The Chinese is a solid leader but not unbeatable, as proven at the Ricard
The German and the driver from Barbados are closing the gap and will aim at victory on the beautiful and challenging Austrian track

Maloney (Carlin) and Krütten (Motopark) tied at the top of Rookie standings


The 2020 Euroformulaseason heads into its third round this weekend, at a circuit that has hosted two Formula 1 Grand-Prix this year. The Red Bull Ring was home of the Austrian and Styrian Grand Prix, and while its layout may look simple with only eight corners, it is actually deceivingly hard with elevation and camber changes at almost every corner that provide a challenge. An heritage of the past, as the original longer Zeltweg circuit (also known as Österreichring) certainly fits the ‘natural track’label. Leading the 13-car grid in Austria is championship leader Yifei Ye, who has won three of the first four races for new Japanese team CryptoTower Racing Team. He is joined at the Spiess-powered squad once again by Angolan talent Rui Andrade, who claimed his best race result in the series last time out at Paul Ricard.Ye’s closest rival in the standings is Andreas Estner, who has been on the podium three times already."My season has been quite good so far. We got a few podiums and are sitting second in the championship atthe moment,"said Estner. "For the upcoming events we need to improve some things, in order to be able to also fight for wins and for the championship. I hope we can do good steps, especially in race pace, and then get the one or other win."Estner will race alongside his brother Sebastian and Alexandre Bardinon from France for the HWA-powered Van Amersfoort Racing team.Relying on the same engine manufacturer is Drivex School duo Glenn van Berlo and Shihab Al Habsi, who both made the podium in the Rookie classification at Paul Ricard, and the sole Double R Racing-run car of five-time BRDC British Formula 3 race-winner Ayrton Simmons.Double R’s local rival Carlin enters Zane Maloney and Ido Cohen once again, and Maloney will be aiming to go one better than the second place he ended the Paul Ricard weekend with. His two results before that were a fourth and a third, so a win may be next up. The driver from Barbados will also keep an eye on the Rookies’ Trophy standings, where is a co-leader together with Nicklas Krütten. Completing the grid, and using Spiess engines like Carlin does, is Motopark. The German outfit claimed pole, win and fastest lap in both Red Bull Ring races last year, and this time fields Manuel Maldonado and Niklas Krütten, who both have scored points at every race, with the German tied up with Maloney at the top of the Rookies’ standings.