F3 | Sprint Race | British GP | Inthraphuvasak claims maiden victory as Boya steals P3 - Motorsport

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A dramatic F3 Sprint Race at the 2025 British GP saw chaos, controversy, and a historic victory. Thai driver Tasanapol Inthraphuvasak claimed his first win in the championship, becoming the first Thai race winner at this level since Alex Albon in 2016. However, his path to victory was far from straightforward, as battles raged behind him and track limits played a decisive role in the final classification.

Among the most intense stories of the race was that of Théophile Naël, who overcame a pre-race stall and surged to the front, only to be handed a 10-second post-race penalty that dropped him out of the points. The race featured strategic team orders, daring overtakes, and shifting weather conditions that added another layer of unpredictability to a race already defined by its tightly packed field and relentless DRS duels.

As the Silverstone Sprint unfolded, the Championship picture evolved yet again, with key title contenders gaining and losing ground in a race that tested control, composure, and racecraft in equal measure.

Inthraphuvasak starts on pole

Following an intense FIA F3 Qualifying session at the 2025 British GP, Campos Racing’s Tasanapol Inthraphuvasak secured Sprint Race pole under the reverse-grid format. He lined up on the front row alongside Christian Ho of DAMS Lucas Oil, who started P2. Behind them, Prema Racing’s Noel León and Van Amersfoort Racing’s Théophile Naël occupied the second row, both well-positioned to challenge for an early lead. ART Grand Prix’s Laurens van Hoepen and Hitech TGR’s Martinius Stenshorne shared the third row in P5 and P6, while Trident’s Charlie Wurz and MP Motorsport’s Tim Tramnitz lined up on the fourth.

Campos Racing’s Mari Boya and Trident’s championship leader Rafael Câmara started from the fifth row in P9 and P10. Just outside the reverse-grid top ten, Prema Racing’s Ugo Ugochukwu and Campos Racing’s Nikola Tsolov began in P11 and P12, still close enough to strike if opportunities opened ahead.

Penalties, backmarkers, and deep grid threat

AIX Racing’s Brad Benavides started from P13, ahead of Trident’s Noah Strømsted and Prema’s Brando Badoer. Rodin Motorsport’s Roman Bilinski took P16. MP Motorsport’s Alessandro Giusti initially qualified higher, but the stewards handed him a three-place grid drop for impeding Van Amersfoort Racing’s Santiago Ramos at Turn 15 during Qualifying. As a result, Giusti started P17, with Ramos just behind in P18.

ART Grand Prix teammates Tuukka Taponen and James Wharton occupied P19 and P20, followed by Van Amersfoort’s Ivan Domingues and MP Motorsport’s Bruno del Pino. Rodin Motorsport’s Louis Sharp, DAMS Lucas Oil’s Matías Zagazeta, and Callum Voisin filled P23 to P25. Hitech TGR’s Nikita Johnson started from P26, ahead of DAMS Lucas Oil’s Nicola Lacorte. The final row featured Hitech’s Gerrard Xie, AIX Racing’s Nicola Marinangeli, and James Hedley, who completed the 30-car grid. The deep starting positions for several strong drivers promised a competitive and unpredictable F3 Sprint Race at the 2025 British GP.

Pre-race drama for Naël

Naël stalled as the drivers took off on their formation lap. However, he recovered swiftly, rejoining the pack as they traversed the circuit. Because he managed to get going before the final car passed, Naël avoided a pit lane start—a small mercy on a challenging track. Although the surface remained dry, heavy grey clouds loomed overhead, threatening rain and delivering much cooler conditions than those seen during Free Practice and Qualifying at the 2025 British GP.

Strong launch and early position battles

As the lights went out, Inthraphuvasak surged ahead. Nevertheless, both Naël and Ho produced stronger launches and rapidly closed the gap, with Naël claiming P2 at Turn 6. Further down the order, a fierce battle unfolded between the three Trident drivers. Championship leader Câmara challenged Wurz for P10, while Strømsted followed closely behind. At the same time, both Wurz and Câmara lost out to Ugochukwu in the opening corners. However, the aggressive intra-team tussle was neutralised almost immediately by a Safety Car, triggered when Badoer collided with Tsolov at Turn 5. Although Tsolov managed to recover and rejoined at the back of the field, Badoer ended up beached in the gravel and could not continue.

