"Very, very significant for my career" - Christian Mansell celebrates after first Formula 3 podium
Christian Mansell positioned himself perfectly in the Formula 3 sprint race at Silverstone, taking third place and his first podium after the leaders came together in the wet conditions.
Christian Mansell in the FIA Formula 3 press conference after finishing on the podium for the first time in his FIA Formula 3 career. (Joe Portlock / Getty Images / Formula Motorsport Limited)
Mansell battled wheel-to-wheel with teammate Pepe Martí in the early stages as the Campos Racing duo made their way through the top ten, with the Spaniard pitting for wet tyres when rain began to pour.
The Australian stayed out, moving up to third when Taylor Barnard collided with leader Sebastian Montoya at the mid-race restart, and held on to take the final step of the podium.
“I’m pretty over the moon to be honest,” said Mansell.
“It's obviously a very good feeling to be up here for the first time.”
“I live in the UK, so it's a second home race for me. I'm pretty lost for words, I'm pretty happy with that.
“The team, the car, the strategy, everything nailed everything today so, I couldn’t really ask for much more.”
The 18-year-old from Newcastle says the result is a culmination of work that both he and the team have achieved throughout the season.
“Campos and myself, we’ve worked very hard to put ourselves in this position.”
“Obviously Pepe is very good at the moment, I'm catching, slowly.
“I've made steps in myself, definitely, and I think overall, Campos and myself, we've definitely kept building and building, The car felt really good in qualifying, the car felt good today, so hopefully it feels good tomorrow.”
He revealed that a lot of his personal development has focused on sports psychology.
“Formula 3 is honestly more in your head than driving the car.”
“If you're in a good headspace and approach the weekend in a certain way you end up driving better and feeling better, because if you put all this unnecessary outside pressure on yourself, and just drive the car.
“And that's what I love doing.”
Christian Mansell celebrates with race winner Franco Colapinto and second-place Gabriel Bortoleto. (Joe Portlock / Getty Images / Formula Motorsport Limited)
Mansell said that he was able to draw on his experience racing in the UK to make the vital strategy call to remain on slick tyres.
“I think the call to stay out on the dries, everyone who boxed, I definitely thought was too soon.”
“The clouds were shining through for the most part of the safety car period.
“I thought to myself that it would dry out. I've raced here in the British categories, I know how quickly this place can dry out, I have experience in that sort of area, so I could use that to my advantage.
“I stayed out, and it worked. The chaos in turn one helped but can't do much about that.”
He welcomed the decision by race control to neutralise the race behind the safety car as conditions worsened, with the fatal accident of Dilano Van ‘T Hoff in wet conditions just a week ago still fresh on drivers’ minds.
“It's obviously wet, we're obviously on slicks, that it dangerous in itself. I think it was a good call by the stewards to put the safety car out.,” said Mansell.
“Obviously in the back of our minds is what happened last week, so they've obviously made a step.”
“I'm proud to see that.”
Mansell will start the FIA Formula 3 feature race from fourth, his best-ever qualifying position, at 5.30pm on Sunday (AEST).
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Christian Mansell (right), Gabriel Bortoleto, and Franco Colapinto on the podium for the FIA Formula 3 sprint race at Silverstone. (Formula Motorsport Limited)
