Points aplenty for CDR’s challengers at British F3 Silverstone finale

  • Tewkesbury-based team end 2020 season with solid points haul in British F3.
  • Skelton secures top-six finish overall, Marzorati continues to learn fast.
  • CDR now looking ahead with optimism to another action-packed campaign in ’21.

Chris Dittmann Racing ended the 2020 BRDC British Formula 3 Championship season amongst the points at Silverstone, Northamptonshire, this weekend [07-08 November].

The Tewkesbury-based team headed to the 3.66-mile GP circuit aiming to secure rookie sensation Josh Skelton a top-six finish overall in his debut season, and with recent recruit Max Marzorati looking to build on a solid start to life at CDR last time out at Donington Park.

After two positive days of testing pre-event, qualifying proved to be a typically competitive affair; Skelton took ninth, with Marzorati 19th, yet incredibly both drivers were only 0.5 and 1.8 seconds respectively off pole position.

Solid performances from both drivers in the opening race put Skelton eighth and Marzorati 18th, giving the latter the coveted reverse-grid pole position for Sunday morning.

The conditions ultimately worked against both CDR challengers; Skelton made early progress and Marzorati held his own against a host of the championship’s household names.

Despite their wet tyres wearing as the race went on, both drivers did well to eventually take the chequered flag in tenth and eleventh, the highest-placed runners to make the gamble.

An unlucky non-finish in the season finale ended Marzorati’s campaign early, but Skelton duly brought home another top-ten finish in seventh to wrap up sixth overall in the standings, a superb achievement in his first year at this level.

The triple-header brings down the curtain on an action-packed 2020 season for CDR, with the focus now shifting to the winter months, and 2021 beyond.

 

Chris Dittmann, Team Principal said:

“It’s good to end the BRDC British Formula 3 Championship season back amongst the points, though we were quite unlucky across the weekend.

“Two punctures really impacted what Max could achieve, but we’re still very pleased with his rate of progress and attitude to learning, and for Josh to bring home enough points to seal sixth overall is a very strong result for his rookie year.

“Thanks to both drivers for their hard work and effort, and to the team for their unwavering commitment in such a difficult year for us all. Now the focus shifts to a bit of down time over the winter, and then it’s full steam ahead preparing for 2021!”

 

Josh Skelton (#43) said:

“It hasn’t been a perfect weekend, but there are lots of positives for me to take away from it, and my first season in the BRDC British Formula 3 Championship as a whole.

“To add to our points haul and secure a top-six finish in the championship, on my first attempt, is a fantastic achievement, and a huge thanks to the team behind me at CDR for their part in it.

“We’ve shown great pace all year, and we’ve got the silverware to go with it, and I’ve really enjoyed every moment of the step up to Formula 3. It’s such a competitive grid, so to have held our own is very satisfying.”

 

Max Marzorati (#81) said:

“I’ve continued to learn so much this weekend, and I can’t think the entire team at CDR enough for their support and for bringing me on. In key areas I felt I needed to improve, I feel we’ve come a long way since I first joined.

“In the first race, we showed our pace coming through the field, but unfortunately contact on the last lap gave us a puncture, and in race two the circuit dried up when we’d gambled on wet tyres, which was a little unfortunate, but myself and Josh were still quickest amongst the cars trying that strategy, and only just outside the top-ten.

“After a good start in race three, I’d passed three cars, but got another puncture, so that was it. It’s a bit of a shame, as I felt I had the pace to fight up to the top ten, but I’m leaving Silverstone tonight with a lot of confidence, and a lot of gratitude to CDR for bringing me on so much over the last two weekends!”

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