Although his own hopes of a strong finish in the Zandvoort Masters of Formula 3 @ Zolder were dashed by an incident on the opening lap, Maro Engel was able to console himself with helping Germany to lift the Nations Cup in the annual F3 event in Belgium.
The Carlin driver had looked good for a possible top ten finish against the cream of the crop from the Euroseries before a trip into the gravel on the first lap of the race dropped him down to 26th place. However, the 21-year-old bounced back to 13th at the finish, taking the Nations Cup alongside eventual winner Nico Hulkenberg.
In an event traditionally suited to the Kumho shod Euroseries cars, Engel was confident of a podium finish but from first practice it was clear the Euroseries cars had the upper hand and were able to adapt more easily to a variation of the Kumho tyres used in their own championship.
Despite that, Engel qualified 14th but was forced into the gravel in the first lap melee and slipped back twelve places before launching a stunning comeback through the field.
Within a lap he had made up four positions, and continued his charge through the field to make his way back up to 16th by lap 20. Engel then closed up on Euroseries driver Filip Salaquardo, who he passed two laps later to take 14th place and, having been forced to defend from pole-sitter Romain Grosjean – who had stalled at the start and then followed the German through the field – Engel made up one further place to take 13th when team mate Alberto Valerio spun off on lap 24.
“Pace wise I think we were the best of any of the British guys,” he reflected. “We had a lot of potential; we ended the first day fifth fastest overall but unfortunately in qualifying we couldn't get that lap together. I had two laps aborted due to red flags, which was very annoying and I think cost us a top five starting position, which compromised our whole weekend.
