Guanyu Zhou leads Prema 1-2 in second Asian F3 race

Asian F3 Championship

Guanyu Zhou made it two victories from two after the Alpine Formula 1 test driver dominated the second Asian Formula 3 race of the season-opening weekend at the Dubai Autodrome.

The Chinese driver led his Abu Dhabi Racing by Prema team-mate Dino Beganovic away from pole position after second-place starter Kush Maini (Mumbai Falcons) was left stranded on the grid with gearbox woes.

The safety car was required in the early stages of the race following a collision between Amna Al Qubaisi and Rafael Villagomez.

Once racing resumed, Zhou dominated – the first time he’s won back-to-back races since his maiden season in car racing in 2015 in Italian Formula 4.

Beganovic secured second place in only his second race in Regional F3 machinery, while Isack Hadjar earned his and Evans GP’s maiden Asian F3 podium finish in third.

Pierre-Louis Chovet, who will race in FIA F3 Championship with Jenzer Motorsport later this year, finished in fourth for the second consecutive race.

Red Bull junior Ayumu Iwasa passed Formula 2-bound Alessio Deledda late-on to round out the top five.

Pinnacle Motorsport’s Deledda was forced to settle for sixth place, but this still represented his best-ever result in car racing.

Carlin’s F2 driver Jehan Daruvala, racing for Indian outfit Mumbai Falcons in Asian F3, spent the entirety of race one stuck behind fellow F2 driver Roy Nissany. He finally made passed him at the end of race two to finish in seventh.

Hitech’s Nissany claimed eighth ahead of sim racer Cem Bolukbasi (BlackArts Racing) and Evans GP’s Patrik Pasma.

Race results (16 laps)