Max retires from wet race 2 at Pau

Published on 11 May 2014 by Stefan Meens

Max Verstappen's second race of the Pau F3 Grand Prix ended in a bitter disappointment. The Dutch rookie retired form third position after spinning of into the tyre barriers on lap twelve. The wet race, which started behind the safety car, was eventually won by Tom Blomqvist with Esteban Ocon and Jake Dennis completing the top three. Nevertheless, Max, who has never raced a European F3 car in the rain, will start from third position on the grid for the third and final race later this Sunday.

The second race of the FIA Formula 3 European Championship round at the Pau street circuit gets under way behind the safety car. After the field is unleashed, the top three (Ocon, Rosenqvist and Max) is quick to get away from the rest of the pack. Meanwhile the rain has stopped and Ocon and Rosenqvist are able to create a gap towards Max.

In lap twelve, Verstappen junior's race ends. The Dutch rookie is keen on catching up with the two leaders and ups his pace. In the first sector of the twelfth lap, Max is fastest of anyone but in the following sector he ends up with his right rear wheel in the tyre wall.
A heavily disappointed Max explains his shunt: “I tried to go faster in the second sector but I went too wide in the fast corner before the chicane. When I drove over the curbs, I lost the car. The car has a bit of wing damage and rear suspension damage but I should be able to contest the last race.”

Meanwhile, Rosenqvist has caught up with Ocon. A failed attempt to overtake the French rookie results in the Swede retiring and Ocon continuing with a damaged rear suspension. Not much later, race control sends out the safety car as at several locations around the track, cars are stuck.

With four minutes to go, the safety car returns to the pits and the field is unleashed for a sprint to the finish. Blomqvist prowls on leader Ocon and manages to overtake the Frenchman in the penultimate lap. The Englishman goes on to win the race, 4.5s ahead of Ocon. Jake Dennis completes the podium.

Max has a chance to bounce straight back after his dissapointing start to the Sunday. At 14:15 GMT +1, the Van Amersfoort Racing driver will contest the third and final race of the Pau round.

The full schedule for the FIA F3 European Championship round at Pau can be found here.
To follow Max at Pau you can make use of the official Euro F3 live timing and stream:
Live timing is available at: http://live-itschrono.com/live-gp-pau/live.html
Live stream (races only) available at: http://www.fiaf3europe.com/livestream.html

Furthermore, via Twitter and Facebook we will keep you updated throughout the weekend followed by a full report on Verstappen.nl at the end of the day’s action. 

FIA Formula 3 European Championship Round 3 - Pau – Day 3, Sunday 11 May:
Results race 2