Maltese racing driver Jacob Micallef continued his GB3 Championship campaign with Hitech at the Red Bull Ring in Spielberg, Austria, taking on the circuit for the first time.
The Red Bull Ring, which also features on the Formula 1 calendar, presented a fresh challenge for Jacob as he worked to learn the high-speed and undulating layout.
On Friday, Jacob completed all three free practice sessions without incident, using the track time to build confidence and understand a circuit he had never driven before.
Race One began positively, with Jacob making a strong start and moving towards P14. However, early contact at Turn 1 with a slower car ahead led to a heavy crash and damage to his car.
After repairs, Jacob rejoined from the back of the field and continued to make the most of the machinery available. He crossed the line in P12, before post-race penalties for other drivers promoted him to P11 in the final classification.
Sunday brought more action. In Race Two, Jacob started from P16 and finished P11 on the road, gaining five positions. However, a post-race penalty for track limits later dropped him to P18 in the final result.
His strongest moment of the weekend came in Race Three. Starting from P19 at the back of the field, Jacob fought his way through the pack to finish P10, gaining nine positions and securing a top-ten result on a circuit he had never raced on before.
Reflecting on the weekend, Jacob said it was special to discover circuits that appear on the Formula 1 calendar, while also admitting that the Red Bull Ring was a tough test as he continues adapting to a new car, new conditions, and new tracks.
He added that finishing in the top ten for the second weekend running on a circuit he had never driven before felt like another step forward.
Jacob will next be back in action at Silverstone on August 2 and 3, continuing his GB3 Championship campaign with Hitech.
