Subscribe

Sign up for free

  • Get quick access to your favorite articles

  • Manage alerts on breaking news and favorite drivers

  • Make your voice heard with article commenting.

Autosport Plus

Discover premium content
Subscribe

Linus Lundqvist seals BRDC British F3 title with Silverstone victory

Linus Lundqvist clinched the 2018 BRDC British Formula 3 Championship with victory at Silverstone in the final round of the season

The Double R driver took a comfortable lights-to-flag win around the Grand Prix layout, finishing clear of Tom Gamble (Fortec) and Billy Monger (Carlin).

Lundqvist's only challenger for the title was Carlin's Nicolai Kjaergaard, who needed to finish no lower then seventh to take the title battle to Sunday if Lundqvist took victory in race one.

But the Dane retired on the opening lap of the race after losing control of his car at Farm and beaching it the gravel, paving the way for Lundqvist to clinch the title.

"I didn't know that Nicolai had gone off, it was very clever of them [Double R] not to tell me," said Lundqvist.

"I guess that's what they had in their minds [not telling me to keep me focused].

"As I won I saw my pitboard said 'P1 2018' and that's not usually what it says so on the in-lap I was thinking what did they mean? But when I came into the pits I put one and one together.

"I didn't really think that I was going to win it today, I was pretty sure it would still be up for grabs tomorrow as I would need Nicolai not to finish.

"It's unreal and just really emotional."

The Swede opened his British F3 account with a win at the first round of the season at Oulton Park, but by the end of the meeting trailed Kjaergaard by 18 points.

Since the second round at Rockingham though, where he became the only driver this season to finish on every step of the podium in one weekend, Lundqvist has led the standings.

One win at both Snetterton and Silverstone and a further two podiums in that time helped extend his lead to 56 points before he took a double win at Spa-Francorchamps and led the standings by 120 points from Kjaergaard.

Brands Hatch became the first weekend where he failed to take a victory, but he still achieved two podiums and had the title in his grasp heading to the penultimate round at Donington Park.

It was here his campaign hit a bump, as a combination of engine problems, changeable conditions and being caught up in someone else's accident meant his 111 point lead was cut to just 50 points by Kjaergaard heading to Silverstone.

But the win means he has wrapped up the title with two races to spare, and succeeds current European F3 driver Enaam Ahmed as champion.

Be part of the Autosport community

Join the conversation
Previous article Ex-BTCC driver Vincent Radermecker in Formula Ford Festival return
Next article Flick Haigh will not defend British GT title in 2019

Top Comments

There are no comments at the moment. Would you like to write one?

Sign up for free

  • Get quick access to your favorite articles

  • Manage alerts on breaking news and favorite drivers

  • Make your voice heard with article commenting.

Autosport Plus

Discover premium content
Subscribe