ARMSTRONG FASTEST IN FREE PRACTICE - LET THE REDWASH BEGIN!

Fastest in free practice, Marcus Armstrong has begun the last round of the 2019 FIA Formula 3 Championship as he means to continue. He capped a dominant run in practice at the Russian F1 circuit of Sochi with third fastest in qualifying, creating an all-Prema lockout of the front grid positions and elbowing rival Juri Vips down the start order.

In the practice laps he was first to break through into the 1:55 laps and finished up .3 sec ahead of championship leader Robert Shwartzman.

Then all three Prema drivers massed to block out an all-red grid, the Prema cars setting times that will see them start 1-2-3 in the first race of the weekend tomorrow.

"Throughout the session it was actually pretty clean, but I caught traffic in the last lap which is a bit of a shame because we had pretty good speed throughout the whole session and also this morning in free practice. Naturally I'm a bit disappointed even though P3 is not bad at all. I think we had a lot more potential. Good job to Robert and Jehan. I think tomorrow's race is going to be one of the best of the year."

With his team-mates currently 1-2 in the championship and with two recent F3 race wins to his name, Armstrong has closed to within three points of Estonian Juri Vips and with Vips starting P9 Armstrong can complete a ‘redwash’ of the top three placings in the F3 championship.

Armstrong has led more laps (54) than any other driver on the grid this season and the Prema trio have already handed their team a resounding victory in the teams’ championship, winning that title with two rounds to spare.

The 2019 FIA Formula 3 Championship is live-streamed in New Zealand as part of the Spark Formula One coverage and live timing is at the championship website, www.fiaf3.com.