Thoughts of our Title Contenders – Mansell, Beganovic and Lindblad

It is the final round of the 2024 FIA Formula 3 season at Monza and there are six drivers vying for the chance to call themselves this year’s Champion.
So, we recently spoke to three of the title hopefuls, Christian Mansell, Dino Beganovic, and Arvid Lindblad about their hopes for the weekend, as they prepare to go racing for the final time this campaign.
“For me all I have to say is that if I can keep the same mentality that I have been going for the whole year which is trying to maximum out of the car, and what will be will be. I think that’s how I can sort of keep myself the most calm but in fairness as I said the other week, the Championship, if it falls into my hands lovely, we will take it every day of the week but it’s unlikely so there is no real point of getting too bent out of shape.
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“It’s open the opportunity for me to be clouded in my judgement and I feel like if I just drive the car, it is what it is. To be honest, I’d like to get top five in the Championship, to sign off F3, that would be a very cool thing to get on my CV. I’d be very pleased with that but to be honest as long as I can do the best job that I possibly can I have no regrets and that’s more important than anything.
“I’m sure we will touch on the fact that it’s the last race weekend, last opportunity to win an F3 race but I only just realised Leo hasn’t even won a race and he is leading the Championship so my point is being proven again that you don’t need to win a race to win the Championship. But as I said, if it happens, it happens, its fate, I will be absolutely over the moon but if not, do you know what, I am still very much content in my job that I have done this year.”
“I’m feeling good. I had a really good summer break, stayed in Sweden with friends and family, which I find is the best way to recharge my batteries. So, I’m fully recharged now, ready to give it my all for the last push of the season here in Monza.
“This is also a home track for me, just two hours from Maranello, wearing the Ferrari badge, there is a lot of support here from the Tifosi, and it gives me a boost for the weekend. So, even though my home is Sweden, this is my second home and just super happy and ready to hit the track.
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“I’m going into the weekend – mathematically it’s a long gap, but we are still there and honestly I am going to give it my all. It’s always a bit up in air what the others do but we are just going to focus on ourselves, do the best job possible, and try to win, that’s the main target and also to get points in the Sprint and the Feature. I’m going into the weekend all out, all cards on the table, ready to play.
“We started the year in the best way possible with pole in Bahrain. It reflected what the season could have been, it was a very strong pole and it was exactly what we needed and what we wanted to achieve from the first round.
“Obviously, we didn’t get the points from the Feature with an issue at the start which was very unlucky, so going away from the first weekend with just two points for pole was a bit of a shame. But at the same time it felt good because we showed such a strong pace and we were confident going into Melbourne.
“We had a bit of pressure going into the weekend, trying to replicate what we did in Bahrain but we came away with the win on Sunday. I think it just shows how strong we are, how strong we’ve been as a team and also for me to bounce back, which is very important to do in those kinds of situations and to be in the title fight again after already two rounds.
“It’s been a season of what could have been, a lot of moments that haven’t gone our way, like Monaco when the Red Flag met us before the line, going for pole at least in my group. In Silverstone with the wrong strategy call, obviously what could have been there, also seeing my teammates one and two but at the same time we were on the same strategy until then.
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“It’s small things that cost a lot of points when we were in a good position. Also, since we came back to Europe, I have not been a hundred percent happy with the car, not really been able to get up to the speed we showed in the beginning of the season and also last season.
“I would say the pace last season was even better than this year, just a rookie year, rookie mistakes and an issue at Silverstone. It’s been a very up and down season but we are fighting for the championship here at Monza and mathematically we will give it our all.”
“I’m really excited going into the weekend, I think it’s going to be cool. Obviously being in the Championship fight is not something I expected going into the year. A lot of people around me are a bit nervous because the pressure is on them but I am just excited going into Monza.
“I think they’ve made some changes to the circuit, resurfaced it, changes to the kerb, but it should just be more grip so that should make it more enjoyable. I really enjoy the track, I’ve gone well here in the past, won five out of the six races here last year, and I think it’s really cool.
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“It’s quite unique the style of racing, the way the races are, they are very different to any other race we have, so that’s what makes it different and I think that’s a new challenge and it’s quite exciting.
“I think winning this Championship would be massive. It’s hard for me to fully describe it because coming into this year that was not fully the objective. Obviously, I’m really proud of myself, my team and everyone around me that has helped me to get to this position, and I think to win the title it would be massive, I think I’d be the youngest winner of the Championship.
“It’s been an incredible rookie year so far, I am the only rookie in the Championship fight, the amount of experience that I have compared to those around me is pretty enormous so just to be where I am is amazing. So, to top off this incredible year with the Championship would be perfect and I’d be really grateful to everyone around me and those who supported me because I don’t think we could have imagined that at the start of the season.”