Home fixture, podium, birthday: Busy weekend at Red Bull Ring

Podium debut for Stefan Riener at home race in Spielberg! The Austrian achieved third place in the opening race at the third race weekend of the Formula Renault 2.0 ALPS Championship. It was his first podium finish of the season with Koiranen GP. In the second round, Riener crossed the finish line in fifth place, having started from fourth position on the grid. In the third race, the 20-year-old started from ninth on the grid due to the newly introduced reversed grid order and improved by two positions but placed ninth in the end after receiving a post-race time penalty. The young talent is ranked third overall in the championship.

Stefan about…

… what it feels like to secure a podium: “The view is nice from up there and free champagne – I’d really missed that! But seriously, I was, of course, very happy with my first podium this season, and to do it in my home race puts the icing on the cake. I’ve just missed the podium quite a few times this year but always knew that it would work out sooner or later. After starting from third on the grid, I had to fight initially for a top position but won through to secure third place. To be honest, I’d hoped for a bit more. My car’s speed was super and had the potential to win.”

… his performance in tough conditions: “I normally feel more comfortable in the dry on the race track but I coped very well with the heavy rain during the first qualifying session and in the subsequent race. That gives me quite a bit of confidence for the rest of the season. I’ve shown that I can be fast in all weather conditions. The track was also wet during practice on Friday when I set best time in the first session.”

… Races 2 and 3 in Spielberg: “Of course, I was hungry for more after the podium in the opening race. Unfortunately, I had a few technical issues in qualifying on Sunday which affected me both in qualifying and in the two races. My car did not have the usual power on the straights, making overtaking quite tricky. I pushed the guys in front, using all the openings that came my way. I almost achieved another podium in Race 2, but unfortunately, it was only enough for fifth place after a no-fault collision with another car.”

… his birthday on race weekend: “Birthday cake in the paddock – that doesn’t happen every day of the week! I was 20 on Sunday. My team gave me the best present ever with the podium on the previous day. Otherwise, there was not much time for celebrating, as we were fully focused on Sunday’s two races. I relaxed and had dinner with family and friends after returning home in the evening. That was a very nice end to a busy weekend with which I can be satisfied all in all.”

… double dose of action in Spa-Francorchamps: “Belgium will become my second home over the next few weeks. I’ll be travelling to Spa with Formula Renault 2.0 ALPS next weekend, then I’ll be back in Belgium with Koiranen GP just one week later, but for the Formula Renault 2.0 Eurocup. The circuit is legendary and a real challenge. I’ve always done well at Spa in the past and am aiming for finishes in the top five. The track is exceptionally long. Hitting the turns just right will be important. Make a mistake, and you lose momentum for the long straights. That can cost a lot of time and wreck the entire lap.”