Mini claims maiden Formula 3 win in Monaco feature race

Photo: Alpine Racing

Hitech GP’s Gabriele Mini claimed his maiden Formula 3 victory in the feature race at Monaco in lights-to-flag fashion.

The Italian resisted pressure from Prema’s Dino Beganovic, who finished second after driving the whole race within one second of Mini. Paul Aron was third almost seventh seconds behind the leading pair.

Trident’s Leonardo Fornaroli couldn’t get his car moving on the formation lap. The Italian was pushed back to the pit-lane and started the race from there, missing out on his top 10 grid position.

Mini led away from pole position as the top six drivers held on to their starting places. Behind them, drivers attempted to make the most of the opening lap.

MP Motorsport’s Franco Colapinto, Trident’s Gabriel Bortoleto and Jenzer Motorsport’s Taylor Barnard went three-wide into Saint Devote. The Briton —on the inside— cut the corner and gained two places, moving up from ninth to seventh in the order.

The stewards handed Barnard a 10-second time penalty for leaving the track and gaining advantage. Hugh Barter received a five-second time penalty for the same reason further down the field.

Rodin Carlin team-mates Ollie Gray and Ido Cohen went side by side into Tabac. Cohen couldn’t hold the outside line and crashed into the barrier, bringing the safety car out.

The race resumed at the end of lap five of 28 without changes in the running order.

Halfway through the race, Mini and Beganovic started to break away at the front.

Hitech’s Luke Browning put pressure on Prema’s Aron, who struggled for pace, but was unable to find the way past the Estonian for the last podium spot.

Van Amersfoort Racing’s Caio Collet and Hitech’s Sebastian Montoya battled for fifth place. On lap 18, Montoya closed up after Collet exited slowly from Saint Devote and touched the rear of the Brazilian up the hill heading into Massenet.

Collet retired with a puncture in his rear-left tyre, whereas Montoya ended one lap down as he had to pit for a new front wing. The Red Bull junior was handed a 10-second time penalty for the collision.

Barnard took the chequered flag in fifth place, but was demoted to eighth once the penalty was applied.

Bortoleto rounded off the top five, with Colapinto, Prema’s Zak O’Sullivan, Barnard, Campos’ Pepe Marti and ART Grand Prix’s Gregoire Saucy completing the top ten.

Race result (27 laps)