A twelfth, a 15^th and a 17^th place were the results for German driver Fabian Schuller in the second race weekend of the 2015 FIA Formula 3 European Championship. For the first time this season, the series raced on German soil, supporting the DTM season opener at the Hockenheimring Baden-Württemberg. In total, 75,000 spectators attended the race weekend. “For me, it was a challenging weekend,” Schiller commented. “I am still suffering from a lack of test mileage over the winter, but the upward trend is definitely there and we are learning all the time.”

As the Formula 3 races were part of a motorsport festival that not only included the DTM and its usual support categories, but also a round of the World Rallycross Championship, the event was a four-day affair, with free practice and first qualifying already held on Thursday.

In qualifying for the first race, Schiller was classified 27^th in the field of 35 drivers. In qualifying for race two, the German posted the 15^th time. In the ranking of the second-fastest laps, used to determine the starting grid positions for the third and final race of the weekend, Schiller ended up twelfth. “In both qualifying sessions, I was caught out by red flags that came out after other drivers had spun off the track,” Schiller reported. “On both occasions, the red flags came out just at the time when I was out on track with fresh tyres to start my flying lap. Of course, that prevented me from getting any better grid positions.”

In the first race of the weekend, already held on Friday due to the packed time schedule at Hockenheim, Schiller made good progress from 27^th place on the grid and was rewarded with 17^th place. “On Thursday, we had run in sunny and dry conditions, but the first race on Friday took place in the rain. With so many cars on track, visibility was very limited and finding the right lines and braking points wasn’t easy,” the West-Tec F3 driver said. “Still, I was able to make up quite a few places and I was happy with my progress.”

Twelfth place was the result for the protégé of the Deutsche Post Speed Academy in the second race of the weekend. On Saturday, conditions were fine again and Schiller was able to gain three places compared to his starting grid position. “This race was quite okay. I had a good start and the strategy worked out,” he reported.

The race on Sunday was held in the rain again. The tricky conditions caught Fabian Schiller out: “Right after the start, I came onto the Astroturf and I spun. As a result, I dropped back to 25^th place, but throughout the race, I managed to make up ten places to finish 15^th. On the final lap, I still gained four positions and I was quite happy with the speed I had.”

“The results weren’t too good, but the lap times were all right and the important thing is that we kept on improving throughout the weekend,” the driver of the West-Tec F3 team commented after the meeting at Hockenheim. Next up is a Formula 3 classic, the races on the street circuit of Pau in the south of France, May 15-17. Schiller: “That will be a first, I have never raced on a street circuit before. I have seen some videos and I will spend some time in the simulator to get to know the track. I am really looking forward to it!”