Stefan's second F3 outing - at Croft in North Yorkshire - was a great improvement over the first, thanks to a much better handling car. A productive test day at Rockingham had helped him and the team to discover the right way to go on set-up and they were able to develop this at Croft.

The weekend got off to a disappointing start, though, with Stefan off the pace in first practice and then having to miss the whole of the second session - including vital testing in the wet - with a gearbox problem. In first qualifying he was sixth fastest in the National Class, but for the second round, after a number of changes, the car was much more to Stefan's liking and he qualified third (18th overall). And he might have been second, because he was running four-tenths quicker when a red flag came out to halt the session. "I was really pleased with the car's handling," he said later, "and now I was looking forward to the races."

In race one Stefan made a tentative start on the wet track and lost some places, but he fought back and, as a dry line began to appear, he was able to regain positions. By the end he had proved the set-up was working by going from seventh place to fourth and setting the third fastest lap.

Stefan started race two from third place on the National Class grid, but on lap two there was mayhem up ahead as four of the International Class cars came together. After a lengthy stoppage to clear the debris, the race was restarted for a reduced number of laps. Stefan held his position, but then found an International Class car between himself and second-placed Salman Al Khalifa. Battling his way past the first car, he caught and tried to overtake al Khalifa at the hairpin, but lost the nose off his car in the process. From there he lost several places, but managed to hold on until the chequered flag to score points for seventh place.

"We didn't get a result," Stefan said afterwards, "but I was very encouraged by the pace and the feel of the car. We're in the ballpark and it's now down to fine-tuning the car and gaining those extra few tenths, which I'm confident we can do. Now I'm really looking forward to racing at Monza and even fighting for a win."