Verstappen returns to his first win

Max Verstappen

Just a week after his thrilling weekend in Imola, Red Bull Junior Max Verstappen is in action again in the Van Amersfoort Racing Dallara-VW, at Hockenheim for the final three races of the FIA Formula 3 European Championship.

Back at the beginning of May the then 16-year-old Dutchman scored his first F3 victory, in his debut open-wheel season. A lot more has happened than just a birthday since then. "Exactly, it's been an incredible year, I certainly didn't imagine it could work out the way it has when I was at Hockenheim just five months ago."

9 victories

That first win was impressive enough but on two occasions since then, at Spa and the Norisring, Verstappen has made a clean sweep of the weekend, winning all three races. In fact that mid season blitz was six races in a row. So is it possible to do the triple one more time? "Yes I think it is possible, the guys have given me such a great car so there is no reason why not, that would please me a lot, a great way to finish the season."

He is not pretending that it will be easy, he knows just how strong the other are. "I think the opposition will probably be the same as through the season, the Prema guys and Carlin, probably also the Mücke cars as they always seem to go well in Germany."

A good car for the track

"I like the track, it has some fast corners and some good straights, we know from Imola that the guys have got the engine working well so we should enjoy that at Hockenheim. The car was working well there early in the year and since then we have improved the car and I have learnt quite a bit as well."
Though the championship went to Esteban Ocon at the last round, second is still to be fought for and Tom Blomqvist is only three points behind. So if lady lucky decides to be contrary as she has a few times this year it could be a hard fought weekend.

Not finished with the F3 car

"We still have Macau, that is something that I am really looking forward to, my first time there of course and I know it will be a big challenge but it is a special place and I am very much looking forward to it. We have some testing planned in the F3 car before we go but we haven't decided where yet," enthused Verstappen.

"I will also be very busy of course with the Toro Rosso commitments so there will be no rest for a while at all," he concluded.