Stenshorne aiming to ‘bounce back’ in Spielberg after Barcelona difficulties

Martinius Stenshorne is aiming to be back fighting towards the front in Spielberg – a track that holds some very special memories for the Rodin Motorsport driver.

The Norwegian achieved his only Formula 3 Feature Race win at the Red Bull Ring last season, going from P15 on the grid to second – before a post-race disqualification saw him inherit the victory.

Stenshorne returns to Austria this weekend hoping to recapture that sort of form after a tough time in Barcelona, having finished outside the points in both races at the Spanish venue.

“I’m feeling good,” said Stenshorne previewing Spielberg. “Obviously, my only Feature Race win in F3 came here last year, so that's positive.

“Barcelona didn't really go very well. It’s not what we wanted, so we are looking to bounce back this weekend and hopefully get back to the form that we had earlier this year.

“We had the Red Flag in qualifying which ruined our weekend. Then I think we also stopped a bit early in the Feature Race and then had a little brake issue from the midway point to the end, which didn't help us.

“So the brake issue and qualifying at the back, I think those two things didn't allow us to take any points home.”

Stenshorne was also asked how he goes about planning his Spielberg weekend. The 20-year-old explained that while qualifying is important, his performance last year – going from P15 to the victory – shows that overtaking is possible in the races.

“It's like any track in that you try to qualify as high as possible,” he explained. “But obviously it's possible to overtake in the races here, we showed that last year in F3.

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“Starting 15th in the Feature Race and crossing the line in P2 shows that it's a track you can overtake.

“But I’m looking to try to make our weekend a bit easier than we did in Barcelona, I’m trying to qualify a bit higher. Hopefully, we also have a good race pace.”

Stenshorne also spoke about his strategy for Friday’s qualifying. Spielberg is a track where a few long straights open up the lap, meaning that drivers often look for a tow to give them higher top speed.

While this can improve lap time, Stenshorne noted a few exceptions to that rule, explaining that although a tow can be helpful, it is not the be-all and end-all.

“I think you will see many different approaches,” he explained. “I don't think it's a negative having a tow but at the same time, from the last bit of sector two to the end of the lap, you don't want dirty air in the fast corners.

“Looking back at previous years, both doing it all alone and with a slipstream have worked. So I don't think there's anything that is right or wrong. Dennis Hauger, a couple of years ago, did it on his own, and so did Luke Browning that year in F3.

“So for sure both are possible. We have to see how it goes in qualifying and take it as it comes. But we haven't really planned anything yet.”

The approach for qualifying and also the setup decisions will be made after Free Practice, with Stenshorne expecting he and the rest of the field to do a lot more laps than they did in Barcelona, as he especially “searches for the right balance”.

The Rodin rookie hopes he and the team can start the weekend off on the right foot with their car performance, giving them a good platform to have success in Spielberg.

“When you have a bad weekend it's always nice to try to be back as soon as possible,” Stenshorne added. “You want to try to bounce back as quickly as you can, to be honest.

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“I think Barcelona is not where we should be and not where we have been, so hopefully we are back to where we have been already earlier in the season, which is fighting at the top, qualifying at the top and having a good weekend.

“I’m looking very much forward to going back out as soon as possible and hopefully we can do well and take some good points home.”