In an exciting FIA Formula 3 race at Imola, Noel León of Van Amersfoort Racing showcased his skills by leading almost the entire race, despite multiple Safety Car interruptions. Although Oliver Goethe crossed the finish line in first place, León was awarded the victory after Goethe received a post-race penalty. Throughout the 18-lap Sprint, there were four instances of Safety Car deployment, but León proved to be the most skillful in handling each restart. He took the lead early on and held it with determination.
The reversed grid pole position for the Sprint race belonged to Kacper Sztuka, a Polish driver from Red Bull Junior, who was eager to secure his first points of the 2024 season. Alongside Sztuka on the front row was León, while Tim Tramnitz and championship leader Luke Browning lined up on the second row. Browning was tied with Italian driver Leonardo Fornaroli in the championship standings, but Fornaroli faced a challenging task as he started from 11th on the grid.
When the lights went out, Sztuka made a good start, but León stayed close behind him and eventually took the lead at Tamburello (Turn 2/3), quickly establishing a significant advantage. Meanwhile, Sztuka dropped to fourth place as Tramnitz and Goethe overtook him in the early stages of the race.
The first Safety Car period occurred on lap 1, triggered by an incident involving Mari Boya, who ended up in the gravel trap after being rear-ended by Tommy Smith at the Villeneuve chicane (Turn 5/6). The Safety Car remained on track until the end of lap 3, with Browning holding fifth position as the pack prepared for the restart.
León took advantage of the restart, catching his competitors by surprise with his early acceleration. Further back in the pack, Dino Beganovic from Prema managed to overtake Laurens van Hoepen and secure sixth position, while Sami Meguetounif and Gabriele Mini battled just behind.
However, the race was once again neutralized on lap 5, when Callum Voisin from Rodin ended up in the guardrails at Tosa (Turn 7) after contact with Charlie Wurz from Jenzer. The Safety Car period ended on lap 7, and this time León opted for a different strategy, waiting until the last possible moment to increase his pace, while facing pressure from the three Red Bull Junior drivers (Tramnitz, Goethe, and Sztuka) behind him.
The drama unfolded further back in the pack when Meguetounif spun in the gravel at Tamburello, colliding with Beganovic’s Prema car. As a result, the Safety Car was deployed for the third time on lap 8, after Meguetounif complained over the team radio that Beganovic had made a sudden move during braking.
At the end of lap 10, the Safety Car withdrew once again, and León successfully maintained his lead during the restart. This time, the pack managed to navigate the initial corners incident-free. León comfortably extended his advantage, breaking the DRS (Drag Reduction System) after just one lap of green flag racing following the third restart. Meanwhile, Mini executed an impressive move at the Villeneuve chicane, overtaking van Hoepen to secure seventh position.
On lap 13, Goethe made the decision that he was in the best position to chase the leader, overtaking Tramnitz at Tamburello.
However, the Safety Car was deployed for the fourth time after Tasanapol Inthraphuvasak briefly went off track in Sector 3, before returning and heading back to the pits.
Isso mais uma vez diminuiu a vantagem de León e agora Goethe teve a oportunidade de desafiá-lo.
Na volta 14, o período do Safety Car terminou e León liderou o pelotão de volta ao verde, com Goethe e Tramnitz logo atrás.
Sztuka, que estava em quarto lugar, foi pego de surpresa, criando uma lacuna significativa entre ele e os três primeiros colocados, efetivamente colocando o resto do pelotão em uma corrida separada com apenas algumas voltas restantes.
Como sempre, León executou a relargada perfeitamente e, com o DRS reaberto na volta 16, ele estava mais de um segundo à frente da concorrência.
O erro de Sztuka durante a última relargada do Safety Car o deixou vulnerável, permitindo que Beganovic assumisse a quarta posição dele em Tamburello na volta 17.
No entanto, quando Browning tentou a mesma manobra em Tosa, ele acabou na brita depois que sua tentativa oportunista de ultrapassar Sztuka pelo lado interno não teve sucesso.
Isso acionou o Virtual Safety Car para neutralizar a corrida na última volta da Sprint de paradas e partidas.
Mas com Goethe bem atrás de León, a corrida deu uma reviravolta dramática quando o VSC terminou com apenas algumas curvas restantes.
Goethe aproveitou a oportunidade na descida para Rivazza e recuperou a liderança, mas os comissários desaprovaram suas ações durante o período do VSC.
Como resultado, Goethe, que cruzou a linha de chegada em primeiro lugar, foi rebaixado para a segunda posição devido a uma penalidade de cinco segundos por violação do safety car.
Isso concedeu a vitória de volta para León, com Tramnitz garantindo o terceiro lugar no pódio.
Beganovic garantiu a quarta posição para a Prema, enquanto Sztuka, que largou na pole position, terminou entre os cinco primeiros, se tornando o primeiro piloto polonês a marcar pontos na F3.
A particular race rewarded Mini with sixth place, ahead of van Hoepen, who was a close rival throughout the race.
Arvin Lindblad, Nikita Bedrin, and Santiago Ramos completed the top ten positions.
© 2024
Formula 1 driver Max Verstappen achieved a spectacular victory at the Monaco Grand Prix. Verstappen, who drives for the Red Bull Racing team, overcame all obstacles and crossed the finish line in first place. The race was thrilling from start to finish, with Verstappen showcasing skill and determination to surpass his opponents. This victory puts Verstappen in an even better position in the drivers’ championship.
The race started with Verstappen starting in pole position, but he had to defend himself from constant attacks from Lewis Hamilton of the Mercedes team. Hamilton was determined to overtake Verstappen, but the Red Bull driver managed to maintain his position and did not give room to the rival. The battle between the two drivers was intense and exciting, with moments of incredible overtaking.
In addition to Hamilton, other drivers also tried to challenge Verstappen throughout the race. Sergio Perez of the Red Bull team and Charles Leclerc of Ferrari showed impressive performances and even threatened Verstappen’s lead. However, the Dutch driver remained focused and managed to maintain his advantage until the checkered flag.
With this victory, Verstappen solidifies himself as one of the main contenders for the Formula 1 World Championship title. His performance in Monaco showcased his skill and speed, as well as his ability to withstand pressure from opponents. Verstappen is determined to take Red Bull to the top of the podium and is willing to fight until the end to achieve this goal.
The next stage of the Formula 1 championship will be the Canadian Grand Prix. Verstappen and his team will be seeking another victory to maintain their position at the top of the standings. With confidence running high, Verstappen is ready to face any challenge that comes his way and show why he is one of the best drivers of today. The Formula 1 season promises to be exciting and full of twists and turns, and Verstappen will certainly be one of the protagonists of this story.
