Spielberg, Austria (June 4, 2013) — American Michael Lewis turned his fortune around after a wet qualifying run and earned two top 10s this past weekend during Round 5 of the FIA Formula 3 European Championship at the Red Bull Ring in Austria. With the top-10 positions, Michael also earned his first championship points this season in the series.

Qualifying on Friday, May 31, took place in full wet conditions as rain poured down all day onto the 4.326-km (2.688-mile) Austrian track. Michael battled the difficult conditions, but qualified 14th for Saturday’s Race 1, 10th for Saturday’s Race 2, and 18th for Sunday’s Race 3.

Michael and the kfzteile24 Mücke Motorsport team arrived at the Red Bull Ring on Saturday morning under ideal track conditions as the rain had passed. Michael took advantage of the good passing opportunities on the dry track and after starting Race 1 in 14th, he moved up to 9th when the checkered flag flew to end the race.

“Today’s better weather allowed me to take full advantage of the Mercedes power in my kfzteile24 Mücke Motorsport Dallara chassis,” explained Michael Lewis. “It didn’t take me long to begin passing cars during the race, but I just ended up running out of time, which prevented me from moving up to take any more spots.”

Saturday’s second race proved a little more challenging for Michael. Although he started the afternoon race in 10th position, he fell back to 13th during the race. However, confident in his strong race car prepared by the kfzteile24 Mücke Motorsport team, he was able to move back up to claim 10th at the end of Race 2.

While the Laguna Beach, California, native finished in the 9th and 10th positions on Saturday, he earned points for 8th and 9th positions because of a guest driver who finished higher in the standings.

On Sunday morning Michael was confident that although he sat in 18th on the starting grid, he could charge through the field. After the starting lights went out, Michael made an excellent jump with the car and immediately began working his way up through the field. Several accidents occurred on the race track, but Michael was able to steer clear of them. Unfortunately, while the safety car was on the track for an accident, another driver’s car got into Michael’s, which caused some minor damage to Michael’s car. This put Michael back in the field, but he still was able to claim some more positions and recover with a 15th-place finish.

“I am really happy with the car that the kfzteile24 Mücke Motorsport team prepared for me this weekend,” said Michael. “They did a great job at preparing all of our cars, as my teammate Felix Rosenqvist won all three races. I’d like to congratulate him and the entire team.

“While this is only my third full weekend with the team, I’d say we were pretty successful as I was able to leave the Red Bull Ring with championship points,” continued Michael. “Our team is really beginning to work well together, and I’m definitely looking forward to our next race at the Norisring next month.”

Team owner Peter Mücke was very happy about his team’s results this weekend. “They did well too in this very strong field – for example, Michael Lewis with his first two top-10 placings this year,” he explained.

Round 6 of the FIA Formula 3 European Championship will take place July 12-14, at the Norisring in Germany.

Race 1
1. Felix Rosenqvist, kfzteile24 Mücke Motorsport
2. Daniil Kvyat, Carlin
3. Jordan King, Carlin
4. Raffaele Marciello, Prema Powerteam
5. Nicholas Latifi, Carlin
6. Sven Müller, ma-con
7. Alex Lynn, Prema Powerteam
8. Eddie Cheever, Prema Powerteam
9. Michael Lewis, kfzteile24 Mücke Motorsport
10. Lucas Auer, Prema Powerteam

Race 2
1. Felix Rosenqvist, kfzteile24 Mücke Motorsport
2. Daniil Kvyat, Carlin
3. Lucas Wolf, URD Rennsport
4. Lucas Auer, Prema Powerteam
5. Josh Hill, Fortec Motorsports
6. Jordan King, Carlin
7. Harry Tincknell, Carlin
8. Tom Blomqvist, Eurointernational
9. Eddie Cheever, Prema Powerteam
10. Michael Lewis, kfzteile24 Mücke Motorsport

Race 3
1. Felix Rosenqvist, kfzteile24 Mücke Motorsport
2. Daniil Kvyat, Carlin
3. Lucas Auer, Prema Powerteam
4. Harry Tincknell, Carlin
5. Jordan King, Carlin
6. Raffaele Marciello, Prema Powerteam
7. Nicholas Latifi, Carlin
8. Alex Lynn, Prema Powerteam
9. Luis Felipe Derani, Fortec Motorsports
10. Roy Nissany, kfzteile24 Mücke Motorsport
15. Michael Lewis, kfzteile24 Mücke Motorsport

Michael Lewis’ 2013 sponsor lineup includes K&N Motorsports, Eibach, Mercedes-Benz, ASE, Cometic Gasket, GoPro, Bell Helmets, Puma Motorsport, Subè Sports, Braille Batteries, Formula Medicine, Klotz, and Racing Electronics.

Background information of the German Team kfzteile24 Mücke Motorsport from Berlin
Peter Mücke started in Formula motor sports with his team in 1998 and nowadays it is the one of the biggest and most successful private racing stables in Germany and it is involved in the DTM since 2005 as well. Already at the first year in Formula sports his son as the newbie in the field, Stefan Mücke, got the title for Mücke Motorsport at the Formula BMW, and at the offspring series there were three further titles, last time with Pascal Wehrlein in 2011 at the ADAC Formula Masters. The driver from Worndorf got the sixth Rookie title one year later as well as the fifth vice championship at the drivers ranking since the access of Mücke into the Formula 3 in 1999. Attached to that there were two wins at the Formula 3 Masters in Zandvoort as well as position two in 2012 at the Formula 3 Grand Prix in Macau of the Swede Felix Rosenqvist, who was championship third last year as well and who fights for the European Championship title in the actual team as well. Now in 2013 the team has four Dallara Mercedes at the FIA Formula 3 European Championship, as well as six Formula ADAC powered by Volkswagen at the ADAC Formula Masters.

Car master craftsman, car and bike shop owner Peter Mücke is involved in motor sports for about 40 years already. The 66 year old got more than 500 wins himself and has been Auto Cross European Champion three times in his self built Buggy as well as GDR Champion eleven times (seven times Auto-Cross, four times circular track) and is still behind the wheel of his Ford Capri RS at some Youngtimer races, if there is the time. His good feeling for talented drivers made his team to a well-known offspring team that offers the whole range, from rookies and beginners of motor sports up to the advancement into the royal league of the Formula sport. Until now, six former drivers of Mücke Motorsport started at the Formula 1. And one of them is the threefold World Champion Sebastian Vettel from Heppenheim. Five further drivers that were engaged in the offspring school of Mücke Motorsport in different series, also succeeded to drive at the Formula 1: Sergio Perez (Mexico), Robert Kubica (Poland), Sébastien Buemi (Switzerland), Christian Klien (Austria) and Markus Winkelhock (Germany).

Stefan Mücke (31), who is the consultant of his father’s team as well, switched 2007 to the sports cars scene after his time as Mercedes pilot at the DTM. In 2009, he was the champion of the Le Mans Series in the LMP1 sports car prototype, in 2011 vice champion at the FIA GT1 World Championship and in 2012 vice champion with his Team Aston Martin Racing at the FIA World Endurance Championship. At the WEC, the Berlin is behind the wheel in 2013 as well and this will be his sixth year in a row as Aston Martin works driver. In June he will take part at the famous 24 hour race of Le Mans for the seventh time.