SHORTHAND GRID IN MADRID FOR FORMULA 3 SEASON FINALE
The final round of the FIA Formula 3 Championship in Madrid will feature a reduced starting grid following the late withdrawal of two drivers due to medical recovery. Both Gerrard Xie and Ricardo Escotto have been sidelined from the championship finale after suffering injuries in separate incidents prior to the race weekend. Because the announcements were officially made just ahead of the event on Thursday, neither team had sufficient time to arrange replacement drivers, leaving two empty slots on the grid.
Gerrard Xie, who competes for DAMS Lucas Oil, was forced to withdraw following the physical aftermath of a dramatic crash during the previous round at Monza. During the Sprint race, Xie’s car went airborne at high speed after colliding with Hitech driver Michael Shin. Although Xie was able to participate in the Feature race at Monza the following day, subsequent medical evaluations led to the decision to pull him out of the Madrid event to ensure proper recovery.
On the other hand, AIX Racing driver Ricardo Escotto was ruled out following an off-track incident involving a civilian road traffic accident between the Monza and Madrid rounds. AIX Racing Team Manager Kenny Kirwan confirmed that medical professionals advised Escotto to refrain from driving, making his health and well-being the primary priority. The team expressed full support for the Mexican driver’s recovery as he misses out on contesting the season closer.
With no substitute drivers stepping in at short notice, both DAMS Lucas Oil and AIX Racing will field only two cars each for the race weekend instead of their usual three-car setups. The absence of Xie and Escotto leaves thirty grid spots shortened, creating a unique challenge for team points calculations and track positioning as the field battles through the final races of the season.
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