Ugo Ugochukwu claimed his maiden victory in FIA Formula 3 with a dominant drive in the Melbourne Feature Race.
The Campos Racing driver recovered from a gradual begin, which dropped to 3rd, to win the race forward of TRIDENT’s Freddie Slater. ART Grand Prix driver Taito Kato took the ultimate spot on the rostrum after Théophile Nael and Noah Stromsted each acquired time penalties.
AS IT HAPPENED
Polesitter Nael stored the lead into Turn 1, whereas Slater bought forward of Ugochukwu to take second place on the opening nook.
Slater’s robust opening lap continued as he tried to go across the exterior of Nael at Turn 3 just for the Campos driver to close the door.
Kato was additionally on the transfer for ART Grand Prix, as he managed to make a transfer across the exterior of TRIDENT’s Stromsted on the penultimate nook for P8.
On to Lap 2, Ugochukwu was inside one second of Slater and overtook his rival at Turn 9 to get again to P2.
Ugochukwu then closed in on Nael quickly after and as soon as once more made a transfer at Turn 9, this time to take the lead of the race.
Just behind them, Kato and Mattia Colnaghi went side-by-side by means of Turns 9 and 10, with the ART driver taking P7.
Out in entrance, the highest three had separated themselves and had been two seconds away from Maciej Gladysz at first of Lap 8.
Brando Badoer and Nicola Lacorte had been battling for P5 with the previous having misplaced the place to the DAMS Lucas Oil driver earlier in the lap. As he regarded to regain the place, he spun on the last nook, dropping him right down to P12.
The Safety Car was then known as upon on Lap 9 with Nandhavud Bhirombhakdi having discovered the barrier at Turn 12.
Racing resumed at first of Lap 12, and Ugochukwu pulled out a 1.1s hole to Nael, who was coming below stress from Slater after working broad on the exit of Turn 4.
The Campos driver was holding on to P2, however Gladysz misplaced P4 to Lacorte at Turn 9, whereas Bruno del Pino was up eighth forward of Colnaghi after making a transfer on the similar nook.
Lacorte was charging in the direction of the rostrum and was proper on the again of Slater at first of Lap 15, and earlier than taking P3 on the brakes at Turn 12.
Moments later, Nael was given a five-second time penalty for a false begin.
Slater although was struggling on Lap 16, coming below stress from his teammate Stromsted, who had simply overtaken Gladysz for P5 at Turn 12.
Lacorte’s hopes of a podium had been broken on the following lap, dropping out to Slater, earlier than contact with Stromsted gave him entrance wing injury. The Stewards then handed the DAMS driver a five-second penalty for a false begin, whereas Stromsted was later handed a 10-second time penalty for inflicting a collision with the Italian.
Slater had recovered issues properly and was inside 0.5s of Nael for P2 by the beginning of Lap 20. The TRIDENT driver used the DRS to overhaul the Frenchman at Turn 9 to rise up to second.
Just as Nael was preventing Stromsted for the ultimate spot on the rostrum, the Safety Car was known as upon with Woohyun Shin having pulled over along with the highway with rear suspension injury at Turn 6.
The monitor couldn’t be cleared in time for a restart, with the race ending below Safety Car situations, leaving Ugochukwu to take a primary victory in F3 forward of Slater. With Nael and Stromsted’s penalties taking impact, Kato inherited P3.
Del Pino adopted his Sprint Race victory with a run to P4 forward of Gladysz and Enzo Deligny. Brad Benavides was seventh for AIX Racing forward of Pedro Clerot and Jin Nakamura, with Colnaghi in tenth.
KEY QUOTE – Ugo Ugochukwu, Campos Racing
“The Feature Race done here in Melbourne, managed to come away with a win, so super pleased, my first win in F3. It’s been a perfect start to the season, we have been quick all weekend. P2 of the line, fell back a little at the start but managed to make my way back through to the lead and from there I had a nice gap until the last Safety Car. Super happy and thank you to the whole team.”
CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS
Campos Racing’s Ugo Ugochukwu leads the Drivers’ Championship after Round 1 with 25 factors, forward of Freddie Slater and Bruno del Pino, who each have 18 factors. Taito Kato is fourth with16 factors, whereas Enzo Deligny is fifth on 12.
In the Teams’ Standings, Van Amersfoort Racing cleared the path with 30 factors, forward of second positioned Campos Racing on 27 factors and ART Grand Prix on 26. TRIDENT are fourth with 20 factors, whereas Rodin Motorsport spherical out the highest 5.
