Tsolov takes feature race win in Hungary as F3 title race closes up

Photo: ART Grand Prix

Nikola Tsolov took his first Formula 3 feature race win at the Hungaroring ahead of ART Grand Prix team-mate Laurens van Hoepen.

Tsolov snatched the lead from poleman van Hoepen off the line and kept him at bay throughout the race. The top two builty a gap to the rest of the field, with van Hoepen preparing for a late challenge. But the safety car was brought out on lap 21 of 23, preventing any last-minute attacks.

Trident’s Leonardo Fornaroli had the best start from third place, only to find himself boxed behind the two ART GP drivers. It meant he slipped behind Van Amersfoort Racing’s Noel Leon, who got alongside van Hoepen in the battle for second.

Leon could not find a way past and was then gapped by the top two. He briefly began to close in, but he could not shake Fornaroli and it was not long before he was dropping back from the ART GP duo again and leading a train of drivers.

There was little movement at the front of the field. ART GP’s Christian Mansell took fifth from Trident’s Sergio Ramos, but this was the highest position change after the opening lap.

Jenzer Motorsport’s Matias Zagazeta and Prema’s Arvid Lindblad came together in the closing stages. Zagazeta ended the race off track, but Lindblad’s car came to a stop on the kerbs. He was able to get it fired up again, but he was beached and therefore his race was over.

It also meant racing was over for everyone else as the safety car was summoned, locking in the order. Fornaroli was the only driver in the top four in the championship to score points, and fourth place puts him now within 10 points of championship leader Gabriel Mini.

For most of the race, the closest battle involved Mini, Campos Racing’s Mari Boya and Hitech GP’s Luke Browning but it took place just outside the top 10.

Mini held 11th place at first, with the other two close behind. Browning and title rival Mini never fought directly with each other, as Boya was between them. Just before the safety car came out, Boya managed to pass Mini. There was not enough time for Browning to then attack the Sicilian, and they finished 12th and 13th.

Just ahead of them, Oliver Goethe and Dino Beganovic battled at the tail end of the top 10, with Goethe getting the upper hand in ninth place.

Other than the leaders, the rest of the top 10 had been in a DRS train for most of the race.

Race results (23 laps)