Voisin wins, Fornaroli takes F3 points lead and Prema clinch title at Spa

Photo: Formula Motorsport Ltd

Callum Voisin claims his and Rodin Motorsport’s first FIA Formula 3 Championship win in a safety car-filled feature race at Spa Francorchamps.

Three safety car periods disrupted running, but Voisin was able to manage each restart without problems on his way to victory.

Campos Racing’s Sebastian Montoya got the best start from fourth on the grid, jumping to second and challenging poleman Voisin. Both ran wide and cut a corner on lap one but managed to stay in front. A small lock-up from Voisin allowed Montoya to get alongside, but he could not find a way through and was pressure by Trident’s Leonardo Fornaroli behind.

Pre-race points leader Gabriele Mini had a disastrous start, being tipped into a spin by Prema team-mate Arvid Lindblad that sent him to the back.

The safety car soon came when Martinius Stenshorne and Tuuka Taponen were both wiped out at the same corner. Stenshorne was ahead and sent into a spin while battling Sophia Floersch. A few positions behind, Taponen also spun and then collided with the stranded Stenshorne.

Racing resumed on lap seven and Voisin gapped Montoya before the safety car returned following an incident between Floersch and Joseph Loake.

Voisin again bettered Montoya on the next restart, but did not have much time to pull away before racing was neutralised again. Lindblad had been trying to make his way around the outside of Christian Mansell when he was collected and went off. At the same time, damage on Mari Boya’s car sent him into the wall.

There were two laps left at the final restart, and Voisin did not put a wheel wrong as he took a lights-to-flag win over Montoya.

Fornaroli took the championship lead by finishing third, with Mini recovering to a points-free 13th behind team-mate Dino Beganovic and Laurens van Hoepen.

Despite all three of Prema’s drivers failing to score, it still secured the teams’ title with a round to go. ART Grand Prix, its closest rival at the start of the weekend, also had a disappointing race with no points.

Other than Fornaroli, Luke Browning was the only other of the seven title contenders to finish in the top 10. He climbed to sixth and was closing in on the battling Noel Leon and Sami Meguetounif in the final laps.

Max Esterson took seventh ahead of Sergio Ramos and Tim Tramnitz. Alex Dunne had been battling at the sharp end of the field for most of the race but slowed after the second safety car restart and came home in 10th.

Race results (15 laps)