Cookie Consent by Free Privacy Policy website Rookie David Beckmann building his career on Hankook race tyres
july 18, 2016 - Hankook

Rookie David Beckmann building his career on Hankook race tyres

The second half of the season in the #formula3 European Championship kicks off in Zandvoort, Netherlands, this weekend. Over the course of the previous 15 races, the young drivers have gained valuable experience at five different racetracks as they embark on what they hope will be a successful motorsport career. Exclusive DTM partner #hankook has supplied the Ventus Race tyre to what is probably the toughest single-seater series for young drivers since 2012. The premium race tyre is extremely reliable and boasts outstanding performance and maximum safety, thus offering the drivers the best possible support in the tough conditions of day-to-day #racing

One such driver is #davidbeckmann. This year is the 16-year-old's first season in the FIA #formula3 European Championship, making him the youngest driver ever to drive in the junior class. In his rookie season, the young man from Hagen in Germany has benefitted from the consistently high level of grip generated by the #hankook race tyre, with which he is able to both set fast lap times and gain valuable experience on the track.

"The #hankook race tyres are top for us rookies, because you can manage not just one fast lap, but several. This gives you more time to implement and try out different things. That is not only very important in the race, but also when testing. Furthermore, you can clock very fast times, even with a used set of #hankook tyres. As a newcomer, that gives me a lot of confidence to push myself to the limit," explains #davidbeckmann

Like many of his opponents, the young driver discovered his passion for motorsport on the karting scene. As a six-year-old, he and his father used to visit a kart track together, "after that it was clear to me that I wanted to be a #racing driver." #davidbeckmann won the ADAC Kart Masters in 2009 and was crowned DMV Kart Champion. Last year, the 16-year-old ended the Formula 4 season as the best rookie. He is now looking to take another step towards Formula One in the FIA #formula3 European Championship.

However, #davidbeckmann knows that he still has a lot to learn. "The amount of downforce generated in #formula3 is far greater than in Formula 4. You are much faster in the corners and the driver is subjected to huge forces. I regularly go to the gym, but still had a stiff neck at the start of the season," says the young driver, who lists Michael Schumacher and Sebastien Vettel as his idols.

The 16-year-old is looking to improve in the second half of the season, particularly in qualifying, where he is still too inconsistent. "I have not managed to clock fast times in every sector so far. I may be top in one sector, but then lose time again in the next one. I have to get on top of that, as the races themselves have actually been really good," said the #formula3 newcomer, who is in year eleven at school and intends to complete his Abitur (school leaving examinations) in two years.

David Beckmann views his debut in the FIA #formula3 European Championship as a learning year. "I am not going all out on the attack. Instead, I want to make sure I finish races, in order to get as many laps as possible under my belt and so to gain valuable experience. Next season I will push hard and want to challenge for victory in #formula3," says the 16-year-old, whose goal is to drive in the DTM. #davidbeckmann: "Pascal Wehrlein has shown that it is possible to make it into Formula One via #formula3 and the DTM. If I could achieve something similar, it would be a dream come true for me." 

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