Formula 3 Euroseries leader Edoardo Mortara heads to the Zandvoort circuit in Holland this weekend with the firm aim of maintaining his 15-point lead of the championship, having so far claimed six podiums out of the first eight races.

Round five of the Formula 3 Euroseries takes place on a circuit that is steeped in Formula 3 tradition, having hosted the prestigious Marlboro Masters blue riband event for many years. The Zandvoort circuit –located on the coast north of Amsterdam – was also formerly the home of the Dutch Grand Prix until 1985, and it has hosted some epic races in the past.

Combining a bit of everything – with fast straights leading onto technical corners – Zandvoort should be well-suited to Edoardo and the Signature team Dallara-Volkswagen. While the Volkswagen F3 engine is still in its infancy, with 2008 being only its first full season, it has already shown enough speed and reliability to power Edoardo into a commanding lead of the championship.

“Naturally we all had a great deal of faith in Volkswagen, but I don’t think that anybody expected us to actually be leading the championship so soon,” said Edoardo, who won the F3 Euroseries rookie title last year. “Both Signature and Volkswagen have done an amazing job, but it’s been very hard work. I don’t expect it to get an easier now with the race weekend at Zandvoort. It’s often said in motorsport that the task of getting ahead is easy compared with the task of staying ahead, and I certainly believe that this is true.”

As usual, Edoardo will face a top-quality field of rivals in the F3 Euroseries: a championship that has produced rising stars such as Lewis Hamilton and Sebastian Vettel in the past. Zandvoort is well-known for producing some unpredictable races, which is also down to the fact that the weather in the area is notoriously variable. However, Edoardo always performs well in changeable conditions so he is looking forward to the two races that are scheduled to run this weekend.

“We’ll be aiming as usual to score the maximum points possible,” said the French-Italian driver. “Naturally that’s a win in ideal circumstances, but if victory isn’t possible then we’ll take whatever points we can get. This is a compromise that I’ve learnt over the last couple of months and it’s a valuable lesson, as this is the best way to approach a championship campaign.”

In the build-up to the Dutch race, the 21 year-old has been concentrating on his physical fitness and mental preparation together with his management team Quadra Sports.

Following a free practice session and qualifying on Friday, race one in Zandvoort takes place at 12:35 on Saturday. Race two is scheduled for 09:55 on Sunday.

For more information:
www.edoardomortara.com
www.quadrasports.com
www.signatureteam.eu

Geneva, 08 July 2008