Nikola Tsolov took off from pole position in F3’s Feature Race in Austria, after starting P12 in the Sprint Race, and taking home third. The Bulgarian currently sits 20 points behind rival Câmara in the Championship standings, the Feature Race looking to change the standings.
Starting off of the front row was Tsolov and Benavides, with Strømsted and Del Pino on the second row. This was unexpected starting position for Benavides, in his return to F3 in 2025. Câmara qualified down in seventh, strengthening Tsolov’s chances of taking the Championship lead. Câmara struggled to overtake to move up the field in the Sprint Race, making the Feature Race an interesting redemption.
Lights out
Five lights went out and the F3 Feature Race in Austria in Spain was a go, with 26 laps ahead. Into the first corner we saw Tsolov take the lead, followed closely by Benavides. A yellow flag waved by turn 3 after Câmara suffered damage, and the AIX Racing car of Hedley spun.The green flag soon waved again. Del Pino dropped back to 22nd.
Ugochukwu moed up to fourth, while Câmara climbed to fifth with Badoer just behind. Tsolov had opened up a two second gap by the end of lap two, as DRS was enabled. Strømsted looked to make a move down the front straight and into turn 1 on Benavides, unable to get it done until turn 2.
Benavides fought back, ultimately losing position to Ugochukwu and taking fourth. Wharton moved up on Leon, as Câmara moved up on Benavides. A terrible first few laps for Benavides after dropping five positions.
Ugochukwu dove to the inside of Strømsted on lap 4, and moved up to second, 2.1s behind Tsolov. Domingues made a move stick on Xie to take P23. Stenshorne continued to battle Benavideos on lap 5, aiming to take his P7, not able to do so unable lap 6.
Benavides ran wide through the gravel, which dropped him even further back, to P12. Câmara made a dive down the inside of turn 3 on Ugochukwu, running wide and losing the place again, before securing second place in turn 4.
The gap to Tsolov begins to close
Câmara soon created a 0.5s gap on Ugochukwu, closing in on the 1.8s gap to Tsolov. Strømsted made a clean move around Ugochukwu to take third, and sat 1s behind his teammate. Boya made his move of Tramnitz to take P8, Tramnitz attempting to fight back after his climb from P17.
Stenshorne looked to make a move on Voisin, unable to do so, as Tramnitz took advantage of Boya’s attempt to overtake Stenshorne, moving Tramnitz up to P7.
The F3 races in Austria are always sure to bring chaos, this Feature Race was no different. Benavides and Leon both moved up on Badoer through turn 1, before Van Hoepen moved up on Badoer in turn 3. Badoer continued to drop positions after contact with Naël, suspension damage forced him to box.
Tramnitz made his move on Voisin to take P6, before Boya snatched P7 from Voisin. Voisin soon landed through the gravel, dropping him further to P10. Strømsted ran slightly over the edge of the gravel, allowing Ugochukwu to begin to gain on him.
Lap 14 – the halfway mark
Ugochukwu looked to make a move on Strømsted through turn 3, leaving the door open for Stenshorne to take P3 from Strømsted. Van Hoepen moved up on Voisin through turn 3 on lap 15, Tramnitz then made his move on Ugochukwu, through the outside of turn 6.
Ugochukwu lunged to the outside of Strømsted through turn 4, but he was unable to make his move, Boya soon moving closer to Ugochukwu.
Carrasquedo made his move up on Wharton, taking P14. Stenshorne sat right on the rear of Câmara, and looked to make his move. Strømsted ran wide out of the final corner, Tramnitz made a move on him down the front straight. Ugoghukwu also made a move on Strømsted through turn 3, Boya followed him through.
Stenshorne made his move on Câmara and took second place from him, 4.9s behind race leader Tsolov. Naël and Wurz attempted to move up on Strømsted, neither able to do so, before Naël ran wide, dropping down to P14.
Van Hoepen also ran wide, dropping to P10. Wurz stalked the tail of his teammate Strømsted, looking for redemption, fighting his way through for P7. Tramnitz made a move on Câmara through turn 3, snatching P3, Câmara attempted to hang on to the back of him, soon creating a gap.
Boya was all over the rear of Câmara before he made his move into turn 9, Câmara dropping again, to P5. Voisin moved up on Van Hoepen, shortly after Van Hoepen regained his position. Câmara was then overtaken by Ugochukwu.
Naël was noted for track limits. Tsolov sat 6.3s ahead of Stenshorne, securing position into the final lap. Boya stalked Tramnitz, hoping to take P3 from him, as Tsolov crosses the line to take the win. Stenshorne and Tramnitz completed the podium.
Results
1 | N. Tsolov
2 | M. Stenshorne
3 | T. Tramnitz
4 | M. Boya
5 | U. Ugochukwu
6 | R. Câmara
7 | C. Wurz
8 | N. Strømsted
9 | L. Van Hoepen
10 | C. Voisin
11 | B. Benavides
12 | T. Nael
13 | N. Leon
14 | A. Giusti
15 | J. Carrasquedo
16 | J. Wharton
17 | T. Inthraphuvasak
18 | L. Sharp
19 | G. Xie
20 | M. Zagazeta
21 | B. Del Pino
22 | T. Taponen
23 | I. Domingues
24 | N. Johnson
25 | R. Bilinski
26 | C. Ho
27 | N. Marinangeli
28 | J. Hedley
29 | S. Ramos
30 | DNF B. Badoer
