Sean Walkinshaw returns to Jerez in Spain this coming weekend, 15th/16th June, for the fourth event of the 2013 European Formula 3 Open season with rounds seven and eight marking the halfway point of the championship.
So far in his maiden F3 campaign, the 19-year-old Team West-Tec driver has experienced more than his share of misfortune but he has also displayed good potential at the wheel of his Toyota-powered Dallara F308.
The upcoming visit to the Circuito de Jerez will be Sean’s second competitive run at the Andalucian track, his first coming during the second round of the 2013 Winter Series at the beginning of March where he achieved a top six Copa Class finish despite a tough qualifying session.
Although yet to chalk up his first championship points of the year, certainly not through a lack of effort and determination on Sean’s part, the Chipping Norton racer is hoping his knowledge of Jerez from the Winter Series will be beneficial as he strives for minimum top five finishes.
“Our pace was good at Jerez in the Winter Series so we should have a good base to start from when we begin practice there at the weekend”, said the Oxfordshire driver, “I’m really looking forward to being back at Jerez actually, I think it could be our best chance yet of scoring points.”
Last time out at the Nurburgring in Germany, Sean displayed the pace to break into the points positions. Avoidance of a possible accident in the opening race though, followed by contact from a rival in the second encounter, hurt his prospects.
“We should have been in the points at Nurburgring, we definitely had the speed for a couple of top four results but it wasn’t to be”, he added, “Our pace is improving all the time though and the team has done a great job with the set-up. If we can qualify where we’re capable of being then I know the race pace is there to achieve two good finishes.”
Free practice at Jerez will take place on Friday, 14th June, with qualifying for round seven and the race itself scheduled for Saturday, 15th June, at 09.45 (local time) and 15.00 (local time) respectively. On Sunday, 16th June, second qualifying will begin at 09.00 (local time) with round eight following at 13.15 (local time).
Round seven is scheduled to be screened live on digital satellite and cable channel Motors TV while round eight is currently expected to be shown ‘as-live’ at 20.00 (UK time) on Sunday, 16th June.