Kato finishes P6 in Spielberg Feature Race
Red Bull RingOn Sunday 28 June, the Feature Race of FIA F3 Round 4 was held at the Red Bull Ring in Austria.
Feature Race: P6 on the grid → P6
The 26-lap Feature Race started at 8:40am on Sunday 28 June in dry conditions. Kato had qualified seventh, but started from sixth after one of the cars ahead received a grid penalty.
As in the previous day’s Sprint Race, intense battles developed from the opening lap. Kato fought with the cars ahead and behind, and dropped to eighth. A separate incident then saw two cars make contact and stop at the side of the track, bringing out the Safety Car (SC).
After the lap 4 restart, Kato again closed in on the car ahead. The Virtual Safety Car (VSC), introduced on lap 5, ended on lap 8, and Kato completed an overtake to gain a position. He then passed cars on laps 16 and 18, moving up to fifth.
In the closing stages, the closely matched front-runners battled intensely, with positions changing frequently. Kato pushed for fourth on lap 25, but two cars behind also joined the fight, turning it into a four-car contest. Kato ultimately took the chequered flag in sixth, scoring eight points.
Across Round 4, Kato scored 12 points and sits ninth in the standings.
Round 5 will be held at Silverstone Circuit in the United Kingdom from 3 to 5 July.
Overall, it was a decent weekend for us. We managed to score points in both races, finishing P7 in the Sprint Race and P6 in the Feature Race. We were strong from Free Practice, where we finished P2, and continued to show consistent pace throughout the weekend.
Qualifying P7 gave us a good opportunity in both races, and the team did a really great job with the car set-up. We were always fighting with top-five pace, which was really good, and I think it was a good step forward from Barcelona.
Qualifying was quite messy in terms of track position. Everyone wanted to get a tow, and everyone was stopping in Sector 3, so it was difficult to manage the track position. But we still managed to qualify P7, which gave us a good opportunity in both races.
The Sprint Race was a bit more difficult for me. I had anti-stall and some issues at the start, and dropped back a little. I think I was P10 or P11 on the first lap. After that, I was able to manage the race, overtake the cars in front, and finally finish P7. The car was very strong, and I think we got some good data from the Sprint Race, which allowed us to change the set-up for the Feature Race.
The Feature Race was a really strong race. I had a really good start, but I made a mistake on the opening lap and dropped to P8 or P9. After that, I was able to manage the tyres from the beginning to the end. From the middle to the end of the race, I think our pace was really strong compared to the other drivers, and I was able to make some good overtakes. By the end, I had moved up to P4.
But I made a mistake in the final two laps and dropped to P6. For sure, I could have finished P4, and I gave everything in the race, so that was a bit difficult to accept. Still, P6 is a good result. It was not exactly what I wanted, but I still managed to score points in both races.
The team did a really great job throughout the weekend, so I just want to thank them for all their hard work. I think the car was really strong, so we need to keep continuing like this.
Next weekend is Silverstone, and I think we have good confidence for that track. I am really looking forward to driving there.
For sure, the next target is to get a podium and keep delivering consistent results. If we can put everything together, we can definitely get a podium. This gives me great confidence for the next race, and I cannot wait for the next round.
Overall, it was a decent weekend for us. We managed to score points in both races, finishing P7 in the Sprint Race and P6 in the Feature Race. We were strong from Free Practice, where we finished P2, and continued to show consistent pace throughout the weekend.
Qualifying P7 gave us a good opportunity in both races, and the team did a really great job with the car set-up. We were always fighting with top-five pace, which was really good, and I think it was a good step forward from Barcelona.
Qualifying was quite messy in terms of track position. Everyone wanted to get a tow, and everyone was stopping in Sector 3, so it was difficult to manage the track position. But we still managed to qualify P7, which gave us a good opportunity in both races.
The Sprint Race was a bit more difficult for me. I had anti-stall and some issues at the start, and dropped back a little. I think I was P10 or P11 on the first lap. After that, I was able to manage the race, overtake the cars in front, and finally finish P7. The car was very strong, and I think we got some good data from the Sprint Race, which allowed us to change the set-up for the Feature Race.
The Feature Race was a really strong race. I had a really good start, but I made a mistake on the opening lap and dropped to P8 or P9. After that, I was able to manage the tyres from the beginning to the end. From the middle to the end of the race, I think our pace was really strong compared to the other drivers, and I was able to make some good overtakes. By the end, I had moved up to P4.
But I made a mistake in the final two laps and dropped to P6. For sure, I could have finished P4, and I gave everything in the race, so that was a bit difficult to accept. Still, P6 is a good result. It was not exactly what I wanted, but I still managed to score points in both races.
The team did a really great job throughout the weekend, so I just want to thank them for all their hard work. I think the car was really strong, so we need to keep continuing like this.
Next weekend is Silverstone, and I think we have good confidence for that track. I am really looking forward to driving there.
For sure, the next target is to get a podium and keep delivering consistent results. If we can put everything together, we can definitely get a podium. This gives me great confidence for the next race, and I cannot wait for the next round.
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