Euro Series drivers want to continue their Masters dominance

Track length:    4.307 kilometres
Lap record F3ES: 1:31.076 minutes / Jules Bianchi 2009
Distance:        25 laps 
Winner 2009:     Valtteri Bottas

Valtteri Bottas (FIN, ART Grand Prix Credit: Euro F3 Series

This weekend, Zandvoort once again will stage the RTL GP Masters of Formula 3, one of the most important Formula 3 races held on European soil. In this event, Formula 3 drivers from the different European Formula 3 series battle it out with one another to find out who is the best of them. Since 2003, all the titles have been won by Formula 3 Euro series drivers, such as the current Formula 1 aces Lewis Hamilton (2005) and Nico Hülkenberg (2007). And last year, the race held at the 4.307-kilometre dune circuit was won by Valtteri Bottas (ART Grand Prix) - a rookie, then. This year, the Finn will try to defend his Masters title.

It goes without saying that many of the 24 drivers on this year's grid will try hard to prevent Bottas from doing so. One of these drivers is Edoardo Mortara (Signature). He prevailed in the 2009 world finals at Macao and should he succeed in winning the Masters, too, he would have secured the two most prestigious international Formula 3 trophies - and make an end to the streaks of success of Mercedes-Benz (seven wins in succession) and ART Grand Prix (six). While Marco Wittmann (Signature), currently the runner-up behind Mortara in the Formula 3 Euro Series Championship, would love to follow the footsteps of Nico Hülkenberg by becoming the second German to have won the Masters at Zandvoort.

Valtteri Bottas (ART Grand Prix): "It goes without saying that I want to tie in with last year's win. I want to be the first who succeeds in defending the Masters title and make Formula 3 history, this way. I think that we have good chances of winning again as we improved in several areas, following our difficult start into the season. Nonetheless, the race will be anything but easy as there are numerous fast drivers on the grid."

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