World of Sport: FIA Formula 3; GT World Challenge Europe; DTM; Pure ETCR; Australian Supercars; Super Formula; Motogp
It was another thrilling weekend of FIA Formula 3 action at Paul Ricard, with three races producing three different winners, including two drivers who took their maiden victories in the category. While Alexander Smolyar and Arthur Leclerc took wins in the reversed-grid races, Jack Doohan took the top step of the podium after a stunning drive in Sunday’s feature race.
Mercedes F1 junior Frederik Vesti topped qualifying in his ART Grand Prix car, beating Prema Racing’s Dennis Hauger to the top spot. Vesti went quickest on the second runs, almost
0.2 seconds clear of Hauger, who made a minor error on his last lap while attempting to take back pole.
With the top 12 qualifiers reversed for the first race, that put Calan Williams on pole. The race was epic, with five different leaders. First it was Jenzer Motorsport man Williams, then Logan Sargeant (Charouz Racing System), before Ayumu Iwasa took charge in his Hitech GP car via an off-track move than earned him a penalty. ART driver Smolyar, from sixth on the grid, then hit the front, before he was deposed by MP Motorsport’s Victor Martins. Alpine F1 protege Martins looked set to take his maiden F3 victory at his home race after starting 10th and charging through the field, but was passed by Smolyar on the final lap in a dramatic tussle. Williams took his first F3 points finish and podium in third, once Iwasa’s 5s penalty was applied.
Leclerc, who started 30th and last after he broke his suspension on a kerb in qualifying, stormed through the pack to finish 12th, putting his Prema car on reversed-grid pole for the second race. The Ferrari academy driver went on to take a decisive win in that race – his first in F3 – to gain his first points. The Monegasque took the chequered flag 4s ahead of Red Bull Junior Hauger, who leads the standings, in a Prema 1-2.
The Italian team had looked set to take a podium lockout, with Olli Caldwell in third before he was overtaken by Martins on the penultimate lap. Martins therefore took his second podium of the weekend, this time after starting down in 11th.
Doohan was fourth in that race, but saved his best until last. The Australian qualified fourth for the feature race, which took place on a wet track, and dropped to fifth in the early stages at the hands of fast-starting Trident teammate Clement Novalak. On the sixth lap of 20, he made an opportunistic move to demote both Novalak and Martins as they fought in front of him. At halfdistance he was past Vesti for second, and on lap 15 he snatched the lead from Hauger, pulling clear of the Norwegian to win by 1.5s.
Caio Collet bounced back from a tough Saturday to defeat MP and Alpine stablemate Martins to third, while Novalak was another to relegate Vesti, who faded fast as the track dried out.
A virtual safety car was called on the third lap after Caldwell pulled off the track with suspension damage.
Hauger still leads the standings by six points from Martins, who has moved up to second, with Doohan a further two points behind in third.