Inthraphuvasak wins Monza F3 feature race to help Campos snatch title

Photo: Formula Motosport Ltd

Campos Racing snatched the FIA Formula 3 teams’ title with a one-two finish in a frantic last race of the season, which Tasanapol Inthraphuvasak won ahead of Nikola Tsolov.

Trident led the standings by 16 points coming into the race but was forced to concede its crown despite drivers’ champion Rafael Camara charging from 30th to fifth.

Brad Benavides kept the lead from pole position at the start ahead of Ugo Ugochukwu, while Inthraphuvasak would move up to third past Noel Leon by cutting across the inside of the Roggia chicane.

Trident’s hopes took a hit when its highest-placed stater Charlie Wurz sustained damage in the Roggia chicane and had to stop, triggering a safety car. Tim Tramnitz’s chances of finishing as runner-up – which were already distant after a penalty stripped him of Saturday’s sprint race victory – took a further hit when he had to pit for a new front wing.

At the restart, Ugochukwu challenged Benavides, who went deep and off-track at Roggia and was told by his engineer to give the place up. He did so into the Parabolica, and then slipstreamed back in front down the pit straight. Inthraphuvasak followed him past, only for Ugochukwu to take second back into Roggia.

A second safety car followed after debutant Fernando Barrichello spun into the gravel trap at Ascari. Ugochukwu would do exactly the same out of second place on the restart, losing control on gravel that was still on the kerb.

In the meantime, Inthraphuvasak had appeared to give up positions to Tsolov and Leon, meaning stewards would take no further action for gaining an advantage off-track on the first lap.

Tsolov went on to take the lead two laps after the subsequent restart, only for Benavides to snatch it back around the outside at the Roggia. Inthraphuvasak would take second back from Tsolov a couple of laps later.

With six laps to go, Inthraphuvasak went around the outside of Benavides into the first corner to take the lead with Tsolov following him past.

The Campos duo remained in formation to the end, with Inthraphuvasak sealing his third win in four rounds and first in a feature race, while second for Tsolov was good enough for him to clinch the same position in the championship ahead of his team-mate Mari Boya, who could only finish ninth. Leon denied Benavides a podium finish in third.

Like Camara, Noah Stromsted also tried to fight back for Trident after starting 19th, getting into a fight for fifth with Tuukka Taponen that ended up with both running through the Ascari gravel trap with seven laps to go.

That incident helped Camara make it up to sixth and he completed his charge with a late dive on Roman Bilinski that caused the sprint race winner to take to the Roggia escape road and then give up the position later in the lap.

Race results (22 laps)