Safety Car period and Trident team orders

While the field followed the Safety Car, Trident issued firm instructions. With their drivers having gone three-wide prior to the neutralisation, the team urged Wurz to avoid contact with teammate Câmara, who remains deeply engaged in the Championship battle. These instructions were aimed at maintaining order and preserving their points potential as the race resumed.

Racing resumes and key overtakes

When the Safety Car pulled in on lap 8, Inthraphuvasak immediately reclaimed the initiative, accelerating at the apex of Stowe to build a small buffer to Naël. Just behind, Stenshorne capitalised on the restart, diving down the inside of Ho at Turn 5 to take P3. Simultaneously, Câmara advanced into the final points-paying position, overtaking Wurz at Luffield. Although he experienced slight traction issues on exit, he maintained his status as the leading Trident driver, albeit still behind Ugochukwu.

Naël takes the lead amid controversy

On Lap 5, Naël passed Inthraphuvasak at Turn 5 and built a lead of over 0.7 seconds. However, he had gone off track during the manoeuvre. Race Control noted the incident, and Van Amersfoort Racing promptly warned Naël that he might need to relinquish the position. With Stenshorne closing the gap and a potential 10-second penalty looming, the situation grew increasingly contentious for the Dutch outfit. Furthermore, with the majority of the field bunched within DRS range, a position swap or penalty carried the risk of a significant loss of track position.

Midfield movement and van Hoepen charges forward

On Lap 7, Boya executed a clean move on León at Vale to claim P6. One lap later, van Hoepen overtook a struggling Ho for P4 with a bold dive into the final chicane. Meanwhile, Tsolov continued his recovery drive from the back of the field, advancing to P26 by Lap 10. Câmara remained in pursuit of Ugochukwu for P9, while Wurz and Strømsted, although close behind, refrained from engaging their teammate to avoid jeopardising Trident’s race strategy.

Naël yields position as midfield action intensifies

By Lap 10, Naël handed the lead back to Inthraphuvasak at Stowe. He remained closely tucked behind, seeking to regain the lead while under increasing pressure from Stenshorne. The Norwegian driver, although not directly involved in the lead exchange at that moment, stayed within striking distance, ready to exploit any mistakes. At the same time, Tramnitz began to falter, falling to P11 after losing positions to Ugochukwu, Câmara, and Wurz. Despite being instructed to avoid conflict with his teammate, Wurz kept within DRS range, his new focus shifting to holding off Tramnitz in the battle for the final point.

DRS battles and late-race surge

On Lap 13, Ugochukwu attacked his teammate León for P7, successfully going around the outside at Stowe. One lap later, Boya continued his charge forward, overtaking the still-struggling Ho at Turn 5 to seize P5. At the front, Stenshorne utilised DRS on the Hangar Straight to pass Naël for P2, subsequently beginning his pursuit of the race leader. As the final three laps approached, the podium fight intensified.

Dramatic finish as positions shuffle

As van Hoepen closed in on Naël, the pair went three-wide with Boya through Stowe. In the chaos, Naël ran wide while van Hoepen attempted an inside move. Boya capitalised on the scrap, using his experience to slip past both and snatch P3. Meanwhile, in a cleaner battle, Ugochukwu overtook Ho to secure P6. Race Control took note of the incident between van Hoepen and Naël, which would have later consequences.

Inthraphuvasak wins for Thailand

At the front, Inthraphuvasak successfully fended off a determined Stenshorne to take the chequered flag and secure a historic win for Thailand in the FIA F3 Championship. The last Thai driver to win at this level was Alex Albon, who triumphed in the 2016 GP3 round at Sepang. Stenshorne followed closely to claim P2—his fourth podium of the 2025 season. Boya, seemingly out of podium contention earlier in the race, completed a remarkable comeback to take P3, delivering a 1-3 finish for Campos Racing.

Post-race penalty reshuffles results

Although Naël crossed the line in P4, he dropped to P12 after the Stewards imposed a 10-second time penalty for leaving the track and gaining an advantage during his battle with van Hoepen. As a result, van Hoepen inherited P4, while Bilinski—who had recovered impressively from P16—secured the final points-paying position. Bilinski passed Tramnitz in the closing laps, capping off a strong drive and benefiting from Naël’s misfortune.