FIA Formula 3 Melbourne Preview: Debuting down under, where to watch 30.03.2023: FIA FORMULA 3 Championship Albert Park, Melbourne 31 March - April 2nd 2023 We’re in the Southern Hemisphere for Round 2 of the FIA Formula 3 season and Melbourne will be no walk in the park for any of the 30 drivers. The Australian circuit fea

FIA FORMULA 3 Championship
Albert Park, Melbourne
31 March - April 2nd 2023




We’re in the Southern Hemisphere for Round 2 of the FIA Formula 3 season and Melbourne will be no walk in the park for any of the 30 drivers. The Australian circuit features four DRS zones and is faster than ever after changes ahead of Formula 1's return last year.



Who will master the Albert Park circuit the quickest and who will be the first winner in Australia in Formula 3?





THE FORM BOOK



It’s very early in the season but, looking back at Round 1 and there are some clear talking points heading into the second race weekend of 2023. Trident have started the year in the front foot and then some, taking a one-two finish in the Sakhir Feature Race with Gabriel Bortoleto leading Oliver Goethe across the line in Bahrain. The Italian outfit leads the Teams’ Standings on 52 points, 24 clear of PREMA Racing in P2.



Bortoleto’s victory in the Feature means the Italian driver is top of the Drivers’ Championship on 26 points ahead of Goethe on 23, and things remain close behind. Dino Beganovic was consistent with P4 and P3 in the Sprint and Feature Races respectively, and the Swede is on 22.




Grégoire Saucy was lightning quick in testing, but the Swiss didn’t have the pace to fight for victory in the first race weekend of the season. His ART Grand Prix team proved quick but will have been hoping for more, heading to Melbourne fourth in the Teams’ Standings.



Josep María Martí was the first Sprint Race winner of the year as Campos Racing made a strong start to 2023. The team is fourth in the Teams’ Standings but the Spanish outfit looked very competitive in Bahrain, beyond their results on paper.



In Melbourne, Hugh Barter and Christian Mansell will be extra motivated to achieve strong results in front of the Australian fans at home.



WHERE TO WATCH








THE CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS



Gabriele Minì lost the Sakhir Feature Race before it had even begun, lining up incorrectly on the grid and getting a five-second time penalty for the infringement. A tough start to F3 life but what cannot be denied is the Italian’s pure speed. He was electric in Qualifying, and the team feels it is an early strength of both him and his teammates, Luke Browning and Sebastián Montoya.



Browning put in a stellar comeback effort on Sunday for his first points of the season and Montoya made it three Hitech Pulse-Eight cars in the top 10, the only team to achieve points with all cars in a single race in Bahrain.



Elsewhere, Franco Colapinto will be hoping to build on P2 from the Sakhir Sprint with MP Motorsport, whilst PREMA teammates Paul Aron and Zak O’Sullivan will be looking to complete a clean weekend to maximise their potential for Round 2.








- Alexa Quintin, photos Getty Images, Formula Motorsport Limited