Norisring is by far the shortest circuit on the Formula 3 schedule, which put all of the drivers within tenths of a second of each other throughout the weekend. Not only is the 2.3 kilometer track small but it is also a low downforce track, adding another factor to car adjustments.
Free practice on Friday was split into two groups due the number of cars simultaneously on track. Tatiana managed to make some consistent lap times trying to work the car that would best suit the circuit as well as her driving style.
Qualifying on Friday was split up into two groups as well, Tatiana being in group A with the quicker drivers. Calderon laid down green sectors but was not able to combine them for the perfect lap time. The results of qulifying completed with Tatiana starting P21 for Race 1,
It would not be a race weekend without at least one rainy day and Saturday was that day. The track was under wet conditions, with no dry line developing for Race 1. Tatiana started the race in P21 on the outside line. She quickly picked up two positions before the first full course yellow on lap 2. The next 15 laps Tatiana picked up five more positions placing herself in P14. The race ended under a safety car as it was decided by the race stewards that the visibility was too poor to continue on. Tatiana finished Race 1 in P14.
The weather conditions for Race 2 were up in the air as a big storm was predicted to come through right before the drivers were scheduled to enter the track. Luckily the weather held out for the entire race. Tatiana started the race in P18 and had a decent start off of the line. By the end of lap one she was already up one position. It did not take long before the first safety car came out on lap three, buching all of the drivers back together. Once the green flag waved, Tatiana made the most of the green laps, moving up three positions putting her in P15. Three more safety cars brought the cars together once again as drivers and carnage were all over the track. Tatiana had a good comback as she finished the race P12 from P18.
The final race on Sunday Tatiana started on the outside row of P18. Calderon and the rest of the field made it around the first few corners without issue. By the end of lap one Tatiana made up two positions, moving to P16. By the time the second safety car was released Calderon made it up up to P13, battling with a group of 3 other drivers. Unfortunately, she lost some positions and moved back to P14. Tatiana and her team Carlin decided to go out with too much wing, preventing her from gaining the maximum out of her straight line speed. Tatiana held P14 for the remainder of the race which is where she finished.
Tatiana:
“I think that it was definitely a good weekend. We were closer to the pace as well as to the points. This time no one crashed into the back of me so it was at least a progression this time around. And we got the car set up better for me, it is just a shame that qualifying is still an issue for me. I think that if we can qualify further up we can actually race. We now have two weeks before the next race to work on how we can improve on qualifying so that we can give ourselves a getter chance in the races.“
The weekend concluded with satisfactory results that could be improved upon for the next race weekdend at Zandvoort on July 10th-12th.
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