the consequences can be very costly. Taito managed to find the right momentum and never left the leading positions. He scored almost 60% of his points in the last two meetings. ART Grand Prix finishes the season fourth in the championship with solid foundations on which to build for the future.”
