Marciello secures Nurburgring hat-trick

Photo: FIA Formula 3 European Championship / Thomas Suer

Raffaele Marciello finalized a perfect Nurburgring round of European F3 racing, taking his tenth race victory of the season in race three.

Again, the Italian junior made a clean getaway from the line and kept the lead into turn one. Chaos unfolded in the rest of the pack, as Tom Blomqvist was collected into turn one, his out of control car also ensuring Jordan King‘s retirement, while, further on into the lap, Alexander Sims made contact with Felix Serralles with Daniil Kvyat stranded behind the pair’s stationary vehicles.

The incidents brought out a safety car period, which proved to be of little trouble for Marciello, who remained in the lead after the restart and controlled the race. For most of the running, teammate Lucas Auer seemed to match Marciello’s pace, but he never was close enough to make a try for position.

Pipo Derani, having acted as an early roadblock for the drivers in the top ten, found his pace midway through the race and pulled away from nearest opponent Harry Tincknell, finishing in third.

The Briton then found himself having to defend from Mucke’s Felix Rosenqvist, with the Swede making several attempts into turn one, none of which yielded him the spot. Under pressure from Alex Lynn, Rosenqvist had to settle for fifth, holding the Prema driver behind until the checkered flag.

Michael Lewis recorded another seventh place, ahead of Mitch Gilbert, who ensured his first points this year. Eddie Cheever made it four Prema cars in the points in ninth place, with Antonio Giovinazzi rounding out the top ten.

Race results