Wharton claims victory for Prema in Barcelona F3 sprint race

Photo: Formula Motorsport Ltd

Prema’s James Wharton claimed victory in a chaotic Barcelona FIA Formula 3 sprint race, leading home Trident’s Freddie Slater.

Slater gained crucial points in the championship battle, moving level with championship leader Ugo Ugochukwu who retired.

Gerrard Xie joined Wharton on the front row and it was the DAMS driver who got away the best, converting his reversed-grid pole position into the race lead at turn 1 as Slater advanced on Wharton, demoting the Australian to third.

It wasn’t long though before Wharton found his way back past the British driver, using the Drag Reduction System to cruise past into turn 1 and retake second place.

Wharton’s charge continued as just two laps later he drafted up behind Xie heading into turn 1 and with the assistance of DRS shot past to claim the lead.

Further back, issues hit Ernesto Rivera, the Campos Racing driver grinding to a halt in the final sector resulting in a safety car.

Just before the stoppage, Slater too found his way past Xie, diving up the inside into the first corner and moving into second.

Wharton led the field away early at the safety car restart. Slater followed but was unable to make an impression into turn 1.

Having just set the fastest lap, Wharton then found his advantage over Slater slashed again as Ugochukwu found himself facing the wrong way into turn 3. The Campos driver had looked to set up a switchback move but instead ended up stuck in the gravel at turn 3.

After a shorter interruption this time, Wharton once again led away at the restart, now with a bigger gap into turn 1 over his nearest rival.

Now, with clean air and less stoppages, the Prema driver was free to extend his lead, breaking DRS range just one lap after the restart.

Xie began to fall away from Slater and was under extreme pressure from MP Motorsport’s Tuukka Taponen who had Brando Badoer a second behind in fifth.

Despite the pressure Xie fended off a move from the Finnish driver, crossing the line four tenths clear but 1.7s behind race winner Wharton who stormed to victory, a second clear of Slater.

Taponen claimed fourth with Enzo Deligny snatching fifth place away from Badoer in the dying stages of the race. Hiyu Yamakoshi wound up seventh with feature race pole sitter Theophile Nael the last of the points scorers.

Race results (21 laps)