Dubai: UAE-based driver Ed Jones marked his comeback from injury with a pair of sixth-placed finishes in the eighth round of the FIA Formula 3 European Championship at the Red Bull Ring in Austria.
Jones had missed the previous three race weekends due to an injury he sustained in the Grand Prix de Pau in France in May. But, despite missing so much of the season, he is still placed 12th in the overall standings with 63 points.
In Austria, Jones claimed three top-ten starts and finished the second and third races of the weekend in a solid sixth position.
On Friday, he set the ninth fastest time in free practice as he got back up to speed. And in the first 20-minute qualifying session of the weekend Jones set the tenth quickest time in his Volkswagen-powered Carlin Dallara car.
Jones’ one bit of bad luck came on Saturday morning when, while running in the top ten, his car became temporarily stuck in gear and he dropped down the field.
He was again 10th fastest in the second qualifying session before, in Sunday’s first race, he climbed to seventh before a drive-through penalty for rival Antonio Giovinazzi allowed him to finish sixth.
In the final race, Jones lost a couple of positions early on, but fought back brilliantly to earn his second consecutive sixth-placed finish.
“[Sunday’s] first race was really good for us because we were able to make so many places up. However, we were fast in certain places on track and others were quicker elsewhere so it was tough to overtake,” Jones said.
“But getting sixth was great and then to get sixth position in the second race was also a really strong result for me. I’m so happy with the progress we made over the weekend and now feel as though I have picked up in the championship from where I left off before the injury.
“I’m now looking forward to the next round in Germany, where I’ll be fighting to continue this progress.”
The 11-round championship’s ninth event takes place at the Nurburgring between August 15 and 17.