Hülkenberg wins and closes up in the points’ standings
26.07.2008 - At the 3.629 kilometres long Nürburgring, Nico Hülkenberg (ART Grand Prix) celebrated his third season win in the Formula 3 Euro Series. Jules Bianchi (ART Grand Prix) and Tom Dillmann (Jo Zeller Racing) occupied second and third places. In the points’ standings, Hülkenberg and Mika Mäki (Mücke Motorsport), who finished fourth in the eleventh season round of the Formula 3 Euro Series, have now closed up to four points behind leader, Edoardo Mortara (Signature-Plus). The Italian already retired in the opening stages.
At the start, both pole-sitter Christian Vietoris (Mücke Motorsport) and sixth-placed James Jakes (ART Grand Prix) stalled at their grid positions. Nico Hülkenberg led the field into the first corner, followed by his team-mate Jules Bianchi and Tom Dillmann. In this order, they took the chequered flag after 29 race laps. Behind Mäki and Dutch driver Renger van der Zande (Prema Powerteam), Daniel Ricciardo (SG Formula) had a great debut in the world’s strongest junior race series by finishing sixth. Vietoris and Jakes, who had dropped back in the field after their problems at the start, collided on lap seven while trying to catch up and retired.
Nico Hülkenberg (ART Grand Prix): “I am really happy with this result, nobody could stop me today. It is always nice when you feel all the pressure flowing away when you cross the finish line. Once again, the good qualifying, in which I was second, was the basis for this success.”
Jules Bianchi (ART Grand Prix): “After a critical start, it went well for me in the race, although not much happened for me after the start. I am very happy being back in fifth place in the championship. In my first year of Formula 3, good results are just very important.“
Tom Dillmann (Jo Zeller Racing): “For me, this third place is a great comeback in the Formula 3 Euro Series. So far, the entire weekend has been going very well, from the very first lap in Thursday’s pre-event test onwards. It really can go on like this.”
Air temperature: 27.2 °C
Asphalt temperature: 43.1 °C