Spa Francorchamps | Belgium
Photo Credits: ©James Gasperotti Photography
2023 FIA F3 | Spa Francorchamps
Stavelot, Belgium
Round 7 | Races 15 & 16
July 28-30 | 2023
Spa Highlights
Practice: 2nd Place
Qualifying Position: 17th Place
Race 1: 13th Place
Race 2: 15th Place
Championship: 21st Place
Practice | July 28th: 28th Place
Practice: 2nd Place
Finishing a wet opening session, Kaylen Frederick was P2 in the first practice at Belgium. Topping the charts several times, Kaylen was in his element in the Ardennes, Belgium.
In Kaylen Frederick’s words:
“Overall the practice session was a very encouraging start to the weekend. We were within the top three (3) whenever we were on track, even though we did minimal laps to preserve the wet tires for the races since we only had two sets. We still put in some very competitive times.”
Race 15 | July 29th | Saturday Sprint Race
Starting Position: 17th Place
Finish Position: 13th Place
Under a full wet track but with a strong grasp of the Spa wet line, Kaylen advanced from P17 to P13 in Turn 1. Coming out of the turn however, Kaylen was tapped and spun by teammate Saucy. Rejoining at the back relegated Kaylen to 28th. The following race was strewn with incidents throughout, with only 2 full racing laps completed out of 15 (the rest were under safety car). Within those two laps however, Kaylen was in his element, advancing from P28 to P13, fiercely overtaking with precision and effect. See car No. 7 inside the curb and on the grippy surface above.
In Kaylen Frederick’s words:
“It was unfortunate that I was spun out in the first turn since I had an amazing start and almost passed four cars off the line. After that I had to fight back from last and managed to charge back up to 13th. In the end however, there were so few green flag laps (two laps only) that it was difficult to make any more progress. Once again, our pace in those tricky conditions was strong, so maybe with some better luck we can put a good result together in the feature race tomorrow.”
Race 10 | July 23rd | Sunday Feature Race
Starting Position: 17th Position
Finish Position: 15th Position
With a wet track, no rain on the forecast, and cool early AM temperatures, tire choice determined race outcomes. Seven drivers at the back of the field opted for rains and ran all the way to the front. Kaylen and drivers all around him dropped 7 positions within the first half lap. Racing was intense, keeping tire temperatures high was critical both behind the safety car and over the long straights on a cool track. Racing from 24th, Kaylen applied track knowledge, attacked, and finished 15th. Now looking forward to the season finale at Monza in September!
In Kaylen Frederick’s words again:
“A lot of drivers gambled and started with the wets, which in hindsight was the right call. However, as a team we had matched pace with the front runners and went with the slicks as we saw our race was with those ahead of us. This made for a few very treacherous laps at the beginning of the race, but I managed to keep a high temperature in the tires. I was quick to adapt to the damp track, find the grip, and made up a lot of spots. Compared to the other drivers that started on slicks, I applied very solid pace and had a lot of overtakes – nine overall. It’s disappointing we couldn’t get a good result out of it as we were one of the fastest cars on track once again.
Championship Round-up: 21st Position
Next on the Calendar:
2023 FIA F3 | Round 10 | Races 17 & 18
Monza | Italy
Autodromo Nazionale di Monza
September 1st-3rd
Circuit Length: 5.793 KM | 3.63 Miles
About Kaylen Frederick
For more information visit:
https://KaylenFrederick.com/
About Pilot ONE Racing
Pilot ONE Racing supports and assists young race drivers in developing professional driving careers, seeking funding, and reaching the highest level of motorsports in both the USA and Europe.
For more information visit ‘Contact Info and Partnerships’ at:
https://PilotONERacing.com
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