Max absolves successful shakedown in his brand new F3 racer
Published on 03 April 2014 by Richard de Klerk
At the Autodrom Most in the Czech Republic, Max Verstappen completed his first successful run in his new Formula 3 racing car. Over the past week, the Van Amersfoort Racing team worked hard to get Max' car ready for its shakedown and ultimately the collective FIA Formula 3 European Championship test at the Hungaroring on April 4 and 5.
The test takes place at Most, as the circuit is on route to Budapest. It is therefore ideally located to trial if the new car is working without any major issues, without losing travel time on the way to the Hungaroring.
The goal of the shakedown is clear: to get as much track time as possible. With over a hundred laps completed on the 2.6 mile circuit, Max achieves what the team set out to do. “It all went well today. We didn’t really encounter any issues, neither with the Volkswagen engine nor the car, which was built by Van Amersfoort Racing. We expected that shifting gears would be a bit heavy but it did not bother me at all”, explains Max.
Nevertheless, there are always things to work on during a shakedown: “In the beginning of the day, I wasn’t too comfortable in the car, but that's because it's been a while since I'd had my seat fitting. But we changed it and now my positioning in the car is excellent.”
Max is chuffed with his new office: “I absolutely love the car. The dark grey with bright orange colour scheme and the white elements at the front really stand out“.
Verstappen junior is not just happy about the looks but also about the car itself: “It feels great to drive an F3 again. Compared to a Formula Renault, it's a real car. Because of the down force it generates, you can go so much faster through corners, compared to an FR2.0.
As the test day draws to a close, Max reflects: “Lap time was not that important today, it was all about making sure the car feels good to drive. Throughout the day I was able to improve, which is what you strive for.” Put in perspective, the difference in lap time between the first and last session is about two seconds.
Max continues: “The collaboration with Van Amersfoort Racing went really well, it's all very professional. I get along with the team and I work well together with my engineer, so I really can't complain.”
Upcoming Friday and Saturday, Max has the first opportunity to compare himself and the car with his opponents at the collective Euro F3 test at the Hungaroring: “I'm looking forward to see where I'm at compared to the rest of the grid. It's hard to make predictions but of course I will give it my best, and so will the others”, says an optimistic Max. “Everything felt really well here at Most, so I will travel to Hungary full of confidence.”
