From zero to hero: How F3's 2021 champion bounced back

It might look like the logical conclusion to a season – Prema driver takes the crown, as they did the previous two years – but 2021 could have gone very differently for Dennis Hauger.

The plucky Norwegian driver dominated the season from the off, winning the opening feature race at Catalunya before taking second in the following two rounds at Circuit Paul Ricard and the Red Bull Ring, while also proving his mettle as a driver who can charge through the pack when necessary too, as demonstrated in both Austrian sprint races, starting 12th in both before finishing first and third respectively.

He took pole position in three of the season’s seven feature races, scoring nine podiums on his charge to the title which saw him finish almost 30 points clear of title rival Jack Doohan, although Trident took the teams' championship.

But he came into the season with dented confidence, having suffered a torrid 2020 driving for Hitech Grand Prix despite his earlier successes. Even Red Bull branded the season a disaster by his standards, but kept him enlisted in their junior team (somewhat surprisingly, given their track record of dumping underachievers).

Having been signed up as a Red Bull junior off the back of a promising karting career, Hauger finished fourth in the 2018 British F4 championship for TRS Arden Junior Racing Team before going on to win the Italian F4 title the following year, taking 12 wins – more than half the season’s races - and 16 podiums. He simultaneously finished second in ADAC F4, taking six wins and 10 podiums to finish behind Theo Pourchaire.

He entered last year’s COVID-stricken F3 season looking like a promising contender, but only managed one podium and 14 points, finishing in just 17th place.

“In 2020 I wanted and I was expecting to be at the top, after winning almost everything in F4. So as a driver it was something I was aiming for,” Hauger explained.

Dennis Hauger, driving for Hitech Grand Prix in a trying 2020 season

Photo by: Mark Sutton / Motorsport Images

“It was definitely a tough season, I had to live in the UK and with all those downs, weekend after weekend it made it tough mentally. I still think though that in some way it made me stronger, especially the mental game.”

But he says his time in Porsche Cup and Regional F3 at the end of the year helped him to reset, taking three podiums in five races in the former and six podiums in nine races in the latter despite his struggles.

“It was a bit of a shock after a season of downs to get into two cars I had never driven and do really well,” he said. “It was a confidence boost and made me wonder what happened in the main F3 season because I was quick in any other car I drove.

Hauger asserted his dominance in the championship over team-mates Olli Caldwell and Arthur Leclerc, who managed just eighth and 10th respectively, albeit with the latter in his rookie season

“It still took some time when I got into Prema's F3 car for testing before this season to get my confidence back fully and figure out that I never have to doubt my own abilities. I think we did well to have everything at 100% before the first race weekend of 2021 so we could get pole, it was really nice.”

Hauger says although he came into 2021 believing he could win the championship – “as a driver, you have to believe that” – he was left questioning his ability by his season at Hitech.

"I think one of the things I started questioning myself was, ‘what’s happening? Am I good enough?’ last year, and I think after that testing with Prema, working with Prema, I really learned mentally that I never have to doubt myself.

“Going into this season at the end of 2020, that was definitely the goal, I knew this was going to be an important year, so I was putting all the effort into the season, so happy to end it on top.”

Dennis Hauger, Prema Racing

Photo by: Formula Motorsport Ltd

And that effort paid off, with Hauger asserting his dominance over team-mates Olli Caldwell and Arthur Leclerc, who managed just eighth and 10th respectively, albeit with the latter in his rookie season. By comparison, last year’s championship saw the team’s drivers Oscar Piastri, Frederik Vesti and Logan Sargeant take three of the top four spots.

Hauger's highlights of the year included the opening weekend at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, where he started as he meant to go on, storming to pole before producing a lights-to-flag masterclass to take victory 3.7s ahead of Doohan, sparking their season-long tussle for the title.

He also shone at the Red Bull Ring, winning a dramatic sprint race from 12th on the grid in a race which saw four different leaders throughout.

It’s not all been plain-sailing – he cites the second race in Barcelona as a disappointment after a tussle with Matteo Nannini left him with a damaged front-wing and a 10-second penalty – but Hauger says the key has been consistency, finishing outside the points in just four of the 20 races.

Of course, as Hauger says, his success can in part be credited to Prema. The Italian powerhouse has long dominated both F3 and FIA Formula 2, with previous champions including Ferrari Formula 1 driver Charles Leclerc, AlphaTauri’s Pierre Gasly and 2020 champion Mick Schumacher, who graduated to Haas in F1 this season.

Team principal Rene Rosin credits their performance to hard work, and says they pride themselves on being seen to do their best, adding that “when the competition is tougher [that] is where we want to push more.”

Speaking after sealing the title in Sochi, Hauger said 2021 was “one of the funnest years I’ve had as well as the hardest, so I’ve enjoyed it a lot for sure,” and said he spent much of the year in Italy working with the team, with whom he has a “good connection” with.

Dennis Hauger, Prema Racing, Olli Caldwell, Prema Racing

Photo by: Mark Sutton / Motorsport Images

Other drivers have also acknowledged the team’s success, with Logan Sargeant saying it was “quite clear the team has kept their dominance from last year” while also noting that Hauger has performed well individually.

Now back on track and hungry for more success, Hauger’s upwards ascent looks set to continue into 2022. With Red Bull suggesting he has a Formula 2 seat secured, although it is currently unclear where that will be, it seems logical that Hauger’s next step would be into Piastri’s F2 seat, assuming the Australian clinches the title.

"I think one of the things I started questioning myself was ‘what’s happening? Am I good enough?’ last year, and I think after working with Prema, I really learned mentally that I never have to doubt myself" Dennis Hauger

Red Bull boss Dr Helmut Marko agrees that Hauger has had a “great 2021 F3 season. A mistake early on but otherwise he has been exceptional. He has shown great ability, he has the speed within him and he is very much going in the right direction.

“He will drive for us in Formula 2 in 2022 and there is only one step to make after that. It does require him to continue to improve very much in the same way that he has this season. He is not there yet.”

Assuming Hauger does continue to improve in the same way, he would be a strong contender for next year’s F2 title among an already packed-with-talent field. And after that? With his steely determination and bags of talent, there’s nothing stopping Hauger becoming the first Norwegian F1 driver in history.

Race Winer Dennis Hauger, Prema Racing crosses the finish line

Photo by: Mark Sutton / Motorsport Images