De Palo wins after last-lap clash with F3 teammate Slater at Silverstone

Photo: Formula Motorsport Ltd

McLaren junior Matteo De Palo claimed victory in the FIA Formula 3 feature race at Silverstone despite contact with Trident teammate Freddie Slater on the last lap.

Ernesto Rivera finished second while Maciej Gladysz benefited from a Theophile Nael penalty to secure third.

Nael got away best out of the front two, pulling alongside polesitter Slater, but the Trident driver defended and held first into the first corner.

Having started fifth, De Palo was moving up the order early on, passing Rivera on the opening lap before clearing Louis Sharp for third.

De Palo was on a charge, next clearing Nael into Stowe and nearly passing his teammate Slater in the process, ultimately doing so a lap later at the same corner.

Further back, Rivera and Gladysz locked horns over sixth after the Polish driver dipped a wheel into the grass heading into Stowe. Gladysz barged his way up the inside of the Mexican coming out of Club with the ART Grand Prix driver clinging onto sixth.

De Palo’s lead lasted all but three laps before Slater returned the favour, mirroring his teammate’s move up the inside of Stowe to reclaim the lead, while further back Rivera passed Gladysz to reclaim sixth.

The battle between Gladysz and Rivera wasn’t over as the pair closed up to the back of fifth-placed Fionn McLaughlin. Rivera barged his way past his fellow Red Bull junior into the Loop, McLaughlin’s defence futile and leaving him helpless to James Wharton and Ugo Ugochukwu who swarmed him into Luffield.

With nine laps remaining, De Palo made his move back on Slater into Stowe to reclaim the lead while Sharp looked to reclaim third from Nael. The Campos driver fought back leaving the Prema driver defenceless as the charging pack behind demoted the New Zealander down to ninth.

Slater remained in touch which his teammate and looked to the inside of Stowe on lap 18 but couldn’t get past as the yellow flags flew for the stricken car of Riccardo Escotto. The Mexican had looked to pass Gerrard Xie but the Chinese driver moved last minute, sending the AIX Racing driver over the back of the DAMS car and out of the race.

The recovery was quick, meaning one lap of racing remained when the safety car was withdrawn. De Palo left it late to scarper away but Slater stayed with the Italian and looked to the outside of Copse; the pair made contact, the British driver coming off worse and dropping to fifth.

That left De Palo to defend from Nael heading around the final corner, but the chequered flag came at the ideal time for him to secure his maiden F3 victory.

Nael claimed second on the road but a 10-second penalty for running wide and gaining an advantage dropped him out of the points, promoting Gladysz to the final step of the podium. Wharton recovered to fourth with Slater fending off Ugochukwu to cling onto fifth.

Race results (21 laps)