Following an eventful FIA F3 Qualifying session in Barcelona, several key decisions by the Stewards have significantly reshuffled the starting grid for both the Sprint and Feature Races. While one driver has been reinstated into a vital position, two others have suffered costly penalties that will impact their weekend prospects.
Bilinski’s takes reverse-grid pole after lap reinstated
In a pivotal post-qualifying development, Roman Bilinski has had his fastest lap reinstated after initially losing it due to a track limits infringement. The Rodin Motorsport driver posted a 1:29.379 on his final flying lap, a time that originally placed him twelfth in the standings. However, race officials had judged that he exceeded track limits, which led to the deletion of the lap.
Subsequently, the FIA F3 Stewards reviewed video evidence provided by the Race Director. Upon careful analysis, they determined that Car 25 had, in fact, remained within the bounds of the circuit. Consequently, the Stewards reinstated Bilinski’s lap time.
This decision proves highly consequential. With twelfth place restored, Bilinski will now line up on pole position for Saturday’s Sprint Race due to the reverse grid rule. This not only boosts his chances for valuable points but also provides Rodin Motorsport with a strategic advantage heading into the weekend.
As a direct result of the reinstatement, ART Grand Prix driver James Wharton, who had momentarily been promoted to twelfth, now drops to thirteenth. Therefore, Wharton will start both races from the seventh row.
Inthraphuvasak penalised for impeding: 3-place grid penalty for both races
In another post-session ruling, the Stewards have handed a three-place grid penalty to Campos Racing driver Tasanapol Inthraphuvasak. The penalty follows an incident during Qualifying in which Inthraphuvasak impeded Alessandro Giusti during a crucial push lap.
After interviewing both drivers and their respective team representatives, and examining the video footage, the Stewards concluded that Inthraphuvasak had unnecessarily blocked Giusti, thereby compromising the latter’s lap.
Thus, the penalty applies to both the Sprint and Feature Races. As a result, Inthraphuvasak drops from sixteenth to nineteenth on the grid for both events. This setback will undoubtedly make his task of scoring points considerably more difficult.
Lacorte punished after contact with Garfias: 10-place grid penalty for both races
Meanwhile, Nicola Lacorte has received a significant 10-place grid penalty for an incident involving Jose Garfias during the F3 Qualifying in Barcelona. The DAMS Lucas Oil driver made contact with Garfias’s AIX Racing car between Turns 9 and 10, prompting immediate scrutiny from the Stewards.
Following a thorough investigation, which included interviews and video analysis, the Stewards deemed Lacorte wholly responsible. According to their findings, he had misjudged the proximity of the two cars and caused the collision through a lack of spatial awareness.
Therefore, Lacorte has been penalised with a 10-place grid drop for both the Sprint and Feature Races. This penalty relegates him to thirtieth position for both events, placing him at the very back of the grid. Given the competitive nature of the field, Lacorte will face a challenging task in making up ground.
A reshuffled grid ahead of a pivotal weekend
These decisions by the FIA F3 Stewards have added a layer of complexity ahead of the races in Barcelona. While Roman Bilinski now finds himself in a favourable position to capitalise on reverse grid pole, both Tasanapol Inthraphuvasak and Nicola Lacorte must now recover from grid penalties that alter the complexion of their weekend strategies.
As the field prepares for what promises to be an intense and unpredictable pair of races, every position and point remains crucial in the tightly contested F3 championship battle.
