F3: a storming weekend for Fittipaldi ends in disappointment

Enzo Fittipaldi leaves Monza with a ninth and 20th place, but those results do not come near telling the true story of what happened at the Monza circuit. The Ferrari Driver Academy student was a front runner throughout the weekend in his HWA Racelab car and demonstrated that he made clear progress in the difficult Formula 3 category. 

Race-1. Enzo was 17th on the grid but he had an awful start as a technical problem left him with a stalled engine on the grid and the Brazilian only managed to get going once the field had gone by. However, he got stuck in and set off in pursuit. He was running at the same pace as the leader and soon began overtaking his rivals. In no time at all, the HWA Racelab driver was in the top 20 and then benefited from the Safety Car to close the gap.

When the race resumed, Fittipaldi put the hammer down and finished ninth to record his fourth points finish of the season. 

Race-2. For Sunday morning’s race, Enzo lined up on the front row alongside Michel Belov (Charouz Racing System) getting the jump on the Russian youngster although he then had to give best to Lirim Zendeli (Trident) who attempted a desperate move at the first chicane. For the first two laps, Fittipaldi tailed the German and then had him in his sights on lap 3.

Enzo attacked Zendeli at the Roggia Variante but lost the lead next time round going down the main straight. The battle raged for a few more laps and Enzo managed to get ahead of the German at the first chicane. Unfortunately, Zendeli’s front wing clipped the left rear tyre on the Brazilian’s Dallara, causing a puncture. The tyre deflated going through Curva Grande but Enzo was able to get back to the pits. He rejoined and finished 20th, but he had shown his true potential this weekend.

Calendar. The final round of the Formula 3 championship takes place next weekend at the Toscana-Ferrari 1000 Grand Prix at Mugello. This is another track Enzo knows well and so the podium is firmly in his sights.