Tim Tramnitz had a strong first season in FIA F3 after stepping up from FRECA to race for MP Motorsport.
The German driver competed for the championship in FRECA but didn’t quite clinch the title as he finished the year in third place.
Despite not taking the title the season was a good experience as Tramnitz learnt tracks that are also on the Formula 3 calendar, such as the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya and Spa.
FIA F3 is a championship of fine margins, and this year’s title battle was decided at the last corner on the last lap of the final race in Leonardo Fornaroli’s favour.
Tramnitz improved over his rookie year in Formula 3 and also won the Sprint Race at Monza. But despite his improved form, the 19-year-old told Feeder Series he needs to work on one area in particular ahead of returning in 2025 with MP Motorsport.
Qualifying cost Tim Tramnitz points in his rookie FIA F3 season
Tramnitz struggled in qualifying at some circuits like only setting the 22nd-fastest time in Australia, which made his weekend very difficult.
Qualifying is crucial in FIA F3 as along with setting the grid for the Feature Race, the top 12 in the session get reversed for the Sprint Race – providing more drivers with opportunities to race at the front.
The 30-car field can often create chaotic racing as the young drivers look to make an impression and knock on the door of Formula 1.
Tramnitz’s qualifying improved over the year as he took pole position at Monza, which would have given the Red Bull junior a significant confidence boost.
He explained that qualifying further up the grid makes the two races over a weekend much easier. There is also less chance of getting caught up in incidents.
Tramnitz said: “If I think about it, I would say that it was a bit more of a weak season. But on the other hand, if I look at the points we have and at the results we got, that also shows how much potential there was.
“I think we just made a bit too many mistakes this year, and we were not able to extract [our] full potential. For sure, it was not the greatest year.
“For sure, qualifying [was disappointing]. I think qualifying is always the most important [aspect], especially in F3. As soon as you are in a good place, it makes it a lot easier for the races.”
There will be more pressure on Tim Tramnitz to perform in his second season
Tramnitz is returning to FIA F3 for a second season with MP Motorsport in 2025 and will look to improve his rookie campaign.
The calendar remains unchanged, which should help the German driver adjust at a quicker rate than rookies in practice.
FIA F3 will also have a new car, which Noel Leon is wary of, but knowledge of the tracks is important. This will be particularly useful for Tramnitz on the street circuits at Albert Park and Monaco.
If Tramnitz delivers a championship-challenging campaign in his second season in FIA F3, the next logical step would be to race in Formula 2.
Improving his qualifying performances would go a long way to fighting at the front of F3 and impressing F2 teams.