In Spa-Francorchamps, the 17-year-old pilot came in third on Saturday
This weekend, the European F3 Championship arrived at its fifth round of the year with the races valid for the 13th, 14th and 15th stages of the competition. In the second race this Saturday, after starting in the ninth position, the Brazilian pilot, Sergio Sette Câmara (Banco Mercantil do Brasil / Lalubema / Motopark Academy) achieved a great recovery and, showing much determination, finished in the third position, therefore achieving his first podium of the season.
Experiencing his first year in the European Motorsport, Serginho has this weekend the first experience in the traditional Spa-Francorchamps auto track, in Belgium. The challenging circuit with more than seven kilometers is one of the toughest inn the calendar. In order not to arrive as a completely strange to the track, Sette Câmara performed his whole preparation in the modern team simulator of the Motoprk Academy team, at the headquarters of the team in Oschersleben, in Germany.
This week, Serginho began his practice sessions yesterday morning. In his first entry in the track, the expected adjustment caused the team not to care about the times and let the pilot recognize well each one of the sectors of the track. In the second free session, already adapted, the pilot kept improving his times and, thus, followed confident for the two taking of times sessions. In the first classifying, with a time of 2m11s802, Sette Câmara secured the 24th position for the start on the first race. A few hours later, the second classifying showed pilot adaptation to the track and, even with the wet track, Sette Câmara established the time of 2m14s756 which granted him the 10th position for the second race and the ninth for the third one.
The first race this weekend was disputed in this morning. Serginho, after a good start, managed to impose his rhythm and with tranquility, started progressing in the platoon. Even in a race with few laps due to the length of the circuit, Sette Câmara managed to win eight positions, finishing the race in the 16th position.
The second race was held at the end of this morning. Starting on the 10th position, Serginho achieved a good start and in the first round, he already managed to gain two positions. With a very strong rhythm, the pilot from Belo Horizonte was gaining space and, after seven laps completed he already occupied the fifth place when, the entry of the safety car regrouped the platoon. On the restart, the Brazilian managed to position himself very well and two laps were enough for him to reach the third position, a position in which he remained until the final checkered flag.
“I can say that I am still a little scared. I am disputing today one of the major world motorsport Championships and, in my first year, in the fifth round, going to the podium is certainly not an easy task. I have devoted myself a lot and, with the support from the team, I have managed a very great evolution. I am quite happy and the next step, of course, will be the search for the first victory. Head up and search for results always” commented the 17-year-old pilot.
This Sunday, at 5:40AM (Brasília time), will happen the third and final race of the weekend. On the Serginho’s website it is possible to follow the link to the streaming of the races, as well as for live-timing. Visit: www.sergiosettecamara.com.br
Watch the race: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5_hHMqMgp9o